Yolks color definition by supplementing yellow and red xanthophylls to hen's diets

Egg yolk color may be controlled both by the concentration and the type of xanthophylls added to diets, with the aim of meeting consumers demand. The objectives of this work were to study how yellow and red xanthophylls present in laying hens` diets influence yolks colors and find the concentrations of these ingredients that meet the regional consumer desire. A factorial design 5 x 3 with 5 concentrations of yellow xanthophylls (lutein + zeaxantin 40%; 1.0, 1.25, 1.5, 1.75 and 2.0 mg/hen/d) and 3 concentrations of red xanthophylls (canthaxantin 10%; 0, 0.35, 0.7 mg/hen/d) was used. After a 30 d period receiving corn basal diets and water ad libitum, 60 White Dekalbe hens were distributed to receive the 15 dietary treatments in 4 replicates. Diets were provided daily at 110 g, during 21 d under 16 h light/8 h dark. Yolks colors were evaluated daily using the CIE L, a, b color space and the Roche color index. After the color stabilization, data were analyzed by ANOVA, regression analysis and Response Surface Methodology (MRS). Global acceptance for the Roche colors was evaluated with a 5 points hedonic scale and data were analyzed by Friedman and Dunn tests. Significance was established at 95% (P < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that the red xanthophylls content was the most important factor that defined L, a and b values for yolk color (P < 0.0001; square function), although its effect was significantly affected by the yellow xanthophylls contents (P = 0.0277; P < 0.0001; P = 0.0002 for L, a, b, respectively), providing evidence for a synergistic effect and not for a saturation effect. MRS showed that the highest redness of yolks was reached with 1.5 mg/hen/d of yellow and 0.5 mg/hen/d of red xanthophylls. So, higher supplementations aiming at increasing yolk color would bring an unnecessary cost to the ration. The most accepted yolk color scored 9, which corresponded to mean color attributes L = 65; a = 16; and b = 64. MRS showed that these values could be reached with combinations of yellow:red xanthophylls like 1.0:0.15 or 1.5:0.1 mg/ hen/d or simply with the yellow xanthophylls at 2.0 mg/hen/d. So, it was concluded that both yellow and red xanthophylls are important to define yolks color; that high amounts of xanthophylls are unnecessary to bring changes to color; and that Brazilian consumer requires yolks color attainable with few amounts of red xanthophylls or only with the yellow ones.

Caracterización por contenido de β-carotenos de ocho cultivares de zanahoria (Daucus carota L.) y su relación con el color

El objetivo fue determinar, durante dos años, el contenido de β-caroteno y su relación con el Índice de Color (IC), de ocho cultivares comerciales del tipo 'Flakkee' cultivadas en el INTA La Consulta. El diseño experimental a campo utilizado fue en bloques al azar con 3 repeticiones. Se evaluó β-caroteno (espectrofotometría a 450 nm) y se calculó el IC, mediante captación de imagen digital con PC y escáner, midiendo L, a y b del Sistema CIELAB. Los datos fueron analizados por ACP (análisis de componentes principales), la visualización de la variabilidad, por cartografiado de datos, análisis de varianza, pruebas de diferencia de medias y correlaciones. Los contenidos de β-carotenos y el IC de los cultivares se mantuvieron constantes durante los dos años estudiados, resultando las cultivares Natasha, Flakesse y Colmar las de mayor valor nutricional en cuanto a aporte de β-carotenos. En el rango de valores menores de 18 mg%g de β-carotenos, se observó una correlación positiva significativa en las cultivares Supreme, Spring y Laval. No se encontró una correlación alta lineal entre el IC y el contenido de β-carotenos. El uso del IC resulta adecuado para predecir, en un intervalo de valores, el contenido de β-carotenos en cultivares de zanahoria.

A SEARCH FOR FIELD HORIZONTAL-BRANCH STARS NEAR THE SOUTH GALACTIC POLE

Searches for field horizontal-branch (FHB) stars in the halo of the Galaxy in the past have been carried out by several techniques, such as objective-prism surveys and visual or infrared photometric surveys. By choosing adequate color criteria, it is possible to improve the efficiency of identifying bona fide FHB stars among the other objects that exhibit similar characteristics, such as main-sequence A-stars, blue stragglers, subdwarfs, etc. In this work, we report the results of a spectroscopic survey carried out near the south Galactic pole intended to validate FHB stars originally selected from the HK objective-prism survey of Beers and colleagues, based on near-infrared color indices. A comparison between the stellar spectra obtained in this survey with theoretical stellar atmosphere models allows us to determine T(eff), log g, and [Fe/H] for 13 stars in the sample. Stellar temperatures were calculated from measured (B-V)(o), when this measurement was available (16 stars). The color index criteria adopted in this work are shown to correctly classify 30% of the sample as FHB, 25% as non-FHB (main-sequence stars and subdwarfes), whereas 40% could not be distinguished between FHB and main-sequence stars. We compare the efficacy of different color criteria in the literature intended to select FHB stars, and discuss the use of the Mg II 4481 line to estimate the metallicity.

Zinc supplementation, production and quality of coffee beans

Besides its importance in the coffee tree nutrition, there is almost no information relating zinc nutrition and bean quality. This work evaluated the effect of zinc on the coffee yield and bean quality. The experiment was conducted with Coffea arabica L. in "Zona da Mata" region, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Twelve plots were established at random with 4 competitive plants each. Treatments included plants supplemented with zinc (eight plots) and control without zinc supplementation (four plots). Plants were subjected to two treatments: zinc supplementation and control. Yield, number of defective beans, beans attacked by berry borers, bean size, cup quality, beans zinc concentration, potassium leaching, electrical conductivity, color index, total tritable acidity, pH, chlorogenic acids contents and ferric-reducing antioxidant activity of beans were evaluated. Zinc positively affected quality of coffee beans, which presented lower percentage of medium and small beans, lower berry borer incidence, lower potassium leaching and electrical conductivity, higher contents of zinc and chlorogenic acids and higher antioxidant activity in comparison with control beans.

UBVRI photoelectric photometry of nearby stars

In order to complete the photometric data of the Gliese (1969) 'Catalog of Nearby Stars', and in addition use these data for the Hipparcos space astrometry mission, program stars have been selected from the catalog and its supplements on the basis of their having an incomplete set of UBVRI photometric data of magnitude lower than 13. The program developed rejects determinations of any magnitude or color index having a residual greater than 2(sigma-prime), where sigma-prime is the standard deviation for the determinations of unit weight.

Potassium permanganate effects in postharvest conservation of the papaya cultivar Sunrise Golden

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of KMnO4 on the extension of postharvest life of 'Sunrise Golden' papaya, stored under modified atmosphere and refrigeration. Fruit with up to 10% yellow peel were harvested in a commercial orchard in Linhares, state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. Sets of three fruit (unit mass of 289.9±18.5 g) were wrapped in low-density polyethylene films (28 ¼m thick) containing sachets of KMnO4 at 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 g per bag. The bags were sealed and stored at 10.4±0.9°C and 90±5% relative humidity for 25 days. After this period, the fruit were removed from the bags and maintained at 21±0.8°C and 90±5% relative humidity until complete ripening. Four days after bag sealing, CO2 concentration stabilized in all treatments, and was higher in bags without KMnO4. In all treatments, fruit reached the climacteric respiratory peak on the third day after bag removal, coinciding with peel color index of 3.5. Increasing the KMnO4 dose reduced the losses in fruit fresh matter, consistency and pulp electrolyte leakage. Potassium permanganate was effective in maintaining the fruit at the pre-climacteric stage during the 25-day storage, and did not interfere with normal ripening after bag removal.

Soil nutrient availability and its impact on fruit quality of Tahiti acid lime

The Tahiti acid lime in Brazil is mostly grown in the São Paulo State. The value of this crop production ranks among the ten most important fruits in the country. The Brazilian exports of Tahiti limes have increased in the last years with a corresponding increased demand for superior quality of fresh fruits, which is affected by mineral nutrients. Therefore, this study evaluated nutrient soil availability and its influence on nutritional status of trees based on the determination of leaf and fruit nutrient concentrations, fruit characteristics, and post harvest quality. Eleven commercial groves with trees older than 4-yr and differently managed were studied. Plots with six trees in each grove were sampled for soil (0-20 cm depth layer), leaf and fruit analyses with three replicates. Correlation coefficients were pair wised established for all variables. The results showed that N leaf concentration was well correlated with green color of fruit peel as measured by a color index (r = -0.71**), and which was optimum with Leaf-N around 22 g kg-1. Leaf-Ca was inversely correlated with fruit water loss after 14-day interval from harvest (r = -0.54*) demonstrating that Ca plays an important role in Tahiti fruit shelf-life. Data also suggested that increased fruit K concentration correlated with increased fruit water losses during storage (r >0.58*).

Uso de índices de reflectância das folhas para avaliar o nível de nitrogênio em grama-bermuda

A reflectância da folha em determinados comprimentos de onda pode ser uma alternativa para estimar a concentração de nitrogênio (N) na planta, devido à relação entre o teor de clorofila e de N no tecido foliar. Este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar índices da cor verde em grama-bermuda para predizer o nível de N na planta. O experimento foi conduzido em área comercial de produção de grama-bermuda, localizada na cidade de Capela do Alto/SP. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi de blocos ao acaso, com cinco tratamentos (0, 150, 300, 450 e 600kg de N ha-1) e quatro repetições. Foi avaliada a reflectância das folhas pelo uso de medidor de cor de grama, clorofilômetro, e por meio de análise da imagem digital. O matiz (H) e índice de cor verde escuro (ICVE), calculados com base nos índices de reflectância da imagem digital, o ICVE, obtido com medidor de cor de grama, e a intensidade de coloração verde (ICV), obtida com o clorofilômetro, apresentaram forte correlação positiva com a concentração de N e a taxa de cobertura do solo (TCS) da grama-bermuda, podendo ser utilizados como índices auxiliares na recomendação de adubação nitrogenada para a cultura. Os valores obtidos que podem servir como primeiros índices para avaliação do estado nutricional em N na grama-bermuda Celebration são: H de 88 a 109o e ICVE de 0,54 a 0,66 (imagem digital); H de 67 a 76o e ICVE de 0,41 a 0,44 (medidor de cor da grama TCM 500); e ICV de 374 a 471 (clorofilômetro CM 1000).

Estado nutricional em nitrogênio da grama esmeralda avaliado por meio do teor foliar, clorofilômetro e imagem digital, em área adubada com lodo de esgoto

A intensidade da cor verde da folha pode ser alternativa para estimar a concentração de N na planta, devido à relação entre o teor de clorofila e o de N no tecido foliar. Objetivou-se neste trabalho avaliar índices da cor verde da grama esmeralda obtidos da análise da imagem digital e pelo uso do clorofilômetro para predizer o estado nutricional em N fornecido pelo lodo de esgoto. O experimento foi instalado e desenvolvido em uma propriedade comercial de grama esmeralda, localizada na cidade de Itapetininga (SP). O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados, com quatro repetições e cinco doses de lodo de esgoto: 0, 10, 20, 30 e 40 Mg ha-1, base seca. As doses de lodo aplicadas correspondem a 100, 200, 300 e 400 kg ha-1 de nitrogênio disponível. Foram avaliadas as concentrações de N e a intensidade de coloração verde da folha pelo uso do clorofilômetro (ICV) e por meio da análise da imagem digital (G, H e ICVE) aos 45, 105 e 165 dias após a aplicação do lodo. Os valores de intensidade obtidos foram correlacionados com a concentração de N na lâmina foliar e com a taxa de cobertura do solo determinada nas mesmas épocas. A aplicação de doses de lodo de esgoto proporcionou aumento dos índices de cor verde e da concentração de N nas folhas da grama esmeralda. A concentração de N na lâmina foliar pode auxiliar a adubação nitrogenada em cobertura, pois proporcionou altas correlações com a taxa de cobertura do solo. O matiz (H) obtido com a imagem digital e a intensidade de cor verde da folha (ICV) obtida com o clorofilômetro correlacionaram-se com a concentração de N e com a taxa de cobertura do solo e, dessa forma, podem servir como índices na recomendação da adubação nitrogenada.

Estudo sistemático de estrelas variáveis na era dos grandes surveys

The interest in the systematic analysis of astronomical time series data, as well as development in astronomical instrumentation and automation over the past two decades has given rise to several questions of how to analyze and synthesize the growing amount of data. These data have led to many discoveries in the areas of modern astronomy asteroseismology, exoplanets and stellar evolution. However, treatment methods and data analysis have failed to follow the development of the instruments themselves, although much effort has been done. In present thesis, we propose new methods of data analysis and two catalogs of the variable stars that allowed the study of rotational modulation and stellar variability. Were analyzed the photometric databases fromtwo distinctmissions: CoRoT (Convection Rotation and planetary Transits) and WFCAM (Wide Field Camera). Furthermore the present work describes several methods for the analysis of photometric data besides propose and refine selection techniques of data using indices of variability. Preliminary results show that variability indices have an efficiency greater than the indices most often used in the literature. An efficient selection of variable stars is essential to improve the efficiency of all subsequent steps. Fromthese analyses were obtained two catalogs; first, fromtheWFCAMdatabase we achieve a catalog with 319 variable stars observed in the photometric bands Y ZJHK. These stars show periods ranging between ∼ 0, 2 to ∼ 560 days whose the variability signatures present RR-Lyrae, Cepheids , LPVs, cataclysmic variables, among many others. Second, from the CoRoT database we selected 4, 206 stars with typical signatures of rotationalmodulation, using a supervised process. These stars show periods ranging between ∼ 0, 33 to ∼ 92 days, amplitude variability between ∼ 0, 001 to ∼ 0, 5 mag, color index (J - H) between ∼ 0, 0 to ∼ 1, 4 mag and spectral type CoRoT FGKM. The WFCAM variable stars catalog is being used to compose a database of light curves to be used as template in an automatic classifier for variable stars observed by the project VVV (Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy) moreover it are a fundamental start point to study different scientific cases. For example, a set of 12 young stars who are in a star formation region and the study of RR Lyrae-whose properties are not well established in the infrared. Based on CoRoT results we were able to show, for the first time, the rotational modulation evolution for an wide homogeneous sample of field stars. The results are inagreement with those expected by the stellar evolution theory. Furthermore, we identified 4 solar-type stars ( with color indices, spectral type, luminosity class and rotation period close to the Sun) besides 400 M-giant stars that we have a special interest to forthcoming studies. From the solar-type stars we can describe the future and past of the Sun while properties of M-stars are not well known. Our results allow concluded that there is a high dependence of the color-period diagram with the reddening in which increase the uncertainties of the age-period realized by previous works using CoRoT data. This thesis provides a large data-set for different scientific works, such as; magnetic activity, cataclysmic variables, brown dwarfs, RR-Lyrae, solar analogous, giant stars, among others. For instance, these data will allow us to study the relationship of magnetic activitywith stellar evolution. Besides these aspects, this thesis presents an improved classification for a significant number of stars in the CoRoT database and introduces a new set of tools that can be used to improve the entire process of the photometric databases analysis

Efeito das concentrações de nitrogênio e silício em plantas de milho e de trigo sob cultivo hidropônico

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Produção Vegetal) - FCAV

Efeito de compensação de cargas nas propriedades luminescentes dos materiais 'BA''WO IND.4':'EU POT.3+','LI POT.+'

Pós-graduação em Química - IQ

Utilização de composto orgânico de lodo de esgoto como substrato para produção de mudas de eucalipto

Pós-graduação em Ciência Florestal - FCA

Manejo hídrico na produção de brotos e mudas de quatro clones de Eucalyptus spp

Pós-graduação em Ciência Florestal - FCA

Optimizing xanthophyll concentrations in diets to obtain well-pigmented yolks

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)