Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT: Growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), and leptin (LEP) can be candidate genes for association studies because they play vital roles in the metabolism process. Thus, this study aimed to identify variants in these genes associated with body traits in Santa Inês sheep. The following were recorded: body weight at 100 (BW100) and 240 days (BW240), average daily gain (ADG), withers (WH) and croup (CH) heights, body length (BL), thoracic (TG) and leg (LG) girths, thoracic (TW) and croup (CW) widths, body depth (BD), rib eye area (REA), fat thickness (FT), and carcass finishing score (CFS). Single-locus association analysis was performed with 11 variants in IGF1, 18 in LEP, and 16 in GH. Moreover, two haplotypes in IGF1 and one haplotype in LEP were evaluated in haplotype association analysis. The single-locus analysis revealed 23 suggestive additive effects (p < 0.05), but no additive effect was found at the Bonferroni threshold. Haplotype association analysis revealed 19 additive effects, of which ten were at the Bonferroni threshold (p < 0.0074). In IGF1 gene, haplotype replacements were associated with ADG 20.51(7.37), CH 4.09(1.21), WH 3.52(1.20), BL 3.94(1.19), TG 3.88(1.30), TW 1.13(0.36), and LG 3.40(1.08); while in the LEP gene the haplotype replacement was associated with BW100 1.83(0.51), BD −2.51(0.56), and CFS −0.24(0.06). Therefore, there are haplotypes in IGF1 and LEP genes associated with body traits in Santa Inês sheep, which can be useful in marker-assisted selection.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT: The use of supplements eliminates deficiencies imposed by pasture, increases weight gain in animals and maximizes profits from the activity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance, carcass traits and meat quality of steers in grazing systems that received or did not receive a protein energy supplement at the level of 0.6 % body weight. The experiment lasted 160 days and included 36 Brangus × Zebu animals. Eighteen animals received supplementation and another eighteen did not receive supplementation. Carcasses were evaluated for yield, loin eye area, fat thickness and length. The assessment of meat quality evaluated the shear force, myofibril fragmentation index, color, exudative losses and collagen. The carcass traits of the supplemented animals showed higher values (p < 0.0001). Supplementation improved the color of the meat (p = 0.0434) and increased the amount of soluble collagen (p = 0.0456). The use of a protein energy supplement for steers in a pasture system increased the efficiency of muscle deposition of these animals and improved meat quality when compared to animals that were not supplemented.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT: The study of adaptability and stability underlies the cultivar recommendation process for all crops. There is a considerable number of statistical methods available for this purpose, but little is known about their actual adoption by the Brazilian scientific community. The objective of this study was to carry out a systematic review of the scientific literature on the adaptability and stability methods used in maize and soybean in Brazil from scientific articles published between 1970 and 2017 in Brazilian journals. Article searches were carried out in journals indexed through the SciELO database. The articles were classified according to the year of publication and the adaptability and stability methods used. We also evaluated the pattern of association between methods. We found 113 articles on adaptability and stability in maize and soybean, in which 21 methods were listed. The most commonly used method was the Eberhart and Russell methodology. The Cruz, Torres, and Vencovsky along with the AMMI methods were also widely used. The number of articles using most methods decreased in the current decade, except for the GGE Biplot, MHPRVG, and Centroid methods. In studies with more than one method, the methods were more likely to be used together with the Eberhart and Russell methodology. Adaptability and stability in maize and soybean have been widely studied over the last several decades in Brazil, although the number of publications on this subject has decreased over this time period.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT: Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) is a weed broadly found in fields cultivated with wheat and barley crops. Seed inputs into the soil before harvesting winter crops increase seed bank, ensuring survival. This study evaluated the persistence of Italian ryegrass seeds subjected to burial depths over time. Experiments were carried out in the field for two years in randomized block experimental design with four repetitions. Dormant seeds harvested from mother-plants were put in nylon bags containing soil. Previously, seed viability was evaluated in a 1 % tetrazolium solution, and 50 viable seeds by repetition were buried at 0.5, 5.0, 10, and 20 cm depths. Seed persistence was evaluated by the percentage of deteriorated and remaining seeds, non-dormant seeds, abnormal seedlings, and viable and non-viable dormant seeds at 0, 30, 60, 90, 180, 360, 540, and 720 days after burial (DAB). Seed persistence increased at 10 and 20 cm of burial depth compared to seeds in the soil layers up to 5 cm. Moreover, burial depth at 10 and 20 cm showed lower percentage of deteriorated seeds (10 % lower) compared to 0.5 cm at 360 DAB. For non-dormant seeds, a higher percentage was found at 90 DAB, regardless of seed burial depth. Dormancy breakage occurred until 180 DAB, and more rapidly at 10 and 20 cm depths. At 540 DAB, more than 95 % of seeds were unviable, demonstrating short persistence of Italian ryegrass in the soil seed bank.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT: Spiders are part of the soil biodiversity, considered fundamental to the food chain hierarchy, directly and indirectly influencing several services in agricultural and forest ecosystems. The present study aimed to evaluate the biodiversity of soil spider families and identify which soil properties influence their presence, as well as proposing families as potential bioindicators. Native forest (NF) and reforested sites (RF) with Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze were evaluated in three regions of the state São Paulo, both in the winter and summer. Fifteen soil samples were collected from each forest to evaluate the biological (spiders and microbiological), chemical and physical soil properties, in addition to properties of the litter (dry matter and C, N and S contents). For soil spiders, two sampling methods were used: pitfall traps and soil monoliths. In total, 591 individuals were collected, and distributed in 30 families, of which 306 individuals (22 families) came from pitfall traps and 285 individuals (26 families) from monoliths. Only samples obtained by the monolith method revealed seasonal differences in the mean density and richness of spiders between NF and RF. Canonical discriminant analysis showed the separation of these forests of Araucaria. Principal Component Analysis demonstrated the correlation of a number of spider families with certain soil properties (organic carbon, basal respiration, metabolic quotient, litter carbon, total porosity, bulk density and soil moisture). We identified 10 families (Anapidae, Corinnidae, Dipluridae, Hahniidae, Linyphiidae, Lycosidae, Nemesiidae, Palpimanidae, Salticidae, Scytodidae) that contributed most to separating native forest from the replanted forest, indicating the possibility of the spiders being used as bioindicators.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT: Sanitization using chemical agents to reduce the microbiological load on the surface of agricultural products have the drawback of leaving residues. Conversely, physical treatments, such as ultraviolet radiation C (UV-C), are residue-free, non-toxic and environmentally friendly. Ripe figs are perishable, exhibiting an epidermis with low resistance to mechanical treatment, high water content and the ostiole, which is an open door that expedites undesirable microorganism penetration. In this study, the effect of different energy levels of UV-C radiation on the appearance and physico-chemical properties of the figs when stored at 10 °C and 20 °C was evaluated focusing on the technological parameters of the application of radiation. The energy levels of radiation applied were 0.00, 0.71, 1.32, 2.64 and 4.01 kJ m−2 and they showed neither acceleration nor delay effects on fig ripening. Figs exposed to the radiation energy at 0.71, 1.32, 2.64 and 4.01 kJ m−2 showed a lower incidence of rot at the same temperature, but the figs exposed to the highest radiation, 4.01 kJ m−2, showed more wilting and stains, which significantly impaired their appearance. UV-C radiation reduces the development of rotting, providing evidence of its potential in the postharvest processing of ripe figs. However, radiation levels should be limited to avoid undesirable epidermis stains.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT: The use of natural colorants in meat products can keep its coloring attractive as well as meet the demand from consumers interested in products that are healthier. Nitrite is added as a preservative to these products and it is also a precursor of the generation of a specifically desired color in meat products. However, its use has been associated with the development of certain kinds of cancer. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of reduced levels of nitrite in Brazilian sausage (linguiça) with natural colorants on the physicochemical and sensorial properties following frozen storage. Nine treatments were tested: 0.015 % nitrite (C150), 0.0075 % nitrite (C75) and 0 % nitrite (C0), 0.0075 % nitrite and 1.5 % microencapsulated betalain (BME75), 0 % nitrite and 1.5 % microencapsulated betalain (BME0), 0.0075 % nitrite and 0.19 % commercial betalain (BCP75), 0 % nitrite and 0.19 % commercial betalain (BCP0), 0.0075 % nitrite and 0.02 % of cochineal carmine (CC75) and 0 % nitrite and 0.02 % of cochineal carmine (CC0). Oxidative stability, residual nitrite and instrumental color were the determinant factors. Sensory analysis was directed at color, texture, taste and global acceptance. Natural colorants did not have any antioxidant effect. Sausages prepared with betalain and 0.0075 % nitrite showed the highest a* values. The addition of colorants improved both color and overall acceptance. The addition of betalain and cochineal carmine with 0.0075 % nitrite proved to be effective in achieving high acceptability in Brazilian sausage (linguiça).

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT: Double pruning extended the harvest season of wine grape (Vitis vinifera L.) to dry winter, enabling production of high quality wines in the southeastern Brazil. Winter harvest allows grapes to fulfill not only technological maturation, but also phenolic ripeness. Winter wines from Syrah grapes harvested from eight vineyards in southeastern Brazil during three harvests were analyzed for their chemical and aromatic composition after bottling and after ageing for 20, 30, and 42 months in bottle. Winter wines have high content of total phenolic compounds, which remained almost constant through ageing, as well as color intensity. Malvidin 3-O-glucoside stood out among anthocyanins, remaining 5-10 % after 39 months of ageing. Moreover, malvidin 3-O-glucoside-pyruvic acid was the main pyranoanthocyanin identified in winter wine. Polymerized pigments index ranged from 54 % at bottling to 80 % after 42 months of ageing. Young winter wines are rich in ester and monoterpene, as well as alcoholic volatile compounds responsible for ethereal, fruity, flowery, fresh and sweet aromas. Aged winter wines showed higher contents of furfural, geranyl ethyl ether, isoamyl decanoate, α-muurolene and α-calacorene, contributing to sweet, fruity and woody aromas. Syrah winter wines are characterized by high content of phenolic compounds and color stability, and keep good sensorial characteristics after ageing in bottle.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT: Arsenic (As) is a naturally occurring chemical element considered toxic and carcinogenic by health and environmental protection agencies. Studies of As adsorption/desorption behavior in soils are important to predictions of As’ potential mobility in natural systems. The aim of this study was to assess the adsorption of As(V) in soils from Minas Gerais, Brazil, and determine its immobilization rate in order to identify soils with characteristics more favorable to its deployment as an As geochemical barrier. The adsorption experiment was performed using different As concentrations and the data pertaining to the maximum adsorption capacity of As(V) (MACAs) were determined by Langmuir and Freundlich isoterms. The Oxisols, due to their more oxidic mineralogy, especially more gibbsitic, and clayey texture, showed the highest MACAs, followed by Ultisols, Inceptisols, and Entisols. In terms of the desorption of As the Inceptisols were the soils that showed the most As desorption. Both As desorption and mobility was lower in the more oxidic and clayey soils. In all soils, the total amount of As was desorbed in due course, but the As release ratio tended to decrease with the passage of time. In general, soils with higher MACAs did not necessarily show less As desorption. For use as a geochemical barrier, as important as a high adsorption capacity of As by the soil is a low As desorption rate. The increase in As mobility may increase the risks of contaminating the supplies of water. To be a good As geochemical barrier the soil has to be a clayey Oxisol, with relatively high amounts of Fe and Al oxides, especially gibbsite.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT: Studies show that soil organic carbon (SOC) decreases between 3 % and 9 % in degraded grasslands in tropical regions, mainly due to the absence of techniques to enhance carbon contribution to soils. This study assessed SOC stock change factors for grassland management, specific to the semi-arid region of Brazil. These factors may contribute to a better understanding of SOC dynamics and could be used to improve inventories on GHG emissions. In addition, they could be used for updating default factors used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. This study considers both soil sampling and a literature review, and comprises 27 paired comparisons, where the dataset was analyzed using a mixed linear model. For the grassland in the Brazilian semi-arid region, the SOC stock is reduced by between 12 % and 27 % due to inadequate management, overgrazing, and edaphoclimatic conditions of the Brazilian semiarid. However, this depends on aspects, such as land use and soil layer, which represents substantially more severe losses than in other regions of the country. We also found that losses occur during the first five years after conversion of native vegetation. The results also indicated a trend for SOC stocks to recover over time, reaching 4 % after 30 years of use as grassland, probably related to the long period without soil tillage and the role of gramineas root system.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT: This study evaluated P pools after nine years of successive application of either pig slurry (PS) or deep pig litter (DL) in a no-till Ultisol from southern Brazil. The experiment was established in Dec 2002 with the treatments control, application of 90 and 180 kg N ha−1 N as PS and as DL. In Mar 2010, soil samples were taken at six layers up to 30 cm deep. Total organic and inorganic P were assessed by the ignition method, and P compounds classes were evaluated by 31P-NMR spectroscopy. Total soil P increased proportionally with the P amount applied via DL and PS. Only DL application increased soil organic P, mainly at the highest dose and in the uppermost soil layers. The application of high doses of manure to these soils under no-till to meet crop N demands significantly increased P accumulation at the soil surface, especially with DL. This, in turn, increases the risk of contamination of water bodies due to P transfer from soil to rivers via runoff. The ignition method overestimates organic P compared to P-NMR. The highest proportion of organic P estimated by the ignition and P-NMR methods, at surface layers in the control suggests that inorganic P is added to the plots treated, increasing inorganic P and decreasing organic P. Moreover, with no P additions to the control, inorganic soil P is removed by plants, causing an apparent increase in the organic P proportion.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT: Regolith characterization in its entirety is particularly difficult in gneissic regoliths due to the heterogeneity of their rock structure. Rare earth elements (REE) are a useful tool in helping understand the evolution of regoliths. This study relates the mineralogy and weathering indexes of three gneisses regoliths (P1-leucocratic, P2-mesocratic and P3-melanocratic gneisses) to the distribution of REE at depth. In soil, clay activity, iron and manganese oxides, CaO, SiO2, P2O5, TiO2, Fe2O3, and MgO showed high positive correlation with REE. The absolute content of REE was enriched in mafic minerals. At the interface between the soil and saprolite, the sum of absolute REE content was greater in soil than in saprolite in P1, while the opposite pattern was found in P2 and P3. The sums of absolute REE in the whole profiles did not overlap between P1, P2 and P3, and the absolute concentration of Gadolinium (Gd) differentiated the three gneisses in all and every horizon/layer of their regoliths without overlapping values. Normalized REE content was greater in the subsurface of P1 due to Eu content in plagioclase, and fractionation had less variation when estimated by Light REE / Heavy REE (LREE/HREE) than by La/Yb, since the variation in REE is great in gneisses (due to the segregation of minerals into bands), and had low levels of association with the Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) and the Weathering Index of Parker (WIP).

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT: The potential of silicon (Si) to control nematodes is often reported in association with the resistance induction mechanism. The objective of this work was to evaluate the hypothesis of resistance induction in plants against nematodes through the application of Si. In vitro experiments were carried out to evaluate the effect of Si and potassium chloride (KCl) on the hatching and mortality of Meloidogyne paranaensis juveniles. For the purpose of a greenhouse experiment, tomato plants were used as a model for bifurcated roots, using the respective control treatments, KCl and distilled water. Ten days after treatment, 2,000 eggs of M. paranaensis were inoculated. At 55 days post-inoculation, the reproduction factor and number of nematodes per gram of root were evaluated. Additionally, the tissue nutrient concentration and gas exchange variables were analyzed. Silicon reduces nematode viability, when in direct contact with the nematode in in vitro experiments and in bifurcated plants. When plants were treated with Si on one side of the root, no nematode control was observed on the opposite corresponding side. Results suggested that Si has a positive effect on the reduction of M. paranaensis population, but probably induced resistance to nematode only through direct action.