Croton argyrophyllus Kunth and Croton heliotropiifolius Kunth: phytochemical characterization and bioactive properties

Croton heliotropiifolius Kunth and Croton argyrophyllus Kunth are endemic plant species from northeastern Brazil widely used in folk medicine and scarcely studied. In this context, the essential oils (EO's) and methanolic extracts (leaves and stalk) of both species were chemically characterized, and their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were assessed. The chemical characterization of the EO's identified sixty components,being the major ones in C. argyrophyllus bicyclogermacrene (14.0%), β-pinene (8.9%) and spathulenol (8.7%), and in C. heliotropiifolius limonene (16.9%), α-pinene (13.3%) and caryophyllene (12.1%). Essential oils and methanolic extracts from leaves of C. argyrophyllus possess greater antioxidant potential, which could be related to the high levels of total phenols and flavonols. The antimicrobial activity of C. argyrophyllus essential oil proven to be more efficient than chloramphenicol (30 μg mL−1), with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 25 μL mL−1 against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 10 μL mL−1 against B. cereus. Leaf extracts presented high activity against yeasts (MIC = 50 mg mL−1) being C. heliotropiifolius effective against Candida albicans and C. parapsilosis, while C. argyrophyllus was effective against C. glabrata. Overall results showed that these plant species are potential sources of phytochemicals with interest in the fields of both pharmacology (e.g., antimicrobial) and human health (e.g., antioxidant). Furthermore, in the socio-economic aspect, these results can improve and disseminate the cultivation of these species, inducing improvements in the rural populations.This work was financially supported by CNPQ/CsF and CAPES and UID/AGR/00690/2013 – CIMO funded by FEDER – Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional through COMPETE2020 – Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI) – and by national funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal. The authors are also grateful to UFRB Herbarium for the help with the plant species identification.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The temporal and spatial variation of arthropod associations inhabiting non-crop vegetation in a sisal crop, agave sisalana in the caatinga biome

Sisal, Agave sisalana Perrine, is cultivated for fiber production, with Brazil being its leading producer. Nowadays, given the increasing interest in organic products, the market for sisal could become an economical alternative for rural areas with low economic inputs. However, sisal is threatened by different pests and diseases. Conservation biological control could contribute to the limitation of these plant enemies, but this agroecosystem is poorly known. In this context, we aimed: (i) to identify the diversity of plants and arthropods and their potential relations, (ii) to study the spatial patterns of arthropods and plants in function of the proximity to the margin of the field, and (iii) to determine the minimum sampling effort needed to record the occurring biodiversity in a sisal crop. Arthropods were sampled using pit-fall traps located close to the border and in the inner plant of the sisal crop from June to September. Simultaneously, plant species and their abundance in quadrats next to each pitfall were recorded. Diversity indexes were calculated to describe the biodiversity, a redundancy analysis was performed to analyze relations among arthropods and plants and the spatial distribution was evaluated using the non-parametric Wilcoxon rank-sum test. The redundancy analysis and the Wilcoxon test revealed a temporal and spatial distribution of arthropods and plants during the period of study. Results indicated (i) similar temporal diversity patterns from June to July for both plants and arthropods, with a maximum in July, whereas in September the biodiversity increased for arthropods and decreased for plants; (ii) the importance of particular plant species for Collembola; and (iii) that arthropods seem to colonize the sisal crop from the fields beyond the crop during the rainy season. These results provide new information about arthropods and plant biodiversity from an agroecosystem in a semi-arid region and raise further queries about the management of sisal crops.This research was funded by Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) by national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020) and CsF/CNPq (Programa Ciência Sem Fronteiras/CNPq).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Manejo de Coleópteros-praga de feijão armazenado com óleos essenciais

Com uma grande produção de grãos de feijão no Brasil, o armazenamento adequado é de fundamental importância para evitar o ataque de pragas. Dentre as principais pragas que atacam o feijão armazenado merecem destaque Zabrotes subfasciatus Boh. e Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabr.) (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae), que se desenvolvem dentro do grão provocando danos diretos e indiretos. Neste sentido, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o uso de óleos essenciais para o controle destes coleópteros-praga de feijão armazenado e verificar os efeitos destes óleos sobre o potencial fisiológico das sementes de feijão caupi. Foram utilizados os óleos de Croton heliotropiifolius Kunth, Croton pulegiodorus Baill., Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão, extraídos em laboratório, e Ocimum basilicum L., adquirido em empresa comercial. Foram realizados testes para avaliar o efeito fumigante, repelente e residual dos óleos sobre as duas pragas e testes sobre a germinação do feijão. Para C. maculatus observou-se que via fumigação apenas o óleo de O. basilicum provocou 100% de mortalidade. Em relação ao efeito repelente os óleos de C. pulegiodorus e O. basilicum apresentaram apenas a menor dosagem classificada como neutra e as demais repelentes, e esses óleos se destacaram ocasionando altas mortalidades e, consequentemente, menor número de ovos e adultos emergidos. Para Z. subfasciatus observou-se que os óleos de C. pulegiodorus e O. basilicum provocaram 100% de mortalidade via fumigação, sendo classificados como repelentes em todas as dosagens. Para o efeito residual teve destaque o óleo de C. pulegiodorus. Nos experimentos de germinação o óleo de M. urundeuva na menor dosagem (5 μL) obteve maior porcentagem de plantas emergidas (18,75 %), não sendo observadas diferenças significativas para os demais óleos. Também não foram observadas diferenças significativas para as variáveis índice de velocidade de emergência, velocidade de emergência e coeficiente de velocidade de emergência. Conclui-se que os óleos essenciais utilizados não afetam o potencial germinativo das sementes de feijão, independente da dosagem utilizada, e que C. pulegiodorus e O. basilicum são promissores para o controle de Z. subfasciatus e C. maculatus.With a big grain yield of beans in Brazil, proper storage is crucial to prevent pest attack. The main pests that attack stored beans noteworthy Zabrotes subfasciatus Boh and Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabr.) (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae), which develop within the grain causing direct and indirect damage. In this sense, the present work aimed to evaluate the use of essential oils for the control of these coleopteran pests of stored beans and verify the effects of these oils on seed vigor of cowpea. Oils of Croton heliotropiifolius Kunth, Croton pulegiodorus Baill., M. urundeuva Allemão extracted in the laboratory, and Ocimum basilicum L., purchased business company were used. Tests to evaluate the fumigant effect, repellent and residual oils on the two pests and tests on the germination of bean were performed. To C. maculatus observed that only the oil via spraying O. basilicum caused 100% mortality. In relation to the oil repellent effect C. pulegiodorus and O. basilicum showed only minor dosage classified as neutral and the other repellents, and these oils stood causing high mortality and therefore, fewer eggs and adults emerged. To be was observed that Z. subfasciatus oils of C. pulegiodorus and O. basilicum caused 100 % mortality via fumigation and were classified as repellent at all doses. To the residual effect was highlighted oil C. pulegiodorus. In germination experiments oil M. urundeuva in lower doses (5 μL) obtained the highest percentage of emerged plants (18, 75%), no significant differences for the other oils being observed. Also no significant differences for the variables index of germination speed, speed of emergence and emergence rate coefficient were observed. We conclude that the essential oils used do not affect the seed germination of beans, regardless of dosage, and C. pulegiodorus and O. basilicum are promising for the control of bruchid Z. subfasciatus and C. maculatus

The Temporal and Spatial Variation of Arthropod Associations Inhabiting Non-Crop Vegetation in a Sisal Crop, Agave sisalana in the Caatinga Biome

Sisal, Agave sisalana Perrine, is cultivated for fiber production, with Brazil being its leading producer. Nowadays, given the increasing interest in organic products, the market for sisal could become an economical alternative for rural areas with low economic inputs. However, sisal is threatened by different pests and diseases. Conservation biological control could contribute to the limitation of these plant enemies, but this agroecosystem is poorly known. In this context, we aimed: (i) to identify the diversity of plants and arthropods and their potential relations, (ii) to study the spatial patterns of arthropods and plants in function of the proximity to the margin of the field, and (iii) to determine the minimum sampling effort needed to record the occurring biodiversity in a sisal crop. Arthropods were sampled using pit-fall traps located close to the border and in the inner plant of the sisal crop from June to September. Simultaneously, plant species and their abundance in quadrats next to each pitfall were recorded. Diversity indexes were calculated to describe the biodiversity, a redundancy analysis was performed to analyze relations among arthropods and plants and the spatial distribution was evaluated using the non-parametric Wilcoxon rank-sum test. The redundancy analysis and the Wilcoxon test revealed a temporal and spatial distribution of arthropods and plants during the period of study. Results indicated (i) similar temporal diversity patterns from June to July for both plants and arthropods, with a maximum in July, whereas in September the biodiversity increased for arthropods and decreased for plants; (ii) the importance of particular plant species for Collembola; and (iii) that arthropods seem to colonize the sisal crop from the fields beyond the crop during the rainy season. These results provide new information about arthropods and plant biodiversity from an agroecosystem in a semi-arid region and raise further queries about the management of sisal crops

Seminário de Dissertação (2024)

Página da disciplina de Seminário de Dissertação (MPPP, UFPE, 2022) Lista de participantes == https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mrULe1y04yPxHUBaF50jhaM1OY8QYJ3zva4N4yvm198/edit#gid=

NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES: a data set on carnivore distribution in the Neotropics

Mammalian carnivores are considered a key group in maintaining ecological health and can indicate potential ecological integrity in landscapes where they occur. Carnivores also hold high conservation value and their habitat requirements can guide management and conservation plans. The order Carnivora has 84 species from 8 families in the Neotropical region: Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Otariidae; Phocidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae. Herein, we include published and unpublished data on native terrestrial Neotropical carnivores (Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae). NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES is a publicly available data set that includes 99,605 data entries from 35,511 unique georeferenced coordinates. Detection/non-detection and quantitative data were obtained from 1818 to 2018 by researchers, governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, and private consultants. Data were collected using several methods including camera trapping, museum collections, roadkill, line transect, and opportunistic records. Literature (peer-reviewed and grey literature) from Portuguese, Spanish and English were incorporated in this compilation. Most of the data set consists of detection data entries (n = 79,343; 79.7%) but also includes non-detection data (n = 20,262; 20.3%). Of those, 43.3% also include count data (n = 43,151). The information available in NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES will contribute to macroecological, ecological, and conservation questions in multiple spatio-temporal perspectives. As carnivores play key roles in trophic interactions, a better understanding of their distribution and habitat requirements are essential to establish conservation management plans and safeguard the future ecological health of Neotropical ecosystems. Our data paper, combined with other large-scale data sets, has great potential to clarify species distribution and related ecological processes within the Neotropics. There are no copyright restrictions and no restriction for using data from this data paper, as long as the data paper is cited as the source of the information used. We also request that users inform us of how they intend to use the data