Estoque de carbono no solo após manejo nutricional de pau-de-balsa

The objective of this work was to evaluate whether balsa wood plantation and its fertilization can improve soil carbon stocks. Total carbon stocks in the soil-biomass system, at 0.0-0.30 m soil depths, were evaluated under three fertilization strategies, after three and seven years, and compared with carbon stocks from native forest and degraded pasture. At the highest fertilization level, balsa wood showed a carbon stock similar to that of the native forest (65.38 Mg ha-1) and, after seven years, it increased carbon stock by 18% in the soil, and by 42% in the soil-biomass system.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar se o plantio de pau-de-balsa e seu manejo nutricional aumentam os estoques de carbono no solo. Os estoques de carbono total do sistema solo-biomassa à profundidade de 0,0–0,30 m foram avaliados em três níveis de adubação, após três e sete anos, e comparados com mata nativa e pastagem degradada. No nível de maior adubação, o pau-de-balsa apresentou estoque de carbono semelhante ao da mata nativa (65,38 Mg ha-1) e, após sete anos, aumentou o estoque de carbono em 18%, no solo, e em 42%, no sistema solo-biomassa

Perda de solo e água sob integração lavoura-floresta e em sucessão soja-milho

The objective of this work was to evaluate, under conditions of natural rainfall, the soil and water losses in crop-forest integration systems or in soybean-corn succession. The experiment was carried out in a clayey Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo (Oxisol), in a Cerrado/Amazon transition region. The following land use and soil covers were evaluated: crop-forest integration system; soybean-corn+brachiaria succession system;and bare soil. Crops were cultivated under no-tillage in soybean-corn+brachiaria sucession, every year, regardless of the production system. In the three years of evaluation, soil losses by hydraulic erosion were of 0.215 Mg ha-1 per year, in the crop-forest integration system, and of 0.753 Mg ha-1 per year, in the soybeancorn succession system. These values were below the tolerance limit, which is of 11.1 Mg ha-1 per year, andthe lowest values for crop-forest integration point towards the great conservation potential of this production system.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar, em condição de chuva natural, a perda de solo e água em sistemas de produção com integração lavoura-floresta ou com sucessão soja-milho. O experimento foi realizado em Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo com textura muito argilosa, em uma região de transição Cerrado/Amazônia. Os seguintes usos e coberturas do solo foram avaliados: sistema integração lavoura-floresta; lavoura com sucessão soja-milho+braquiária; e solo descoberto. As lavouras foram cultivadas em sistema plantio direto em sucessão soja-milho+braquiária, todos os anos, independentemente do sistema de produção. A perda de solo por erosão hídrica, nos três anos avaliados, foi de 0,215 Mg ha-1 por ano, no sistema integração lavoura-floresta, e de 0,753Mg ha-1 por ano na lavoura com sucessão soja-milho. Estes valores situaram-se abaixo do limite de tolerância, que é de 11,1 Mg ha-1 por ano, e os menores valores observados com a integração lavoura-floresta apontam para o elevado potencial conservacionista desse sistema

Bacillus subtilis spores as vaccine adjuvants: further insights into the mechanisms of action

Bacillus subtilis spores have received growing attention regarding potential biotechnological applications, including the use as probiotics and in vaccine formulations. B. subtilis spores have also been shown to behave as particulate vaccine adjuvants, promoting the increase of antibody responses after co-administration with antigens either admixed or adsorbed on the spore surface. In this study, we further evaluated the immune modulatory properties of B. subtilis spores using a recombinant HIV gag p24 protein as a model antigen. The adjuvant effects of B. subtilis spores were not affected by the genetic background of the mouse lineage and did not induce significant inflammatory or deleterious effects after parenteral administration. Our results demonstrated that co-administration, but not adsorption to the spore surface, enhanced the immunogenicity of that target antigen after subcutaneous administration to BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. Spores promoted activation of antigen presenting cells as demonstrated by the upregulation of MHC and CD40 molecules and enhanced secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines by murine dendritic cells. In addition, in vivo studies indicated a direct role of the innate immunity on the immunomodulatory properties of B. subtilis spores, as demonstrated by the lack of adjuvant effects on MyD88 and TLR2 knockout mouse strains.Foundation of the State of São Paulo (FAPESP)National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development (CNPq