Yield and incidence of hollow stem disorder of cauliflower 'Sharon' influenced by the application of nitrogen and boron

A podridão parda é um problema comum em couve-flor que ocasiona sintoma semelhante ao da deficiência de B. Sua ocorrência está associada, especialmente, às adubações com nitrogênio e boro, mas há escassez de informações sobre o problema no Brasil. Neste trabalho avaliou-se o efeito de doses de nitrogênio e épocas de aplicação de boro na produção e na incidência de podridão parda da couve-flor 'Sharon'. O experimento foi realizado em Argissolo Vermelho Amarelo de novembro/2005 a fevereiro/2006, com quatro doses de N (100; 150; 200 e 250 kg ha-1) e duas épocas de aplicação de 3 kg ha-1 B (1 e 2 aplicações), além do controle (sem aplicação). O diâmetro das cabeças e a produtividade comercial variaram de 16,45 a 22,03 cm e 15,71 a 29 t ha-1, respectivamente, e não foram influenciados pelos tratamentos. As doses de N proporcionaram aumento linear no teor nas folhas e nas cabeças. O caule oco e bronzeamento das cabeças foram reduzidos, enquanto a produtividade comercial aumentou com aplicação de B. Houve correlação negativa entre o teor de B nas folhas (r=0,66; p<0,05) e nas cabeças (r=0,76; p<0,05) e a incidência de caule oco. A adubação com B para a couve-flor cultivada em solo com teor médio (0,54 mg de B dm-3) é necessária para reduzir os sintomas da podridão parda. Contudo, mais estudos são necessários em outros solos e cultivares para redução desse distúrbio fisiológico em condições tropicais e melhoria da eficiência da adubação com boro.The hollow stem disorder is a common problem in cauliflower, resulting in similar symptoms as those caused by B deficiency. Its occurrence in cauliflower is related to nitrogen and boron levels. There exist little information about this subject in Brazil. The effect of nitrogen rates and boron application periods were evaluated on the cauliflower production and incidence of hollow stem. The experiment was carried out from November 2005 through February 2006 in a Kandiustalf soil (0.54 mg B kg-1, BaCl2 1.25 mg L-1) at Tietê region, São Paulo State, Brazil, in a randomized complete block design with four replicates, four N levels (100; 150; 200 and 250 kg ha-1) and two periods of B application (one and two applications) and a control (without application). Cauliflower curd diameter ranged from 16.45 to 22.03 cm and the commercial yield from 15.71 to 29 t ha-1; these two traits were not influenced by treatments. Nitrogen rates increased linearly in leaves and curds. The hollow stem and curd browning were reduced and commercial yield was increased with B fertilization. The correlation between B concentration on leaves (r= 0.66; p<0.05) and curds (r= 0.76; p<0.05) with hollow stem disorder was negative. Boron fertilization is necessary to reduce the symptoms of hollow stem when cauliflower is grow in soil with medium B level (0.54 mg B dm-3). More studies are needed using other types of soil and other cauliflower cultivars in order to reduce this physiological disorder in tropical conditions and increase the efficiency of boron fertilization

Cloning and endogenous expression of a Eucalyptus grandis UDP-glucose dehydrogenase cDNA

UDP-glucose dehydrogenase (UGDH) catalyzes the oxidation of UDP-glucose (UDP-Glc) to UDP-glucuronate (UDP-GlcA), a key sugar nucleotide involved in the biosynthesis of plant cell wall polysaccharides. A full-length cDNA fragment coding for UGDH was cloned from the cambial region of 6-month-old E. grandis saplings by RT-PCR. The 1443-bp-ORF encodes a protein of 480 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 53 kDa. The recombinant protein expressed in Escherichia coli catalyzed the conversion of UDP-Glc to UDP-GlcA, confirming that the cloned cDNA encodes UGDH. The deduced amino acid sequence of the cDNA showed a high degree of identity with UGDH from several plant species. The Southern blot assay indicated that more than one copy of UGDH is present in Eucalyptus. These results were also confirmed by the proteomic analysis of the cambial region of 3- and 22-year-old E. grandis trees by 2-DE and LC-MS/MS, showing that at least two isoforms are present. The cloned gene is mainly expressed in roots, stem and bark of 6-month-old saplings, with a lower expression in leaves. High expression levels were also observed in the cambial region of 3- and 22-year-old trees. The results described in this paper provide a further view of the hemicellulose biosynthesis during wood formation in E. grandis

A História da Alimentação: balizas historiográficas

Os M. pretenderam traçar um quadro da História da Alimentação, não como um novo ramo epistemológico da disciplina, mas como um campo em desenvolvimento de práticas e atividades especializadas, incluindo pesquisa, formação, publicações, associações, encontros acadêmicos, etc. Um breve relato das condições em que tal campo se assentou faz-se preceder de um panorama dos estudos de alimentação e temas correia tos, em geral, segundo cinco abardagens Ia biológica, a econômica, a social, a cultural e a filosófica!, assim como da identificação das contribuições mais relevantes da Antropologia, Arqueologia, Sociologia e Geografia. A fim de comentar a multiforme e volumosa bibliografia histórica, foi ela organizada segundo critérios morfológicos. A seguir, alguns tópicos importantes mereceram tratamento à parte: a fome, o alimento e o domínio religioso, as descobertas européias e a difusão mundial de alimentos, gosto e gastronomia. O artigo se encerra com um rápido balanço crítico da historiografia brasileira sobre o tema

Gonadotropin subunits of the characiform Astyanax altiparanae : Molecular characterization, spatiotemporal expression and their possible role on female reproductive dysfunction in captivity

To better understand the endocrine control of reproduction in Characiformes and the reproductive dysfunctions that commonly occur in migratory fish of this order when kept in captivity, we chose Astyanax altiparanae, which has asynchronous ovarian development and multiple spawning events, as model species. From A. altiparanae pituitary total RNA, we cloned the full-length cDNAs coding for the follicle-stimulating hormone β subunit (fshb), the luteinizing hormone β subunit (lhb), and the common gonadotropin α subunit (gpha). All three sequences showed the highest degree of amino acid identity with other homologous sequences from Siluriformes and Cypriniformes. Real-time, quantitative PCR analysis showed that gpha, fshb and lhb mRNAs were restricted to the pituitary gland. In situ hybridization and immunofluorescence, using specific-developed and characterized polyclonal antibodies, revealed that both gonadotropin β subunits mRNAs/proteins are expressed by distinct populations of gonadotropic cells in the proximal pars distalis. No marked variations for lhb transcripts levels were detected during the reproductive cycle, and 17α,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one plasma levels were also constant, suggesting that the reproductive dysfunction seen in A. altiparanae females in captivity are probably due to a lack of increase of Lh synthesis during spawning season. In contrast, fshb transcripts changed significantly during the reproductive cycle, although estradiol-17β (E2) levels remained constant during the experiment, possibly due to a differential regulation of E2 synthesis. Taken together, these data demonstrate the putative involvement of gonadotropin signaling on the impairment of the reproductive function in a migratory species when kept in captivity. Future experimental studies must be carried to clarify this hypothesis. All these data open the possibility for further basic and applied studies related to reproduction in this fish model

Competição das cultivares de alface Vera e Verônica em dois espaçamentos Comparison of lettuce cultivars Vera and Verônica in two different spacing systems

Comparou-se o comportamento da cultivar de alface Vera com a cv. Verônica em dois espaçamentos, de 25/03 a 30/04/02, no campo experimental da Instituição Moura Lacerda, Ribeirão Preto (SP). Empregou-se o delineamento experimental em blocos casualizados, no esquema fatorial 2 x 2, ou seja, duas cultivares e dois espaçamentos (20 x 20 cm e 20 x 30 cm), com quatro repetições. Avaliou-se a massa da matéria fresca da parte aérea, massa da matéria seca da parte aérea e produtividade média. A cv. Vera apresentou maior massa da matéria fresca da parte aérea e produtividade média, no menor espaçamento. Para a massa seca da parte aérea a cv. Vera foi superior à cv. Verônica, independentemente do espaçamento.<br>An experiment was carried out from March 25th to April 30th, 2002, in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo State, Brazil, to compare the performance of lettuce cultivars Vera and Veronica in two different planting space systems. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design in a 2 x 2 factorial scheme with four replications. The treatments were the combination of two lettuce cultivars and two planting spacing (20 x 20 cm and 20 x 30 cm). We evaluated the aerial part dry matter weight, aerial part fresh matter weight and yield. The cultivar Vera presented the greatest aerial part fresh matter weight and yield in the planting spacing 20 x 20 cm. Cultivar Vera presented higher aerial part dry matter weight than cultivar Verônica, independent of planting space

Crescimento e absorção de nutrientes pelo Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) cultivado em solo Growing and nutrients absorption by lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) cultivated in soil

O lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) é uma planta ornamental com grande procura pelo mercado consumidor, mas há poucas informações sobre sua nutrição em condições edafo-climáticas tropicais. Neste trabalho avaliou-se o crescimento e a absorção de nutrientes pelo lisianthus (var. Echo) em estufa comercial. Plântulas de lisianthus foram transplantadas para canteiros aos 60 dias após a semeadura, em outubro de 1999. As amostragens do material vegetal foram feitas aos 8; 22; 36; 50; 64; 78; 92; 106 e 120 dias após o transplantio. O crescimento em altura e a produção de matéria seca da parte aérea foram lentos até os 36 dias e atingiram altura de 90,5 cm e produção de matéria seca de 28,4 g por planta no final do ciclo. A absorção de nutrientes (kg ha-1) pela parte aérea do lisianthus aos 120 dias foi: 238,8 de N, 157,1 de K, 33,9 de S, 17,5 de Mg, 14,9 de P, 10,6 de Ca e para os micronutrientes (g ha-1): 1281,3 de Fe, 294,4 de B, 127,1 de Mn, 121,1 de Zn e 35,8 de Cu.<br>Lisianthus is a cut flower crop that has been intensively studied around the world. However, there is not enough information about its nutrition under tropical conditions. In this work the growth and nutrient absorption of lisianthus (var. Echo) cultivated in soil was evaluated. Seedlings were transplanted 60 days after sowing in October 99. Plant samples were taken at 8; 22; 36; 50; 64; 78; 92; 106 and 120 days after transplanting. Plant growth and dry matter production were slow in the beginning but plants reached 90.5 cm in height and 28.4 of dry weight at the end of cycle. Nutrient uptake (kg ha-1) at 120 days was: 238.8 of N, 157.1 of K, 33.9 of S, 17.5 of Mg, 14.9 of P, 10.6 of Ca and micronutrients (g ha-1): 1281.3 of Fe, 294.4 of B, 127.1 of Mn, 121.1 of Zn and 35.8 of Cu