Biomass production and chemical composition of Lippia alba (Mill.) NEBr. ex Britt & Wilson in leaves on different plant parts in different seasons

Lippia alba, family Verbenaceae, is widely spread in Central and South American. It's a shurb with a quadrangular branch reaching 1,7m tall. The leaves are membranaceous, petiolate, pubescent with a strong flavor. It's limbs have variable forms with pointed apex, cuneiform or decumbent base, and serrated or crenated hordes. It was determined the best harvest season to biomass production, essential oil content and chemical composition, on different plant parts (apical, medium, basal). It has been observed that, both apical and medium parts represented around 80 % of the fresh leaf mass. The foliar biomass yields are about 5 ton/ha in four harvests during an year. The average yield of essential oil considering the three plant parts were 0.15%, 0.47%, 0.46%, 0.55% and 0.61% for summer/98, autumn/98, winter/98, spring/98 and summer/99, respectively. Essential oils showed similar chemical composition either in relation to seasonality, neral, geranial and t-cariofilene were the majority compounds.

Doses and sources of nitrogen fertilizer and their effects on soil chemical properties and forage yield of Brachiaria brizantha cv. Xaraes

Forage plants, particularly the Brachiaria genus, are the main source of nutrients for cattle and are at times the only feed offered. The concentration of elements in the plant is related to the soil, fertilization, climate, season, variety, and cultural practices. An experiment on dystrophic Red-Yellow Latosol soil in Aracatuba, São Paulo was performed to evaluate the effects of the doses and sources of nitrogen fertilizers on the chemical properties of the soil and the dry matter yield of the grass Brachiaria brizantha cv. Xaraes. A randomized block design was employed involving three replicates in a 3 x 3 factorial, with three doses (100, 200 and 400 kg ha(-1) year(-1)) and three sources (Ajifer (R) L40, ammonium sulfate and urea) of nitrogen and a control treatment without nitrogen (zero). The greatest effects on the chemical properties of the soil as a function of nitrogen fertilization in the Xaraes grass were observed in the topsoil. The use of Ajifer (R) L40 and ammonium sulfate as sources of nitrogen had similar effects, with an increase in the sulfur content and a reduction in the soil pH at the superficial layer. The use of the fertilizers Ajifer (R) L40, ammonium sulfate and urea did not affect the micronutrient contents, except for Fe and Mn, and did not alter the sodium concentration or electrical conductivity of the soil. The dry matter yield of Xaraes grass was similar for all three nitrogen sources.

Amoebicidal compounds from medicinal plants.

A series of the natural constituents with amoebicidal activity isolated from several medicinal plants is shown. A list of the medicinal plants potentially active as amoebicide and/or against dysentery also is demonstrated. The present data grouping of the natural compounds and medicinal plants can be an important source of information for the selection of research plant material by the investigators interested in the discovery of new biologically active compounds as amoebicide.

Further triterpenes, steroids and furocoumarins from Brazilian medicinal plants of Dorstenia genus (Moraceae)

The hexane-soluble fractions from the rhizomes or from the leaves from five Dorstenia (Moraceae) species (D. bahiensis Kl., D. bryoniifolia Mart ex. Miq., D. carautae C.C.Berg, D. cayapiaa Vell. and D. heringerii Car. & Val) were analysed by HRGC-MS (high-resolution gas chromatography - mass spectrometry). Pentacyclic triterpenes, steroids and furocoumarins were identified. HRGC-MS is shown to be a valuable tool for the analysis of terpenoidal compounds from Dostenia species. These compounds may be related to the folk utilization of Dorstenia species as antiophidicals.

Plant Cell Wall Research Related to Evolution and Chemical Defenses

The plant cell wall is composed mainly of polysaccharides some constituted of repeating units of a single sugar, as cellulose or by two or more sugars grouped in repeating oligosaccharide blocks as the galactomannans and xyloglucans. Variations in composition and fine structure of these cell wall polysaccharides have been used as taxonomic markers and in the comprehension of the evolutive process, particularly in the Leguminosae. Partial hydrolysis of these compounds give rise to oligomers, some of which are capable of eliciting the synthesis of defensive substances in plants named phytoalexins. Species which differ in respect to phytoalexin liberation also differ in cell wall composition, particularly in the pectic fraction of the wall. Pectinases (mainly endopolygalacturonases) present in fungi, have been shown to hydrolyze plant cell walls yielding phytoalexin-eliciting oligosaccharides which differ in composition and in eliciting capacity in different species. These differences can be associated with the capacity of a given species to produce phytoalexins. On the other hand, the phytoalexin induction in plants is being used as a method of producing novel bioactive secondary metabolites.

Influence of organic and chemical fertilization on the yield of flowers, contents and composition of essential oil of (Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauschert)

A field experiment was conducted with chamomile (Chamomilla recutita [L.] Rauschert), in an area of the Olericulture and Medicinal Plants of the Horticulture Department at UNESP - Jaboticabal Campus, with the aim to evaluate the influence of organic and chemical fertilization on the yield of flowers, and content and composition of the essential oil of chamomile. The experimental design for the yield of flowers consisted of randomized blocks with 7 treatments and 4 replications, for the analysis of the contents and composition of the oil, the completely randomized block was used and for analysis of the correlation between harvesting and treatment, the split-plot design into randomized blocks was used. The treatments tested were: no fertilization, green manure (Mucuna aterrima + Crotalaria spectabilis), green manure (plant cocktail), organic fertilizer (farmyard manure), N as urea, N as ammonium sulphate, NPK with N supplement as ammonium sulphate. There was no influence of the treatments on the yield of flowers nor on the essential oil content; on the other hand both characteristics did show significant differences in harvesting times (Tukey 5%). The main yield was 885.90 kg/ha dry flowers and the mean oil content was 0,86%. The green manure treatment (M. aterrima + C. spectabilis) showed a higher percentage of chamazulene content, with a highly significant difference in harvesting times (Tukey 1%). The a-bisabolol percentages did not evidence significant differences between treatments. However, among harvesting times, there was a variation. A negative correlation was verified between the chamazulene and abisabolol percentages; the first increasing - from 21.02 to 36.17% - and the latter decreasing - from 14.12 to 8.72 % - from the first to the sixth harvest. The observed mean content of chamazulene was 14.64 % and a-bisabolol was 16.72 %.

Early rooting in Rosemary's (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) cuttings under the influence of chemical treatments and collecting time

The present work aimed to verify the early rooting development and the root production in rosemary's (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) cuttings under the influence of treatments with sythetics auxins, boric acid and collecting time. The branches were collected at the end of the season and the stakes were prepared and placed into solutions containing NAA or IBA (25, 50, 75 and 100 pppm) without and with boric acid and then removed to a chamber of nebulization (all experimental work). In all the experimentes, the branches were collected after 30 days, the mean number of rooted cuttings was calculated, along with the mean number of roots per stakes and the dry weight of roots. The end of winter outstood as the best season for all analysed parameters.

Plant nutrients in a degraded soil treated with water treatment sludge and cultivated with grasses and leguminous plants

The objective of this work was to evaluate rates for applications of water treatment sludge (WTS) as a nutrient source for grasses and leguminous plants cropped in a soil degraded by tin mining in the Amazon Region (Natural Forest of Jamari, Rondonia State, Brazil). The treatments consisted of three rates of nitrogen supplied by WTS (100, 150 and 200 mg kg -1 soil), five combinations of plants, two controls (absolute control, without fertilization; and chemical control, soil+lime+chemical fertilizers). WTS modified the contents of macro and micronutrients in the degraded soil, but it was not, as used in the present study, sufficient for the rehabilitation of the degraded area. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of nozzle angle and air-jet parameters in air-assisted sprayer on biological effect of soybean asian rust chemical protection

Aiming at improving the efficiency control of Phakopsora pachyrhizi, this research evaluated different application techniques, using spray deposits and yield parameters of soybean crop. Two experiments were carried out in the experimental area of FCA/UNESP - Botucatu, SP, Brazil, in the soybean crop, Conquista variety, in the 2006/2007 season. The first experiment was arranged in random blocks with eight treatments and four replications. The treatments were conducted in factorial arrangement 4×2 (four air levels 0, 9, 11 and 29 km/h combined at two nozzle angles 0 and 30°) using AXI 110015 nozzles. Ten plants on each plot were selected for sampling spray deposits. Artificial targets were fixed on plants, two in the top and another two in the bottom part of plants (abaxial and adaxial leaf surface each one). For deposit evaluations, a cupric tracer was used and the amount of deposits was determined by a spectrophotometer. The second experiment was carried out in the same place and the treatments were of the same arrangement as the previous experiment, including control treatment (untreated plants). The spraying with triazole fungicide was realized in R2 and R5.2 growth stages of soybean with 142 l/ha spray volume. The nozzle angled of 30° combined with maximum air speed promoted the highest spray deposits on the soybean crop and influenced positively the control of the soybean Asian rust as well in the productivity of this crop.

Antiviral activity of plants occurring in the state of minas gerais (Brazil): Part III

A total of 24 extracts from 14 plant species collected at the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and belonging to five botanical families (Annonaceae, Apocynaceae, Ochnaceae, Polygonaceae and Vitaceae) was screened for cytotoxicity in cultured Vero cells and for antiviral activity against human herpes virus type 1 (HSV-1), vaccinia virus (VACV) and murine encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV). The highest cytotoxicity (CC 50 < 10 μg/mL) was observed for the ethanol extracts from Annona coriacea fruits and seeds. Extracts from Hancornia speciosa, Ouratea castaneafolia and O. semisrrata were the only ones that have shown activity against all the three viruses assayed. Extracts from Polygonum spectabile, Hancornia speciosa, Himatanthus phagedaenica, Ouratea spectabilis and O. semiserrata were the most active against HSV-1 (EC 50 < 50 mg/mL), with favorable SI values (8.0 to 10.0). Hancornia speciosa and Anaxagorea dolichocarpa were the most active against EMCV (EC 50 50 - 100 μg/mL), with reasonable SI values (5.2 to 6.1), while moderate to low activity (EC 50 > 100 μg/mL) was observed for Ouratea spectabilis and O. semiserrata. A total of 7 plant species, Ouratea semiserrata, O. spectabilis, O. castanaeafolia, Rollinia laurifolia, Cissus erosa, Polygonum spectabile, and Hancornia speciosa, were active against VACV, disclosing EC50 < 50 μg/mL and SI values ranging from 6.6 to 67.3. In total, 10 out of the 14 species were selected from a literature survey on plants used to treat viral diseases in Brazil; these species were responsible for 70% of the positive results.

Biomass production and chemical composition of essential oil of Piper callosum as affected by spacing in Manaus, Amazonas State, Brazil

The family Piperaceae contains nearly 2000 species, most of them distributed in two genera, Piper and Peperomia. In Brazil circa 170 Piper species are found, mainly in tropical areas Their use ranges from flavoring and culinary to raw material for pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry. One of these species, Piper callosum, is used in folk medicine in the Amazon area. The objective of this study was to evaluate the production of biomass (aerial parts) as well as yield and composition of the essential oil from the leaves, according to different spacing between cultivated plants at Embrapa Western Amazon, in Manaus, State of Amazonas, Brazil. The experimental design was randomized blocks, with four treatments and seven replicates with six plants. Biomass production was inversely proportional to the spatial arrangements, with the greatest biomass production (1034.93 kg/ha) in the shortest spacing (E1), although no statistical difference was verified between E3 and E4. The same response was observed for the production of essential oil. The chemical composition of the oil was not affected by spacing, and major compounds found were safrole (59.1%), beta-pinene (8.3%), alpha-pinene (6.5%), methyl eugenol (6.3%) and 1,8-cineole (4.1).

Chemical alterations of substrate in the cultivation of peppers

The objective of this study was to evaluate the chemical alterations of the substrate in the cultivation of peppers grown in coconut husk fiber, in a protected environment. Initially, 160 pepper plants ('Eppo') were divided into four blocks, where two pots per block were analyzed every 21 days after transplanting. The cultivation of pepper was carried out in plastic pots of 13 L, containing coconut husk fiber, and placed in double rows with a spacing of 0.5×0.8 m between single rows and 1.10 m between double rows. After removal of the plants from the pots, individual samples of substrate (approximately 1 L) were collected from each pot and dried at ambient temperature. The levels of Ca, Mg, S, Cl, Na, B, Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn were determined for all periods of the cultivation. These analyses were performed using the method of extraction 1:1.5 v/v. There was an increase in the levels of all the nutrients evaluated. Further studies should be conducted to develop a better nutrient solution.

Chemical and biochemical characterization of guava and araçá fruits from different regions of Brazil

Guava and araçá, species of the Psidium genus, are important options for Brazilian agribusiness, especially the former species, due to their fruit characteristics, such as appearance, taste and richness in minerals and phenolic compounds. These fruits can be consumed in natura or in several processed forms. The active germplasm bank is an important tool for genetic resource characterization and plant breeding studies. Sixty guava and ten araçá accessions of the Psidium active germplasm, sampled in 44 different Brazilian regions and grown at Embrapa Semiarid, were chemically and biochemically characterized in order to support breeding programs. The accessions were grown in a randomized block design, with two replications and three plants/plot. The sugar, proteins, soluble solids, titratable acidity, calcium, magnesium, iron and phosphorus contents were determined. Large variations were observed in the analyzed compounds, which could be attributed to the diversity of genotypes and also to the environmental conditions, which affect the plant metabolism. The high variability observed in most parameters of the accessions is an important factor for the improvement of these species. Most guava accessions showed higher titratable acidity and soluble solids than those found in commercial cultivars and, in araçá, these levels were even higher, which makes them promising for commercial exploitation. Moreover, fruits of the guava and araçá accessions present good sources of sugars and minerals. Special attention should be given to some guava and araçá accessions from Maranhão and Pernambuco States, respectively, which showed high levels for titratable acidity, soluble solids, SS/TA ratio, total soluble sugars, calcium, magnesium and iron, should be targets of breeding programs for new Psidium cultivars. © ISHS.

Annona sp: Plants with multiple applications as alternative medicine - a review

Annona species have been used as a natural remedy for a variety of illnesses with antiparasitic, antispasmodic, antidiarrheal, antiulcer, sedative, analgesic, hypotensive, and vermifugal effects. These properties are due to the presence of a number of bioactive compounds on the leaves, fruit, seeds, and stem. The aim of this review is to show the main species of Annona, their medicinal properties and the chemical constituents that may be related to these effects. In the leaves it is possible to find acetogenins, annopentocins A, B, and C, cis- and trans-annomuricin-D-ones, goniothalamicin, arianacin, and javoricin, related to anticancer properties. Quercetin-3-O-glucoside, also found in the leaves mediates antidiabetic and antioxidative effects. In the fruit are found annonaine, nornuciferine and asimilobine, associated to antidepressive effects. In the seeds are found muricatetrocin A and muricatetrocin B, longifolicin, corossolin, corossolone, uvarigrandin A, bullatacin, squamotatin. These acetogenins are associated with anticancer effects. Cyclosquamosin B, quercetin, and cyclosquamosin from the seeds have respectively vasorelaxant, antithyroidal and, antiinflammatory activity. In the stem parts there are several components as N-trans-feruloyltyramine, N-p-coumaroyltyramine, and N-trans-caffeoyltyramine, lignans, syringaresinol, syringaldehyde, beta-sitosterol and beta-sitosterol-beta-D-glucoside which exhibit antiplatelet aggregation activity. Copaene, patchoulane, 1H-cycloprop (e) azulene and kaur-16-en-19-oic acid found in the barks exhibit significant central as well as peripheral analgesic and antiinflammatory activities. The properties of the biological compounds in Annona species support information that may provide validation for its medicinal uses, but further studies should be performed to establish ideal and safe doses of consumption to ensure the effectiveness of the benefits. © 2012 Bentham Science Publishers.

Database of the Amazon aromatic plants and their essential oils

The aromatic flora of the Amazon has been inventoried for 30 years. In this sense, were made over 500 field trips to collect over 2500 plants and to obtain more than 2000 essential oils and aroma concentrates, all of them submitted to GC and GC-MS. This work led to the creation of a database for the aromatic plants of the Amazon, which catalogs general information about 1250 specimens. The database has allowed the publication of the chemical composition of the oils and aromas of more than 350 species, associated with a larger number of chemical types. The essential oils of many species offer optimum conditions for economic exploitation and use in national and international market of fragrances, cosmetics, agricultural and household pesticides.