In this work, mixtures of ceramic powders containing Al2O3 with different amounts of Y2O3 (1%, 3%, 5% and 10wt.%) along their cross-section were fabricated to obtain multilayer composites based on Al2O3 with different levels of Y3Al5O12 (YAG) as reinforcement. Monolithic cylindrical multilayer Al2O3 blocks were compacted and subsequentially, sintered at 1610°C for 4h. Phase stability, microstructural aspects, and physical and mechanical properties of the specimens were acquired by relative density, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Vickers hardness, fracture toughness, Young’s modulus and biaxial flexural strength measurements. The results indicated that monolithic alumina specimens exhibited relative density of 98%, with average hardness of 1203 ±83 HV, fracture toughness of 2.1 ±0.8 MPa.m1/2 and flexural strength of 187 ±64 MPa. Progressive incorporation of Y2O3 into the chemical composition of the specimens led to formation of the YAG phase by solid state reaction during sintering, which reduced hardness and increased densification, fracture toughness and flexural strength, with average values of HV=1023 ±28 HV, KIC=3.5 ±0.3 MPa.m1/2, σf=273 ±58 MPa and 14% Y3Al5O12 for the specimens with 10wt.% Y2O3. This improvement is probably associated with toughness mechanisms, such as crack deflection and residual thermal stresses between the phases present in the composites.

Resumo O reúso de soluções nutritivas em hidroponia se torna alternativa ao descarte de água e nutrientes no ambiente, já que a escassez desses recursos e a contaminação do solo por fertilizantes são problemas, tanto econômicos quanto ambientais. Este trabalho avaliou a viabilidade da reposição de nutrientes para o reúso das soluções nutritivas descarte durante o desenvolvimento da cultura da alface em hidroponia. O experimento foi realizado em estufa agrícola, em sistema hidropônico NFT utilizando a cultivar de alface Milena. O experimento foi dividido em duas etapas, sendo a primeira: monitoramento e coleta de dados e proposição de manejo da reposição de nutrientes e a segunda: validação do manejo de reposição proposto. O monitoramento do consumo da solução nutricional da cultura, na primeira etapa, serviu como base para o manejo de reposição nutricional proposto. O manejo foi validado na segunda etapa através da avaliação das massas fresca e seca, o estado nutricional da cultura e a quantidade de fertilizantes aplicados nos tratamentos, T1 - reposição de nutrientes com reaproveitamento da solução nutritiva e T2 - reposição de nutrientes sem reaproveitamento da solução nutritiva. Os dados de massa fresca e seca e a quantidade de nutrientes absorvidos pelas plantas foram submetidos ao teste estatístico T ao nível de 5% de significância, mostrando não haver diferença significativa entre os tratamentos, sendo possível concluir que a reposição de nutrientes proporcionou o reúso da solução nutritiva durante o desenvolvimento da cultura da alface.

Abstract In order to address issues of limited resources and contamination by fertilizers, nutrient solutions may be reused in hydroponics as an alternative to their disposal in the environment. This work evaluated the feasibility of nutrient replacement for the nutrient solutions reused during lettuce hydroponic cultivation. The experiment was carried out in an agricultural greenhouse in an NFT hydroponic system using the “Milena” lettuce cultivar. The experiment was divided into two stages: 1) monitoring and data collection and proposition of nutrient replacement management; and 2) validation of the proposed replacement management. Monitoring the consumption of the crop's nutritional solution in the first stage served as the basis for the proposed nutritional replacement management. Management was validated in the second stage through the evaluation of fresh and dry mass, crop nutritional status, and the amount of the fertilizer applied in the treatments: T1 - nutrient replacement with nutrient solution reuse; and T2 - nutrient replacement without nutrient solution reuse. The fresh and dry mass data and the amount of nutrients absorbed by the plants were submitted to the t-test at 5% probability, showing no significant difference between the treatments, making it possible to conclude that the nutrient solution reuse provided nutrient replacement during the lettuce crop cultivation.

Resumo P. grandiflora é uma das plantas ornamentais com abundante floração de coloração variada com formas distintas e pétalas simples, dobradas e/ou múltiplas. O objetivo do trabalho foi induzir a regeneração pela via organogênica e o florescimento in vitro de P. grandiflora. Segmentos nodais de plântulas germinadas in vitro foram utilizados como fonte de explante para a regeneração. Cinetina (KIN) e 6-Benzilaminopurina (BA) foram utilizadas para a indução de organogênese de novo. Os tratamentos suplementados com 1.0, 1.5 mg L−1 de BA induziram a formação de maior número de brotações adventícias com número médio de 7.0 (±1,55) e 5.4 (±0.83), respectivamente. As microestacas obtidas a partir de gemas regeneradas produziram botões florais. Os botões florais localizaram-se nas regiões axilar e terminal das microestacas e desenvolveram-se em aproximadamente 10 dias de cultivo até a antese. O maior número de botões florais foi observado na presença de 0.75 mg L−1 de ácido giberélico. Este estudo abre novas perspectivas para o estabelecimento de ferramentas biotecnológicas a serem aplicadas para essa importante espécie ornamental.

Abstract P. grandiflora is a known ornamental plant with abundant flowering. The flowers exhibit varied coloration with distinct forms and simple folded petals and/or multiple. The objective of this work was to induce regeneration via organogenesis and in vitro flowering of P. grandiflora. Nodal segments of seedlings germinated in vitro were used as explant source for regeneration. Kinetin (KIN) and 6-Benzylaminopurine (BA) were used for the induction of organogenesis. The treatments supplemented with 1.0 and 1.5 mg L−1 BA induced the highest number of adventitious shoots with an average number of 7.0 (±1.55) e 5.4 (±0.83), respectively. The microcuttings obtained from regenerated shoots produced floral buds. The floral buds were located in the axillary and terminal regions of the microcuttings and developed in approximately 10 days of cultivation until the anthesis. The highest number of flower buds was observed in the presence of 0.75 mg L−1 of gibberellic acid. This study opens new perspectives for the establishment of biotechnological tools to be applied for this important ornamental species.

Resumo O setor de flores ornamentais vem crescendo ao longo dos últimos anos em todo o mundo com potencial expansao. Entre as plantas ornamentais, espécies de Passiflora vem ganhando espaço no mercado, principalmente nos países da Europa e América do Norte. Contudo, o uso destas espécies na ornamentação ainda é pouco explorado. A inclusão da flor do maracujazeiro, na lista de plantas ornamentais está relacionada às características peculiares da flor como sua estrutura complexa, capacidade de floração durante o ano todo e também pela abundância e exuberância das folhas, que em muitas espécies agrega valor ornamental. Entre as ferramentas biotecnológicas para a produção de plantas ornamentais, cultura de tecidos tem sido proeminente na clonagem de genótipos elite, com alta qualidade fitossanitária e produção em larga escala. Além disso, oferece possibilidades de produzir novas variedades com características peculiares ao mercado de plantas ornamentais. A diversidade de espécies silvestres abre perspectivas para o mercado e produção de cultivares de Passiflora ornamental.

Abstract The ornamental flower sector has growing over the past years worldwide with potential for further expansion. Among the ornamental plants, Passiflora species have been gaining ground in the market, mainly in European and North American countries. However, the market aiming the use of these species in ornamentation is still poorly explored. The inclusion of passion flower in the list of ornamental plants is related to the peculiar characteristics of the flower as it is complex structure, capacity of flowering all year long and also by the abundance and exuberance of the leaves, which in many species adds an ornamental value. Among the biotechnological tools for the production of ornamental plants, tissue culture has been outstanding in the cloning of elite genotypes, with high phytosanitary quality and large scale production. In addition, it offers possibilities of producing new varieties with characteristics peculiar to the market of ornamental plants. The diversity of wild Passiflora opens perspectives to the conservation, market and production of ornamental Passiflora cultivars.

Abstract The Fazenda Bonfim emerald deposit lies within the Seridó Belt. It is a classic example of deposit formed through metasomatic interactions between Be-rich granite intrusions and Cr(± V)-rich mafic-ultramafic rocks. The setting of the emerald mineralization was built under strong strike-slip dynamics, which produced serpentinization and talcification of mafic-ultramafic host-rocks, and was followed by syn-kinematic emplacement of Be-rich albite granite, favoring hydrothermal/metasomatic processes. The structural control and lithological-contrast were fundamental to the fluid flow and the best ore-shoot geometry, developed in the S-foliation intra-plane at the contact zone (phlogopite hornfels) between mafic-ultramafic rocks and the albite granite. Subsequently, an albitization process, linked to the final-stage of magmatic crystallization, led to an overall mineralogical and chemical change of the albite granite. 207U-235Pb data revealed inheritance ages from Archean to Neoproterozoic and a crystallization age of 561 ± 4 Ma for albite granite. However, 40Ar/39Ar data revealed plateau age of 553 ± 4 Ma for phlogopite hornfels, interpreted as the closure time for the metasomatic event responsible for the nucleation and growth of emerald crystals. The short interval of time between U-Pb and Ar-Ar data indicates an intense, but not protracted, metasomatic history, probably due to low volume of intrusive magma.

Spectroscopy associated with chemometrics is a non-destructive method of the samples for the prediction of phenolic compounds. The objective of the work was to apply the near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) technique for the prediction of phenolic compounds and flavonoids in aerial part samples of cover crops plants Raphanus sativus L., Secale cereale L. and Avena strigosa L. Samples were collected at 60, 80 and 100 days after sowing (DAS) of the plants and, after lodging (DAA), at 15 and 30 days, in an experiment implanted in the field, in the city of Ituporanga, Santa Catarina. The samples were homogenized, identified, transported on dry ice, lyophilized, crushed, sieved and stored at -20 °C for analysis. For the calibration, 84 samples were used and for the validation 10 samples. The combination of NIR spectroscopy and multivariate analysis by partial least squares regression allowed the development of prediction models of phenolics and flavonoids with associated errors averaging 10%. NIR spectroscopy is recommended for the development of calibration models because it allows to non-destructive infer phenolic and total flavonoid contents, with high analytical frequency, without the use of reagents and other inputs required by the reference method, with results very close to those obtained in the laboratory.

A busca por fontes alternativas de água para a agricultura torna o uso de efluentes de esgotos tratados na agricultura uma estratégia importante para atingir a sustentabilidade. Este trabalho avaliou a viabilidade do reuso de efluente de esgoto doméstico tratado, como fonte alternativa de água e nutrientes no cultivo hidropônico de alface (Lactuca sativa L). O experimento foi realizado no Centro de Ciências Agrárias - UFSCar, no município de Araras (SP), em casa de vegetação. O cultivo ocorreu de fevereiro a março de 2014. O sistema hidropônico adotado foi a técnica do filme de nutrientes e contou com três tratamentos: 1) uso de água de abastecimento e fertilizantes minerais (TA), 2) uso de efluente doméstico tratado, complementado com fertilizantes minerais, com base em resultados de análise química prévia (TRA) e, 3) uso de efluente doméstico tratado (TR). O delineamento experimental aplicado foi o de quatro blocos distribuídos ao acaso. Avaliou-se a massa fresca, o estado nutricional, a qualidade microbiológica da cultura e a quantidade de fertilizantes aplicados nos tratamentos. Os dados de massa fresca foram submetidos à análise de variância e as médias foram comparadas pelo teste de Tukey a 5% de probabilidade. Apenas o tratamento TR apresentou diferença significativa quanto às variáveis avaliadas, sendo identificados sintomas de deficiências nutricionais nas plantas e redução significativa na produção de massa fresca (p<0,01). Não foi detectada presença de Escherichia coli em nenhum dos tratamentos, sendo possível obter uma economia de alguns fertilizantes no tratamento TRA em comparação ao TA.

The search for alternative sources of water for agriculture makes the use of treated sewage sludge an important strategy for achieving sustainability. This study evaluated the feasibility of reusing treated sewage effluent as alternative source of water and nutrients for the hydroponic cultivation of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L). The experiment was conducted in the greenhouse of the Center for Agricultural Sciences - UFSCar, in Araras, SP. The cultivation took place from February to March 2014. The hydroponic system used was the Nutrient Film Technique, and included three treatments: 1) water supply and mineral fertilizers (TA); 2) use of effluent treated and complemented with mineral fertilizers based on results of previous chemical analysis (TRA); and 3) use of treated effluent (TR). The applied experimental design was four randomly distributed blocks. We evaluated the fresh weight, nutritional status, the microbiological quality of the culture, and the amount of mineral fertilizers used in the treatments. The fresh weights were subjected to analysis of variance and means were compared by the Tukey test at 5% probability. Only the TR treatment showed a significant difference in the evaluated variables, as symptoms of nutritional deficiencies in plants and significant reduction in fresh weights (p <0.01) were found. There was no detectable presence of Escherichia coli in any treatment, and it was possible to use less of some fertilizers in the TRA treatment compared to TA.