Mari-mari (Cassia leiandra Benth.) is an Amazonian native fruit that is highly appreciated in the northern region of Brazil, but there are few studies regarding its chemical composition and/or biological properties. A phytochemical study was conducted on the extracts of the pulp, peel and seeds; and their antioxidant, cytotoxic and antimicrobial potential were also determined. Methanol and acetone extracts from different fruit parts were subjected to total phenolic, 2,2-diphenyl-1 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and FeIII reducing capacity (FRAP) assays. From the peel extracts, the engeletin and astilbin could also be isolated and characterized based on nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry. A quantification using ultra-fast liquid chromatography of acetone dry crude extracts (DCE) of the peel showed that engeletin was the main compound (532.77 mg g-1 DCE). Astilbin content was also determined (131.53 mg g-1 DCE). The antibacterial and antiproliferative activities were evaluated and the methanol extract of the peel showed higher growth inhibition activity against all tested bacteria. Engeletin showed a relevant antimicrobial effect against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli. Acetone and methanol peel extracts exhibited a relevant inhibitory effect on the proliferation of breast carcinoma cells (MCF-7), with no toxicity to the normal cell line (NIH/3T3).

Resumen El presente estudio evaluó el efecto de la inoculación de hongos micorrízicos arbuscu lares (AMF) en el crecimiento y la nutrición de plántulas de Euterpe edulis en ausencia y presencia de fertilización con fosfato. El experimento se realizó en invernadero. El diseño de bloques al azar, consistió en un arreglo factorial 3x2, con 4 repeticiones, dos dosis de fósforo (0 y 50 mg dm-3 de suelo), dos tratamientos microbiológicos (Rhizophagus clarus; Claroideoglomus etunicatum; R. clarus + C. etunicatum) y un testigo (sin hongos). La siembra y la inoculación ocurrieron simultáneamente en bolsas de plástico de 2 kg. Después de 226 días, se determinó altura, diámetro de cuello, área foliar, masa seca del brote, el contenido de macronutrientes y el porcentaje de colonización micorrízica. R. clarus resultó superior, considerándose entonces una especie fúngica beneficiosa para las plántulas de E. edulis. En ausencia de fertilización con fosfato, R. clarus y el inóculo mixto aumentaron todas las variables biométricas en comparación con el testigo. Además, se observó un aumento en el contenido de macronutrientes en las plántulas.

Abstract The present study evaluated the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation on growth and nutrition of Euterpe edulis seedlings, supplemented or not with phosphate fertilization. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse. The randomized block design, consisted of a 3x2 factorial arrangement and 4 replicates, with two phosphorus doses (0 and 50 mg dm-3 of soil), two microbiological treatments (Rhizophagus clarus; Claroideoglomus etunicatum; R. clarus + C. etunicatum) and control (without fungus). Sowing and inoculation occurred concurrently in 2 kg plastic bags. Height, collar diameter, leaf area, dry shoot mass, macronutrient content and mycorrhizal colonization percentage were determined after 226 days. Regarding mycorrhizal colonization percentage, R. clarus resulted significantly beneficial for the production of E. edulis seedlings. In the absence of phosphate fertilization, R. clarus and mixed inoculum increased all biometric variables and macronutrient contents in seedlings. Therefore, it is concluded that AMF inoculations provide beneficial effects for growth and nutrition of E. edulis seedlings, resulting in more vigorous plants at a low-cost strategy.

RESUMO O jambu possui espilantol e compostos fenólicos responsáveis por muitas de suas propriedades medicinais. Além de melhorar a absorção de nutrientes, os fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (FMA) podem alterar a produção de metabólitos secundários. Assim, objetivou-se avaliar a influência da inoculação de FMA e doses de P na produção de biomassa seca da parte aérea, conteúdo dos macronutrientes (N, P, K, Ca e Mg), conteúdo de fenóis totais e concentração de espilantol em plantas de jambu. O experimento foi conduzido em delineamento blocos ao acaso, em esquema fatorial 3x4, com dois FMA (Rhizophagus clarus e Claroideoglomus etunicatum) e sem FMA, em quatro doses de P (0, 30, 60 e 90 mg/kg de solo), com quatro repetições. Plantas inoculadas com R. clarus e C. etunicatum, cultivadas sem adubação fosfatada, apresentaram incremento de 23 e 12 vezes, respectivamente, na biomassa seca da parte aérea, em comparação com plantas sem FMAs. A concentração de espilantol nas plantas inoculadas com R. clarus, sem adubação fosfatada foi 2,4%. A produção da biomassa seca da parte aérea das plantas de jambu e também os conteúdos de P, K, Ca, e Mg são maiores quando inoculadas com R. clarus nas menores doses de P. Essa espécie de FMA, também aumenta os conteúdos de fenóis totais nas plantas, quando adubadas com 60 mg kg-1. A dose 60 mg kg-1 de P aumenta a concentração de espilantol nas plantas de jambu quando inoculadas com C. etunicatum.

ABSTRACT Jambu has spilanthol and phenolic compounds that are responsible for several medicinal properties. Besides improving nutrient absorption, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can change secondary metabolites’ yield. Thus, the aim of the current study was to evaluate AMF inoculation and P influence on shoot dry biomass yield, macronutrient content (N, P, K, Ca and Mg), total phenol contents and spilanthol percentage in jambu plants. The experiment followed a randomized block design at 3x4 factorial arrangement, with two AMF (Rhizophagus clarus and Claroideoglomus etunicatum) and without AMF, at four P doses (0, 30, 60 and 90 mg/kg of soil), with four replicates. Plants inoculated with R. clarus and C. etunicatum, grown without phosphate fertilization, presented increase by 23 and 12 times, respectively, in comparison to plants without AMF. The relative spilanthol area in plants inoculated with R. clarus, without phosphate fertilization, reached 2.4%. Shoot dry biomass yield of jambu plants and the P, K, Ca and Mg contents were higher when plants were inoculated with R. clarus at the lowest P doses. The AMF also increased the contents of total phenols in plants fertilized with 60 mg kg-1. This P dose increased spilanthol concentration in jambu plants inoculated with C. etunicatum.

Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a atividade antibacteriana in vitro de venenos e toxinas purificadas de serpentes sobre a bactéria fitopatogênica Ralstonia solanacearum. As avaliações foram realizadas em 17 venenos brutos (13 de Bothrops, 3 de Crotalus e 1 de Lachesis) e sete toxinas (1 de Bothrops e 6 de Crotalus). A atividade antibacteriana foi avaliada em meio MB1 que continha os tratamentos solubilizados (1 μL mL-1). Utilizou-se o total de 100 μL de suspensão bacteriana (8,4 x 109 UFC mL-1). Após incubação a 28°C, avaliou-se o número de colônias bacterianas às 24, 48 e 72 horas após a inoculação. O gel SDS-PAGE a 15% foi usado para analisar o perfil proteico das amostras, tendo-se utilizado 5 μg de proteína no ensaio. Além disso, os valores de concentração inibitória mínima (CIM) e concentração letal (CL50) foram determinados pelo método Probit. Os venenos e as toxinas foram capazes de reduzir mais de 90% do crescimento de R. solanacearum. Esses resultados foram ou equivalentes aos do controle positivo cloranfenicol ou até melhores. Enquanto os valores de CIM variaram de 4,0 a 271,5 μg mL-1, a CL50 variou de 28,5 μg mL-1 a 4,38 mg mL-1. Dez venenos brutos (7 de Bothrops e 3 de Crotalus) e duas toxinas (giroxina e crotamina) são abordagens promissoras para o controle da bactéria fitopatogênica R. solanacearum.

Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the in vitro antibacterial activity of snake venoms and purified toxins on the phytopathogenic bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum. The evaluations were performed with 17 crude venoms (13 from Bothrops, 3 from Crotalus, and 1 from Lachesis) and seven toxins (1 from Bothrops and 6 from Crotalus). Antibacterial activity was assessed in MB1 medium containing solubilized treatments (1 μL mL-1). A total of 100 μL bacterial suspension (8.4 x 109 CFU mL-1) was used. After incubation at 28°C, the number of bacterial colonies at 24, 48, and 72 hours after inoculation was evaluated. SDS-PAGE gel at 15% was used to analyze the protein patterns of the samples, using 5 μg protein of each sample in the assay. Furthermore, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and lethal concentration (LC50) values were determined by the Probit method. Venoms and toxins were able to reduce more than 90% of R. solanacearum growth. These results were either equivalent to those of the positive control chloramphenicol or even better. While MIC values ranged from 4.0 to 271.5 μg mL-1, LC50 ranged from 28.5 μg mL-1 to 4.38 mg mL-1. Ten crude venoms (7 from Bothrops and 3 from Crotalus) and two purified toxins (gyroxin and crotamine) are promising approaches to control the phytopathogenic bacterium R. solanacearum.

Resumo No presente trabalho, os efeitos de dois diferentes produtos foram avaliados - Metarril® SP Organic (conídios secos) e Metarril® SC Organic (conídios concentrados em óleo vegetal) - para ovos, larvas e fêmeas ingurgitadas de Rhipicephalus microplus. Três concentrações (108, 107 e 106 conídios mL-1) para cada produto foram preparadas em água + Tween® 80 0,1% (v/v); os bioensaios foram realizados para todos os estágios de R. microplus por imersão nas suspensões (Metarril® SP) ou formulações (Metarril® SC). Metarril® SP não afetou os parâmetros biológicos das fêmeas, demonstrando assim baixa eficácia; para ovos e larvas, foram observadas discretas diminuições na eclodibilidade e na população de larvas. Apesar de um atraso na germinação, Metarril® SC apresentou melhores resultados; para as fêmeas, foram detectadas reduções no Peso da Massa de Ovos (PMO) e no Índice de Produção de Ovos (IPO). Para os ovos, a concentração de 108 conídios mL-1 aumentou o Período de Incubação (PI), reduziu o Período de Eclosão (PE) e também o da eclodibilidade em até 61%; para larvas, 107 e 108 conídios mL-1 atingiram 99,6 e 100% de mortalidade larval, respectivamente, 10 dias após a exposição fúngica. Com isso, estudos adicionais que envolvem o uso de formulações à base de óleo para carrapatos, como Metarril® SC, precisam ser realizados, especialmente para controlar os estágios mais suscetíveis (ovos e larvas).

Abstract The effects of two different products - Metarril® SP Organic (dry conidia) and Metarril® SC Organic (emulsifiable concentrated conidia in vegetable oil) - on eggs, larvae and Rhipicephalus microplus engorged females were here explored. Three concentrations (108, 107, and 106 conidia mL-1) for both products were prepared in water + 0.1% Tween® 80 (v/v); afterward, bioassays were carried out for all R. microplus stages by immersion in suspensions (Metarril® SP) or formulations (Metarril® SC). Metarril® SP suspensions showed low efficacy and did not affect biological parameters of treated engorged females; for eggs and larvae, only slight decreases in hatchability and larvae population were observed. Despite a delay in germination, Metarril® SC presented better results; for females, reductions in Egg Mass Weight (EMW) and Egg Production Index (EPI) were reported. On eggs, 108 conidia mL-1 increased Incubation Period (IP), shortened Hatching Period (HP) and decreased hatchability by up to 61%; for larvae, 107 and 108 conidia mL-1 reached 99.6 and 100% larval mortality respectively, 10 days after fungal exposure. Thus, further studies involving the use of oil-based formulations for ticks such as Metarril® SC need to be performed, especially to control the most susceptible stages (eggs and larvae).

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of fatty acids from the marine red algae Pterocladiella capillacea (S. G. Gmelin) Santelices & Hommersand 1997 and Osmundaria obtusiloba (C. Agardh) R. E. Norris 1991. The gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) identified nine fatty acids in the two species. The major fatty acids of P. capillacea and O. obtusiloba were palmitic acid, oleic acid, arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid. The DPPH radical scavenging capacity of fatty acids was moderate ranging from 25.90% to 29.97%. Fatty acids from P. capillacea (31.18%) had a moderate ferrous ions chelating activity (FIC), while in O. obtusiloba (17.17%), was weak. The ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of fatty acids from P. capillacea and O. obtusiloba was low. As for β-carotene bleaching (BCB), P. capillacea and O. obtusiloba showed a good activity. This is the first report of the antioxidant activities of fatty acids from the marine red algae P. capillacea and O. obtusiloba.

RESUMO O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar o crescimento e os teores de N, P, K, Ca e Mg em mudas de cedro australiano em resposta à inoculação com fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (FMAs), em diferentes tipos de recipientes. O experimento foi realizado em casa de vegetação e o delineamento experimental foi o de blocos inteiramente casualizados, com esquemafatorial de 4x 4 sendo: quatro tratamentos de inoculação com FMAs (Rhizophagus clarum, Gigaspora margarita, inóculo misto (R. clarum + G margarita) e o controle (sem inoculação com FMAs); quatro tipos de recipientes (sacosplásticos de 250 cm3, tubetes de 55 e 130 cm3 e bloco prensado 440 cm3. planta-1), com quatro repetições. Foram avaliadas altura, diâmetro do colo, massa seca da parte aérea (MSPA), massa seca da raiz (MSR) e massa seca total (MST), índice de qualidade de Dickson, porcentagem de colonização micorrízica e teores de N, P, K, Ca e Mg na massa seca da parte aérea. Observou-se, aos 138 dias após a semeadura, maior crescimento e/ou maiores teores de P, K e Ca na massa seca da parte aérea das mudas de cedro australiano cultivadas no recipiente bloco prensado e inoculadas com a mistura de duas espécies de FMAs (G margarita + R. clarum) ou com R. clarum. Os FMAs podem contribuir significativamente para a produção de mudas de cedro australiano.

ABSTRACT The present study aimed to evaluate the growth and the levels of N, P, K, Ca and Mg in Australian cedar seedlings which had been inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in different types of containers. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse and the experimental design was that of randomized complete blocks (RCB), with a 4 x 4 factorial design consisting of four inoculation treatments with AMF (Rhizophagus clarum, Gigaspora margarita, a mixed inoculation (R. clarum + G. margarita) and the control (with no AMF inoculation); four types of containers (plastic bags measuring 250 cm3, tubes of 55 and 130 cm3 and pressed blocks 440 cm3. plant-1), with four repetitions. The height, the diameter of the stem base, the aerial part dry weight (APDW), the dry weight of the root (DWR) and the total plant dry weight (DW) were measured, along with the Dickson quality index, the percentage of mycorrhizal colonization and the levels of N, P, K, Ca and Mg in the aerial part dry weight. One hundred and thirty eight days (138) days after sowing, the greatest growth and/or the highest levels of P, K and Ca could be observed in the aerial part dry weight of the Australian cedar seedlings which had been planted in the pressed block container and inoculated with a mixture of the two AMF species (G. margarita + R. clarum) or with just R. clarum. Thus it can be seen that AMF can make a significant contribution to the production of Australian cedar seedlings.

Apesar de os métodos de sensoriamento remoto serem capazes de fornecer bases confiáveis para a identificação da quantidade e da configuração espacial do desflorestamento, eles não podem, sozinhos, explicar suas causas. Para isso, precisamos complementar a análise de imagens com dados sócio-econômicos advindos de levantamentos de campo ao nível da unidade produtivo-domiciliar, pois estas afetam processos como a migração, uso da terra e escolhas técnicas. Deste modo, ao combinarmos imageamento remoto e levantamento sócio-econômico de campo, obtemos um arcabouço metodológico híbrido com potencial de aumentar nossa capacidade de conhecer os determinantes da fragmentação florestal. Nós apresentamos um modelo metodológico desse tipo para o estudo do desflorestamento da Mata Atlântica. Dois estudos empíricos uma análise por sensoriamento remoto e outro baseado em levantamento de campo foram sobrepostos no contexto de um projeto de pesquisa mais amplo enfocando a fragmentação florestal no nordeste da região hidrográfica da Guanabara, Rio de Janeiro. Mostramos que, mais do que metodologias do tipo "colcha-de-retalhos", precisamos de esquemas teoricamente informados que dêem sentido ao uso de diferentes abordagens e métodos geoecológicos para documentar e interpretar as mudanças de uso da terra.

Although remote sensed methods provide reliable basis for identifying the amount and spatial configuration of deforestation, they cannot solely explain its underlying causes. For that, we need to complement the imagery analysis with socio-economic data from household or farm-level studies, because these domestic units affect process such migration, land-use, and technology choice. Thus, by combining remote imagery sensor and social survey, we obtain a merged analytical framework, which has the potential to improve our understanding on the determinants of human-driven forest fragmentation. We present such a methodological framework for studying deforestation in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Two empirical studies a remote sensing analysis and a farm-level survey were put together in the context of a wider project focusing on forest fragmentation process in the northeastern Guanabara region, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We show that, rather than `patchwork quilt' methodologies, we need theoretical-oriented frameworks that give sense to the use of different landscape ecological approaches and methods (imagery analysis, mathematical modeling and social studies) in order to document and interpret land-use changes.