Ametryn Leaching in Soils from the Sugarcane Region in Northeastern Brazilian

ABSTRACT Ametryn is one of the most widely used herbicides in the sugarcane culture. Little is known about the interactions between this herbicide and the attributes of soils in the sugarcane region of northeastern Brazil. This knowledge, before recommending herbicide, will minimize the negative effects on the environment, particularly on water resources, and will ensure weed control efficacy. In this work, ametryn leaching potential was estimated through bioassays and chromatography, in five soils from the sugarcane region in northeastern Brazil: Quartzarenic Neosol (Entisol); Red Argisol (Ultisol); Ferrihumiluvic Spodosol (Spodosols); Red-Yellow Acrisol (Oxisol) and Haplic Cambisol (Inceptisols). To achieve this, columns were prepared with samples of the respective soils. On top of these columns ametryn was applied and, 12 hours later, a 60 mm rainfall was simulated. After water draining (72 hours after herbicide application), the columns were longitudinally opened to withdraw samples of each soil, every 5 cm. On some of these samples, ametryn quantification was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography and, on the others, biological assays were performed to confirm the results. Ametryn mobility was influenced by the physical-chemical characteristics of soils, mainly by organic matter content, texture and cation exchange capacity (CEC). However, this cannot be considered for Ferrihumiluvic Spodosol, whose cementing characteristics restrict the infiltration of water and organic compounds. Increased leaching ametryn occurred in Quartzarenic Neosol (Entisol), with higher herbicide concentration in the 5 to 10 cm depth layer, in relation to the 0 to 5 cm surface layer, indicating possible agronomic efficiency loss and higher risk of groundwater contamination

Histochemical aspects of wheat resistance to leaf blast mediated by silicon

Blast, caused by Pyricularia oryzae, has become a significant disease threat to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in Brazil. This study aimed to investigate at the histochemical level if silicon (Si) could enhance the production of flavonoids in the leaves of wheat plants in response to P. oryzae infection. Plants from the Aliança cultivar, which are susceptible to blast, were grown in hydroponic cultures containing 0 (-Si) or 2 mM of Si (+Si) and inoculated by spraying a conidial suspension of P. oryzae (1 × 105 conidia mL−1) on all adaxial leaf surfaces of plants at 60 days after emergence (growth stage 65). The fourth and fifth leaves of each plant were used to evaluate blast severity at 24, 36, 48, 72 and 96 h after inoculation (hai). At 96 hai, leaves were collected from plants to determine the foliar Si concentration. For cytological observations, leaf samples were randomly collected from the fourth and fifth leaves of each plant at 72 hai. The foliar Si concentration was higher in +Si plants (36 g kg−1) in comparison to -Si plants (2.6 g kg−1). This increased Si concentration was correlated with reduced fungal growth inside the epidermal cells and the development of blast symptoms on leaves. Strong fluorescence, which is an indication of the presence of flavonoids, was detected in the leaf cells of +Si plants using Neu’s and Wilson's reagents. A novel item of evidence is that, at the histochemical level, Si is involved in the potentiation of the biosynthetic pathway of flavonoids that increases wheat resistance to blast

Qualidade fisiológica de sementes e desempenho de plantas de rúcula no campo

O estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a influência da qualidade fisiológica de diferentes lotes de sementes de rúcula (Eruca sativa L.) no desenvolvimento inicial e na produção comercial. Avaliou-se a qualidade fisiológica das sementes mediante testes de germinação, primeira contagem de germinação, índice de velocidade de germinação, comprimento da raiz primária e da parte aérea, massa fresca e seca de plântulas. Aos 10 dias após a semeadura em campo, avaliou-se a percentagem de emergência, comprimento de raiz e da parte aérea, massa fresca e seca das plântulas. Aos 35 dias após a semeadura, foram avaliados o número de folhas, número de folhas maiores que dez centímetros, massa fresca e seca das plantas. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado utilizando-se quatro tratamentos (lotes) e quatro repetições. Quanto à qualidade fisiológica das sementes de rúcula, houve estratificação dos lotes, sendo que os mais vigorosos possibilitaram o maior desenvolvimento de raiz e da parte aérea aos 10 dias após a semeadura, entretanto a qualidade fisiológica das sementes não influenciou na produção comercial da cultura.The study had as objective evaluates the influence of different physiologic quality seeds of Eruca sativa L. in the initial development and in the commercial production. It was evaluated the physiological quality of seeds by tests of germination, first count, speed of germination-index, root length and shoot, fresh and dry weight of seedlings. At 10 days after sowing in the field, the percentage of emergence, root length and shoot, fresh and dry plants was estimated. After 35 days of sowing, the number of leaves, number of leaves greater than 10 cm, fresh and dry plants was evaluated. A randomized complete block design was used with four treatments (lots) and four replications. There was stratification of lots on the physiological quality of rocket seeds. The seeds vigorous possible the further development of root and shoot at ten days after the sowing, however the physiological quality of seeds didn't affect the commercial production of the culture

Mapping subnational HIV mortality in six Latin American countries with incomplete vital registration systems

BackgroundHuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains a public health priority in Latin America. While the burden of HIV is historically concentrated in urban areas and high-risk groups, subnational estimates that cover multiple countries and years are missing. This paucity is partially due to incomplete vital registration (VR) systems and statistical challenges related to estimating mortality rates in areas with low numbers of HIV deaths. In this analysis, we address this gap and provide novel estimates of the HIV mortality rate and the number of HIV deaths by age group, sex, and municipality in Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Mexico.MethodsWe performed an ecological study using VR data ranging from 2000 to 2017, dependent on individual country data availability. We modeled HIV mortality using a Bayesian spatially explicit mixed-effects regression model that incorporates prior information on VR completeness. We calibrated our results to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.ResultsAll countries displayed over a 40-fold difference in HIV mortality between municipalities with the highest and lowest age-standardized HIV mortality rate in the last year of study for men, and over a 20-fold difference for women. Despite decreases in national HIV mortality in all countries-apart from Ecuador-across the period of study, we found broad variation in relative changes in HIV mortality at the municipality level and increasing relative inequality over time in all countries. In all six countries included in this analysis, 50% or more HIV deaths were concentrated in fewer than 10% of municipalities in the latest year of study. In addition, national age patterns reflected shifts in mortality to older age groups-the median age group among decedents ranged from 30 to 45years of age at the municipality level in Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico in 2017.ConclusionsOur subnational estimates of HIV mortality revealed significant spatial variation and diverging local trends in HIV mortality over time and by age. This analysis provides a framework for incorporating data and uncertainty from incomplete VR systems and can help guide more geographically precise public health intervention to support HIV-related care and reduce HIV-related deaths.Peer reviewe