Growth and production of volatile compounds of yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.) under different irrigation depths

Abstract Yarrow (Achillea millefolium L., Asteraceae) is an important medicinal plant used worldwide for its medicinal properties such as the analgesic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ones. The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth and production of photosynthetic pigments and of volatile constituents of Achillea millefolium L. under different irrigation depths. The treatments were the application of 55, 110, 220, 440 and 880 mm of water for a period of 110 days. Data were submitted to polynomial regression analysis at 5% probability, while the volatile constituents were analyzed by standard deviation. Different irrigation depths provided quadratic growth responses being the highest dry matter production at the depth of 440 mm. The contents of chlorophyll a, b, total and carotenoids were higher at the lower depth tested (55 mm). The major volatile compounds identified were sabinene, 1,8-cineol, borneol and β-caryophyllene. Increased water availability reduced the complexity of the volatile fraction of essential oil. Thus, it is recommended that the species be cultivated at 440 mm irrigation depth to have a higher production of dry matter and lower variation in the volatile profile of the essential oil

Growth, photosynthetic pigments and production of essential oil of long-pepper under different light conditions

ABSTRACT Piper hispidinervum C. DC. is popularly known as long-pepper and it owns a commercial value due to the essential oil it produces. Long-pepper oil is rich in safrole and eugenoln components that have insecticidal, fungicidal and bactericidal activity. It has been establish that to medicinal plants light influences not only growth but also essential oil production. The growth, the content of photosynthetic pigments and the essential oil production of Piper hispidinervum at greenhouses with different light conditions was evaluated. The treatments were characterized by cultivation of plants for 180 days under different light conditions, produced by shading greenhouses with 50% and 30% of natural incident irradiance, two colored shading nets red (RN) and blue (BN) both blocking 50% of the incident radiation and one treatment at full-sun (0% of shade). The results showed that the treatments of 50% shade and RN and BN were the ones which stimulated the greater growth. Blue and red light also had the best production of photosynthetic pigments. Essential oil yielded more under full sun therefore this is the most indicated condition to produce seedlings for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry

Nutrição mineral, crescimento e teor de óleo essencial da menta em solução nutritiva sob diferentes concentrações de fósforo e épocas de coleta Mineral nutrition, growth and essential oil content of mint in nutrient solution under different phosphorus concentrations

Avaliou-se o efeito de concentrações de P e épocas de coleta sobre o crescimento, nutrição mineral e teor de óleo essencial da menta (Mentha piperita L.). O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados com parcelas subdivididas, em esquema fatorial 2x5, sendo 2 épocas de coleta (65 e 95 dias de cultivo (DC)) e 5 concentrações de P na solução nutritiva (6; 12; 18; 24 e 30 mg L-1), com 4 repetições. Foi determinada a massa seca de folhas (MSF), caules (MSC), raízes (MSR) e total (MST) e as relações folha:caule (F:C) e parte aérea:raiz (PA:R). Também, foi determinado o teor de óleo essencial em folhas frescas. Os níveis críticos foliares e acúmulo de nutrientes na parte aérea da menta foram estimados por meio da análise química das folhas e caules. As concentrações de P na solução influenciaram o crescimento e a produção de óleo essencial pela menta. Na coleta realizada aos 65 DC, apenas a MSF foi influenciada pelo P, não se observando efeito sobre os teores de óleo essencial. Aos 95 DC, o aumento da concentração de P promoveu aumentos significativos na massa seca das partes e do total da menta e, também, nos teores de óleo essencial, sendo o teor máximo (2,192 dag kg-1) obtido com 19,50 mg L-1 de P. As maiores concentrações de P avaliadas (24 e 30 mg L-1), promoveram aumentos na produção de matéria fresca e seca da parte aérea da menta, mas, reduziram os teores de óleo essencial, devido ao efeito de diluição, não significando, portanto, ganhos de produção de óleo por planta. Os teores foliares dos nutrientes associados ao teor máximo de óleo aos 95 DC foram em g kg-1: N=37,2; =3,9; K=21,2; Ca=9,3; Mg=3,8; S=3,0; e, em mg kg-1: B=35; Cu=8; Fe=323; Mn=145 e Zn=22. A exigência nutricional aos 95 DC relacionada ao teor máximo de óleo essencial seguiu a seqüência: N>K>Ca>P>Mg>S>Fe>Mn>B>Zn>Cu.<br>The effect of P concentrations and harvest period upon the growth, mineral nutrition and essential oil content of mint (Mentha piperita L.) was evaluated. The experimental design was of randomized blocks in a split-plot scheme, in a 2x5 factorial with four replications, being two harvest periods (65 and 95 days of cultivation (DC)) and five concentrations of P in the nutrient solution (6; 12; 18; 24 and 30 mg L-1) evaluated. The leaves dry weight (MSF), stems dry weight (MRS), roots dry weight (MSR), total dry weight (MST), leaf:stem ratio (F:C) and aerial part:root ratio (PA:R) were evaluated. The essential oil content in fresh leaves was determined. The critical levels and nutrient accumulation in leaves and stems were estimated through leaves and stems chemical analysis. The level of P increased the leaf dry matter production 65 DC. At 95 DC, the P concentration in the nutrient solution, did significantly increase plant growth and essential oil content, the maximum essential oil content being (2.192 dag kg-1) obtained with 19.48 mg L-1 of P. The higher P concentration in nutrient solution (24 and 30 mg L-1), increased the fresh and dry matter of the aerial portion of the plants, but, decreased the essential oil content. Due to the dilution effect, the increase of fresh and dry matter production did not result in an increase in the oil yield per plant. The critical levels of nutrients in the leaves corresponding to the maximum essential oil content at 95 DC in g kg-1 were: N=37,2; P=3,9; K=21,2; Ca=9,3; Mg=3,8; S=3,0 and, in mg kg-1: B=35; Cu=8; Fe=323; Mn=145 and Zn=22. The nutrients requested at 95 DC related to the maximum essential oil content was: N>K>Ca>P>Mg>S>Fe>Mn>B>Zn>Cu

Implementation of a Brazilian Cardioprotective Nutritional (BALANCE) Program for improvement on quality of diet and secondary prevention of cardiovascular events: A randomized, multicenter trial

Background: Appropriate dietary recommendations represent a key part of secondary prevention in cardiovascular disease (CVD). We evaluated the effectiveness of the implementation of a nutritional program on quality of diet, cardiovascular events, and death in patients with established CVD. Methods: In this open-label, multicenter trial conducted in 35 sites in Brazil, we randomly assigned (1:1) patients aged 45 years or older to receive either the BALANCE Program (experimental group) or conventional nutrition advice (control group). The BALANCE Program included a unique nutritional education strategy to implement recommendations from guidelines, adapted to the use of affordable and regional foods. Adherence to diet was evaluated by the modified Alternative Healthy Eating Index. The primary end point was a composite of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular death, cardiac arrest, myocardial infarction, stroke, myocardial revascularization, amputation, or hospitalization for unstable angina. Secondary end points included biochemical and anthropometric data, and blood pressure levels. Results: From March 5, 2013, to Abril 7, 2015, a total of 2534 eligible patients were randomly assigned to either the BALANCE Program group (n = 1,266) or the control group (n = 1,268) and were followed up for a median of 3.5 years. In total, 235 (9.3%) participants had been lost to follow-up. After 3 years of follow-up, mean modified Alternative Healthy Eating Index (scale 0-70) was only slightly higher in the BALANCE group versus the control group (26.2 ± 8.4 vs 24.7 ± 8.6, P <.01), mainly due to a 0.5-serving/d greater intake of fruits and of vegetables in the BALANCE group. Primary end point events occurred in 236 participants (18.8%) in the BALANCE group and in 207 participants (16.4%) in the control group (hazard ratio, 1.15; 95% CI 0.95-1.38; P =.15). Secondary end points did not differ between groups after follow-up. Conclusions: The BALANCE Program only slightly improved adherence to a healthy diet in patients with established CVD and had no significant effect on the incidence of cardiovascular events or death. © 2019 The Author

Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network

International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora