Pyriproxyfen controls silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), biotype B (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) (SLW) better than buprofezin in bitter melons Momordica charantia L. (Cucurbitaceae)

To improve compatibility between chemical and biological controls, the use of selective insecticides such as insect growth regulators (IGRs) is crucial. In cucurbits, the use of pyriproxyfen (an IGR) has been shown by others to be an effective method of reducing the number of sap-sucking insects, especially silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) Biotype B (SLW). Therefore, we compared pyriproxyfen and buprofezin (an IGR) with that of no treatment (control) in a bitter melon crop for the control of populations of SLW and for their effects on fruit production. Pyriproxyfen controlled SLW and tended to have heavier fruits than the control treatment and reduced the abundance of nymphs and exuvia. Buprofezin showed no evidence in controlling SLW compared with the pyriproxyfen and control treatments. Neither pyriproxyfen nor buprofezin had any effect on the number of harvested fruit or overall fruit yield, but the average weight per fruit was higher than the control treatment. Pyriproxyfen was effective in controlling whitefly populations in bitter melons, and both pyriproxyfen and buprofezin may have the potential to increase yield. Their longer-term use may increase predation by natural enemies as they are species-specific and could favour build up of natural enemies of SLW. Thus, the judicious use of pyriproxyfen may provide an effective alternative to broad-spectrum insecticides in small-scale cucurbit production.

Superação de dormência das sementese controle químico de plantas de Momordicacharantia L

This experiment were performed to evaluate methods of seeds scarification for overcoming dormancy and the efficacy of six herbicides registered for sugarcane to control adult plants of Mcharantia. The experimental design was completely randomized, with four replications in both trials. The first trial is a factorial 2x8 (two times of seeds collection (2006 and 2007) with eight methods of breaking dormancy (mechanical scarification; 100% and 50% concentrated sulfuric acid; 2% potassium nitrate for three and six hours; heat dried at 60 degrees C; hot water at 60 degrees C and an untreated control). In the second trial evaluated the control of M. charantia through six different herbicides: Imazapic, Metsulfuron-methyl, Metribuzin, 2,4-D, Amicarbazone, Paraquat and a control without herbicide application. Thus, it can be concluded that the seeds were immersed in concentrated sulfuric acid for three minutes and potassium nitrate for three hours gave a higher percentage and germination speed and the herbicide Metribuzin reached, albeit belatedly, a total control of M. charantia.

Atividade antifúngica de extratos de Momordica charantia L. sobre Colletotrichum musae

Os objetivos do presente trabalho foram avaliar os efeitos de extratos de Momordica charantia sobre o crescimento micelial e a germinação de conídios de Colletotrichum musae, e a eficiência destes extratos no controle da antracnose, causada por C. musae, em bananas. Extratos aquoso e hidroetanólico, obtidos de folhas e ramos, na concentração de 50% em relação ao volume adicionado, em meio sólido, proporcionaram 71 e 65% de inibição do crescimento micelial, respectivamente, enquanto que em meio líquido, a inibição do crescimento micelial foi de 86 e 81%, respectivamente. Somente o extrato aquoso e o tiofanato metílico, nas concentrações de 50% e 1000 µg mL-1 respectivamente, proporcionaram 100% de inibição da germinação de esporos de C. musae. Os extratos metanólico e aquoso inibiram em 80 e 70%, respectivamente, o desenvolvimento das lesões em bananas, quando aplicados até dois dias antes da inoculação do fungo. Estes resultados foram semelhantes ao tratamento com tiofanato metílico, que inibiu 80% do desenvolvimento das lesões. Confirma-se a presença de substância antifúngica nos extratos de M. charantia e outros estudos devem ser realizados para viabilizar seu uso no controle da antracnose da banana.

Enxertia e podridão de raízes e colo em cucurbitáceas

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Produção Vegetal) - FCAV

Atividade antifúngica de extratos de Melão-de-São-Caetano (Momordica charantia L.) sobre Colletotrichum musae (Berk. & Curtis) Arx

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Atividade antifúngica de extratos de Momordica charantia L. e Lafoensia pacari St. Hil. sobre Colletotrichum musae (Berk. & M. A. Curtis) Arx

Pós-graduação em Agronomia - FEIS

Extratos vegetais na germinação de sementes de Baccharis dracunculifolia e Plantago lanceolata

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

SUPERAÇÃO DE DORMÊNCIA DAS SEMENTES E CONTROLE QUÍMICO DE Momordicacharantia L.

Objetivou-se com este estudo avaliar diferentes métodos para a superação da dormência das sementes e a eficiência de herbicidas no controle químico de plantas de Momordicacharantia L. no estádio reprodutivo. O primeiro experimento constituiu-seem esquema fatorial 2 x 8 (duas épocas de coleta das sementes (2006 e 2007) e oito métodos de quebra de dormência: escarificação mecânica; imersão em ácido sulfúrico concentrado e a 50%; imersão em nitrato de potássio a 2%por três e seis horas; calor seco a 60°C; água quente a 60°C e uma testemunha sem tratamento). No segundo ensaio avaliou-se o controle da Momordicacharantia L. por meio de seis herbicidas distintos: Imazapic, Metsulfuron-methyl, Metribuzin, 2,4-D, Amicarbazone, Paraquat e uma testemunha sem aplicação de herbicidas. Em ambos os ensaios, o delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizados, com quatro repetições. Após a aplicação dos tratamentos,pode-se concluir que a imersão das sementes em ácido sulfúrico concentrado por 3 minutos proporcionou uma maior porcentagem e velocidade de germinação e que o herbicida Metribuzin alcançou, embora tardiamente, um controle total das plantas de melão de São-Caetano.

Nanotechnology in the food industry I: applications

Nanotechnology is a multidisciplinary science that is having a boom today, providing new products with attractive physicochemical properties for many applications. In agri/feed/food sector, nanotechnology offers great opportunities for obtaining products and innovative applications for agriculture and livestock, water treatment and the production, processing, storage and packaging of food. To this end, a wide variety of nanomaterials, ranging from metals and inorganic metal oxides to organic nanomaterials carrying bioactive ingredients are applied. This review shows an overview of current and future applications of nanotechnology in the food industry. Food additives and materials in contact with food are now the main applications, while it is expected that in the future are in the field of nano-encapsulated and nanocomposites in applications as novel foods, additives, biocides, pesticides and materials food contact.

Bitter streak

This script, a performative satire on theatre, focussed on 'theatre streaking', was a finalist in the Queensland Theatre Company's George Landen Dann Awards in 2000 (predescessor to the Queensland Premier's Drama Award) ----- ----- ----- It had a workshop reading in 2000 at QTC, with Artistic Director Michael Gow reading the part of the Nude Man.----- ----- ----- It was first performed at QUT in the Woodward Theatre in 2003.

Discriminating stromatolite formation modes using rare earth element geochemistry: Trapping and binding versus in situ precipitation of stromatolites from the Neoproterozoic Bitter Springs Formation, Northern Territory, Australia

Stromatolites consist primarily of trapped and bound ambient sediment and/or authigenic mineral precipitates, but discrimination of the two constituents is difficult where stromatolites have a fine texture. We used laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry to measure trace element (rare earth element – REE, Y and Th) concentrations in both stromatolites (domical and branched) and closely associated particulate carbonate sediment in interspaces (spaces between columns or branches) from bioherms within the Neoproterozoic Bitter Springs Formation, central Australia. Our high resolution sampling allows discrimination of shale-normalised REE patterns between carbonate in stromatolites and immediately adjacent, fine-grained ambient particulate carbonate sediment from interspaces. Whereas all samples show similar negative La and Ce anomalies, positive Gd anomalies and chondritic Y/Ho ratios, the stromatolites and non-stromatolite sediment are distinguishable on the basis of consistently elevated light REEs (LREEs) in the stromatolitic laminae and relatively depleted LREEs in the particulate sediment samples. Additionally, concentrations of the lithophile element Th are higher in ambient sediment samples than in stromatolites, consistent with accumulation of some fine siliciclastic detrital material in the ambient sediment but a near absence in the stromatolites. These findings are consistent with the stromatolites consisting dominantly of in situ carbonate precipitates rather than trapped and bound ambient sediment. Hence, high resolution trace element (REE + Y, Th) geochemistry can discriminate fine-grained carbonates in these stromatolites from coeval non-stromatolitic carbonate sediment and demonstrates that the sampled stromatolites formed primarily from in situ precipitation, presumably within microbial mats/biofilms, rather than by trapping and binding of ambient sediment. Identification of the source of fine carbonate in stromatolites is significant, because if it is not too heavily contaminated by trapped ambient sediment, it may contain geochemical biosignatures and/or direct evidence of the local water chemistry in which the precipitates formed.

Bitter to better - how to make bitcoin a better currency

Bitcoin is a distributed digital currency which has attracted a substantial number of users. We perform an in-depth investigation to understand what made Bitcoin so successful, while decades of research on cryptographic e-cash has not lead to a large-scale deployment. We ask also how Bitcoin could become a good candidate for a long-lived stable currency. In doing so, we identify several issues and attacks of Bitcoin, and propose suitable techniques to address them.

Speaking the bitter truth: The role of the creative imagination in the process of healing

This chapter is concerned with the complexity and difficulty of truth telling as it is played out in two graphic novels: Stitches: A Memoir (Small 2009) and Why We Broke Up (Handler & Kalman, 2011). These texts establish a link between creative imagination and pain as the central protagonists come to see the therapeutic value of literature and film in helping them understand the complex emotional worlds they inhabit and the bitter truths about love and relationships. The discussion examines how these texts privilege a particular kind of independent subjectivity through aesthetic creation and appropriation. It also considers how speaking and silence are co-present elements in gender relations and each has its part to play in the double process of suffering and healing.