Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT Anaerobic digestion of crude glycerin (CG) along with animal waste has been an excellent option for increasing the production of biogas and methane to achieve efficiency in the treatment of both residues. This study aimed to evaluate improvements in specific productions of biogas and methane, reductions in solid and fibrous components in substrates prepared with dairy cattle manure and CG (containing 14 % glycerol). With these residues, experimental substrates were prepared and placed in 25 batch digesters. Initial content of the TS in the influent was 4 % and CG was added in increasing doses (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 % relative to total solids (TS) of the influent). Results were submitted to ANOVA and orthogonal contrasts to assess the effects of linear and quadratic order and thereby estimate the optimal CG doses through the adjusted models. The highest values for specific production of methane (0.19 and 0.26 L g−1 of TS and volatile solids (VS) added, respectively) were reached with the CG inclusions of 6 and 8 %, respectively. Total production of biogas with the inclusion of 6 % CG was 11 % higher when compared to the control treatment. The largest reduction in VS (48 %) was achieved with the addition of 4 % CG. Addition of CG at levels between 3 and 8 % improved the efficiency of the process of anaerobic digestion with dairy cattle manure.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT This research aimed to evaluate enzyme supplementation in diets with different nutritional levels for pigs in their feces excretion and anaerobic digestion. Fifty four gilts were placed on diets formulated to achieve 100 or 95 or 90 % of a pig's nutrient requirements, with the addition of an enzyme complex containing amylase, β-glucanase, cellulase, pectinase, xylanase, protease and phytase (diets 100E, 95E and 90E) or without the enzymes (diets 100, 95 and 90). The trial was divided into three periods (1, 1-2 and 1-3) based on the animal weight. The enzyme complex reduced (p < 0.05) excretions per period and per unit of weight gain (residue coefficients) of organic matter (OM) in Period 1, of N, Ca, Zn and Na in Period 1-2, and of Na excretions and residue coefficients in Period 1-3. Animals fed diet 95E had lower excretions (p < 0.05) of dry (DM), organic and mineral matters, N, Ca, Fe, Mn and Cu, and lower residue coefficients (p < 0.05) of DM, OM, P, Fe, Mn and Cu compared with the animals fed diet 95, in Period 1-3. Numerically, the enzyme complex improved biogas and methane production potentials in anaerobic digestion of the feces. The use of an enzyme complex in a diet formulated to provide 95 % of the gilts' nutrient requirements reduced fecal excretion and positively affected the anaerobic digestion of feces. These data show that pig nutrition and feeding are important tools for reducing the potential environmental impact of pig production.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT Megasphaera elsdenii converts lactate and glucose into butyrate, the main volatile fatty acid responsible of papillae development and may benefit calf performance. Twenty-six Holstein calves (BW = 34.5 ± 1.65 kg) were randomly assigned at birth to a control group (Meg0) and a group that received an oral dose of M. elsdenii NCIMB 41125 at 14 d of age (Meg14). Calves received colostrum for the first 3 d followed by free choice access to whole milk until weaning at 56 d. From d 4 onward, starter and water were offered ad libitum. Intakes were measured daily and body weights (BW) weekly. Blood samples were collected on day 7, 21, 28, 42, and 56 for β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) analysis. Performance was measured for an additional 14 d post-weaning. Pre-weaning milk intake was lower (p = 0.010) and starter DMI (dry matter intake) greater (p = 0.001) for Meg14 than Meg0 calves. Total DMI, metabolisable energy (ME) intake and average daily gain (ADG) were similar (p > 0.05) for both groups, but Meg14 calves had greater weaning BW (p = 0.012) and feed efficiency (p < 0.029). The average BHBA between d 21 and 56 was greater for Meg14 (p = 0.03) compared to Meg0 calves. After weaning, Meg14 calves had greater DMI (p = 0.027), ME intake (p = 0.023) and ADG (p = 0.002) and tended to have better feed efficiencies (p = 0.07) than Meg0 calves. Administering M. elsdenii NCIMB 41125 improved starter intake and feed efficiency, which was associated with high blood BHBA.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT Veterinary drug residues in bulk tank milk are important to all sectors of the dairy chain because they are one of the major factors which determine the safety of the final product. This study attempted to identify milk quality parameters that are associated with the occurrence of veterinary drug residues using multivariate principal component analysis (PCA). A total of 132 raw milk samples were collected from 45 dairy farms in the state of Minas Gerais - Brazil and analyzed for 42 analytes, including pyrethroids, macrocyclic lactones and antibacterials, using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry in tandem mode and gas chromatography with electron capture detection. Out of the 132 milk samples, 40 samples tested positive for at least one analyte (above the detection limit). The milk parameters associated with the antimicrobial residues by confirmatory tests were lactose and nonfat concentrations, as revealed by PCA. This analysis showed that fat and total solid concentrations, as well as the somatic cell and total bacteria counts were associated with macrocyclic lactone residues in bulk tank milk. A PCA assessing pyrethroid residues in bulk tank milk revealed that the lactose and nonfat solid concentrations and titratable acidity were inversely associated with these residues. Thus, the data analysis indicated that the veterinary drug residues were associated with certain milk quality parameters that can be used to target farms at higher risk of veterinary drug residue contamination for testing programs in combination with incentives, education and training programs to improve mammary health, milk hygiene and safety.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT Germplasm classification by species requires specific knowledge on/of the culture of interest. Therefore, efforts aimed at automation of this process are necessary for the efficient management of collections. Automation of germplasm classification through artificial neural networks may be a viable and less laborious strategy. The aims of this study were to verify the classification potential of Capsicum accessions regarding/ the species based on morphological descriptors and artificial neural networks, and to establish the most important descriptors and the best network architecture for this purpose. Five hundred and sixty-four plants from 47 Brazilian Capsicum accessions were evaluated. Neural networks of multilayer perceptron type were used in order to automate the species identification through 17 morphological descriptors. Six network architectures were evaluated, and the number of neurons in the hidden layer ranged from 1 to 6. The relative importance of morphological descriptors in the classification process was established by Garson's method. Corolla color, corolla spot color, calyx annular constriction, fruit shape at pedicel attachment, and fruit color at mature stage were the most important descriptors. The network architecture with 6 neurons in the hidden layer is the most appropriate in this study. The possibility of classifying Capsicum plants regarding/ the species through artificial neural networks with 100 % accuracy was verified.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT: In common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) harvesting is carried out in the field. It is therefore necessary that cultivars be tolerant to viviparity, i.e., germination of grains still in the pods. Study of the percentage of germination of beans in the pods under laboratory conditions, where humidity content is high, has been proposed. Furthermore, under question is whether the thickness of the pod wall affects water uptake by the pods and, consequently, viviparity. Thus, the aim of the present study was to verify if there is variance among progenies for viviparity and if it is influenced by pod thickness. We assessed the parents, Pérola and ESAL 686, the F1, and a number of segregating generations in two crop seasons, in relation to the percentage of germination of seeds in the pods (PGSP) and pod wall thickness (PWT), and data on individual plants were obtained. The same traits were also assessed using the F2:3, F3:4 and F4:5 progenies. Taking into account the genetic and phenotypic parameters estimates, especially the level of high heritability, selection to less viviparity in common bean has to be carried out to evaluate PGSP in progenies.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT: The olive (Olea europaea L.) is a leading oil crop in the Mediterranean area. Limited information on the inheritance of agronomic significant traits hinders progress in olive breeding programs, which encourages the development of markers linked to the traits. In this study, we report on the development of 46 olive simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, obtained from 577,025 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) in developing olive fruits generated in the framework of the Slovenian national olive transcriptome project. Sequences were de novo assembled into 98,924 unigenes, which were then used as a source for microsatellites searching. We identified 923 unigenes that contained 984 SSRs among which dinucleotide SSRs (36 %) were the most abundant, followed by tri- (33 %) and hexa- (21 %) nucleotides. Microsatellite repeat motif GA (37 %) was the most common among dinucleotides, while microsatellite repeat motif GAA was the most abundant trinucleotide SSR motif (16 %). Gene ontology annotations could be assigned to 27 % of the unigenes. A hundred and ten expressed sequence tag-derived-simple sequence repeats (EST-SSRs) with annotated genes were selected for primer designing and finally, 46 (42 %) polymorphic EST-SSRs were successfully amplified and used to validate genetic diversity among 24 olive varieties. The average number of alleles per locus, observed heterozygosity, expected heterozygosity, and polymorphic information content were 4.5, 0.649, 0.604 and 0.539, respectively. Twenty-seven EST-SSRs showed good diversity properties and were recommended for further olive genome investigation.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT: Cultivated strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) is a high value horticultural crop. In this study, the genetic diversity of 160 strawberry accessions was determined using five highly polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Sixty different alleles were identified, with allele frequencies in the range of 0.006 to1. Similarity scores were in the range of 0.034 to 0.963 (average: 0.507). The accessions were categorized into five groups. Group 1 contained two diploid Fragaria vesca species and one unknown accession. Group 2 contained one accession (F x ananassa). Group 3 contained 20 F × ananassa accessions and six unknown accessions. Group 4 contained 48 F. × ananassa accessions, one octaploid Fragaria chiloensis species, and six unknown accessions while Group 5 contained 69 F. × ananassa accessions and six unknown accessions. Accessions within a pedigree were frequently grouped together. A total of 30 novel accessions were categorized alongside existing accessions. These results will allow breeders to develop strategies which incorporate more genetic diversity into new cultivars.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to determine the measured and simulated rates of soil organic carbon (SOC) change in Vertisols in short-term experiments when the tillage system is changed from traditional tillage (TT) to conservation tillage (CT). The study was conducted in plots in four locations in the state of Michoacán and two locations in the state of Guanajuato. In the SOC change simulation, the RothC-26.3 carbon model was evaluated with different C inputs to the soil (ET1-ET5). ET was the measured shoot biomass (SB) plus estimated rhizodeposition (RI). RI was tested at values of 10, 15, 18, 36 and 50 % total biomass (TB). The SOC changes were simulated with the best trial where ET3 = SB + (0.18*TB). Values for model efficiency and the coefficient of correlation were in the ranges of 0.56 to 0.75 and 0.79 to 0.92, respectively. The average rate of SOC change, measured and simulated, in the study period was 3.0 and 1.9 Mg ha−1 yr−1, respectively; later, in a simulation period of 45 years, SOC change was 1.2 ± 0.8. In particular, without making adjustments in the RothC parameters and with information on measured plant residue C inputs to the soil, it was possible to simulate changes in SOC with RothC and estimate trends over a period of more than 45 years.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT In the Amazonian region, P is often a primary factor limiting sustainable agrosystems. We compared the efficiencies of local aluminous phosphate (ALP) and single superphosphate (SSP) under a cover of leguminous residues to determine the fate of P sources in an Amazonian soil with hardsetting characteristics. The experiment followed a randomized block design with four replications and the following treatments: ALPU, i.e. ALP plus urea (U); ALPL, i.e., ALP plus leucaena (L); SSPU, i.e., SSP plus urea; SSPL, i.e., SSP plus leucaena; and BS, i.e., bare soil (without residues). To assess the residual values of the P sources, we used a sequence of crops consisting of maize, cowpea and cassava. Both ALP and SSP exhibited low P efficiency in BS. The greatest amounts of P and N uptake in the plots where P sources and leucaena residues were added, as in those covered with leucaena residue, resulted in higher productivity levels. These differences are important for the adoption of beneficial soil management practices and the use of P sources to enhance efficiency in tropical soils. The use of residues increased the P use efficiency of both P sources, as it enhanced the uptake of both N and soluble P. The replacement of SSP with ALP may be advantageous in the second year of planting with high-demand crops, but the P of the SSP retained in the minus soluble fractions may be available if the SSP is used in P-depleting crops combined with no-tillage underneath a mulch of residues.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT Nitrogen (N) is an important nutrient for agriculture, and Brazil is heavily dependent on N imports. A by-product of the intermediate processes of tanning (BPIPT) may be used as an N fertilizer which will reduce this dependency, but its chromium (Cr) content is a matter of concern. This work assessed Cr (III, VI) and N (total, inorganic) contents in four soil samples with contrasting characteristics (especially with respect to their content of manganese (Mn), a potential Cr(III) oxidant), following the addition of the BPIPT. Chemical and microbiological indicators of soil quality were measured to assess the agronomic and environmental implications of the BPIPT addition in Brazilian soils. Our results indicate that the BPIPT is a promising source of N. The originally available Mn content in the soil did not influence the effect of the BPIPT on soil Cr(VI) content. Finally, microbial activity was generally stimulated after BPIPT addition to the soil. This information is relevant because: 1) it shows that the beneficial use of the BPIPT as an N fertilizer is important for adding value to a by-product with agronomic potential; and 2) it indicates that, at the dosage of the BPIPT used in this study (2.5 g kgsoil−1), the typical increases in the soil concentration of labile Cr (0–25 mg kgsoil−1) and Cr(VI) (0–0.8 mg kgsoil−1) due to the application of the BPIPT are not detrimental to biological activity in the soil. However, further investigations are still necessary to evaluate the mobility of these Cr species in the soil and possible risks of groundwater contamination, which were not addressed in this study.