Grain yield stability of wheat genotypes under irrigated and non-irrigated conditions

Analyses of genotype by environment interactions were carried out for wheat genotypes grown under irrigated and non-irrigated field conditions, in two sowing dates during three years. The linear regression method was used to analyze the stability of grain yield. Genotype by environment interactions was observed for grain yield in all groups of environments. Nesser was the most productive and stable genotype in all groups of environments, followed by IAPAR 17-Caeté. In the late sowing, better yield performances were observed for the cultivars OCEPAR 7-Batuíra, IAPAR 17-Caeté and Nesser, under irrigated condition, and Nesser and IAPAR 28-Igapó, under non-irrigated condition. The results indicated that Nesser gave high grain yield with superior adaptability and stability, and could thus be considered as the most suitable genotype for late sowing and water stress condition at the end of plant cycle

Conservation and in vitro germination of pollen of maize (Zea mays subsp. mays)

O armazenamento de pólen é uma importante ferramenta para programas de melhoramento de milho, permitindo preservar, sob condições artificiais, a viabilidade de gametas masculinos e ampliar as possibilidades de cruzamentos, independente da época do florescimento das variedades genitoras. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar meios de cultivo para a germinação in vitro de pólen de milho e analisar condições de conservação. Para avaliar viabilidade, foram testados seis meios de cultivo, contendo sacarose, ácido bórico, cloreto de cálcio hidratado e ágar. Para a conservação de pólen foram analisadas duas temperaturas (4 °C e –20 °C) e dois agentes desidratantes de pólen (sílica gel e cloreto de cálcio hidratado). Os altos valores de viabilidade do pólen no período de até 30 dias de armazenamento indicam que a desidratação em sílica gel e armazenamento a 4 °C conservam a viabilidade de pólen de milho. O meio de cultivo que proporcionou a maior taxa de germinação in vitro foi com a composição de 0,7% de ágar, 17% de sacarose, 0,01% de ácido bórico e 0,03% de cloreto de cálcio hidratado.The storage of pollen can be considered an important tool for maize breeding programs, allowing to preserve, under artificial conditions, the viability of male gametes and extend the possibilities of crossings regardless of flowering time of parental varieties. This study aimed to evaluate the culture media for in vitro germination of corn pollen and analyze storage conditions. To examine viability, six different culture media containing sucrose, boric acid, calcium chloride and agar were evaluated. For pollen preservation, two temperatures (4 °C and –20 °C) and two agents of pollen dehydration (silica gel and hydrated calcium chloride) were evaluated. The high values of pollen viability up to 30 days of storage indicate that dehydration in silica gel and storage at 4 °C preserve the viability of corn pollen. The culture medium that provided the highest germination rate in vitro was the composition of 0.7% agar, 17% sucrose, 0.01% boric acid and 0.03% calcium chloride hydrate

Diallel analysis for tolerance to barley yellow dwarf virus in Brazilian cultivars of bread wheat

Seis cultivares brasileiras de trigo com diferentes níveis de tolerância ao vírus-do-nanismoamarelo- da-cevada (VNAC) foram cruzadas de modo dialélico para avaliar as capacidades geral e específica de combinação quanto à herança da tolerância. Um isolado do vírus transmitido por Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) foi inoculado nas cultivares e nos híbridos F1 no estádio de plântula com duas folhas. Foram atribuídas notas individuais a cada planta de acordo com a severidade de sintomas apresentados. Os dados obtidos foram analisados segundo os três métodos: o de Griffing, o modelo fixo, e método 2. Ficou evidenciada a presença de heterose, provavelmente decorrente do efeito aditivo de genes complementares. As cultivares BR 34 e BR 35 se destacaram com melhores valores de capacidade geral de combinação (CGC), e é recomendado seu uso como genitores em programas de melhoramento de trigo que visem à obtenção de combinações genéticas com tolerância ao VNAC.Six Brazilian bread wheat cultivars differing in tolerance to barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) were crossed according to a diallel design, to determine general and specific combining ability. A BYDV isolate transmitted by Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) was inoculated in plants when seedlings had two leaves. Ten days after anthesis each plant was examined receiving a score according to its symptom severity. Data were evaluated according to Griffing method, fixed model and method two. Heterosis was evidenced, related to the addictive effects of complementary genes. Cultivars BR 34 and BR 35 showed the best values of general combining ability (GCA). They are recommended as parents in wheat breeding programs to obtain tolerant genotypes to BYDV

Deciphering the genome structure and paleohistory of _Theobroma cacao_

We sequenced and assembled the genome of _Theobroma cacao_, an economically important tropical fruit tree crop that is the source of chocolate. The assembly corresponds to 76% of the estimated genome size and contains almost all previously described genes, with 82% of them anchored on the 10 _T. cacao_ chromosomes. Analysis of this sequence information highlighted specific expansion of some gene families during evolution, for example flavonoid-related genes. It also provides a major source of candidate genes for _T. cacao_ disease resistance and quality improvement. Based on the inferred paleohistory of the T. cacao genome, we propose an evolutionary scenario whereby the ten _T. cacao_ chromosomes were shaped from an ancestor through eleven chromosome fusions. The _T. cacao_ genome can be considered as a simple living relic of higher plant evolution

Photobiomodulation reduces the cytokine storm syndrome associated with Covid-19 in the zebrafish model

Although the exact mechanism of the pathogenesis of COVID-19 is not fully understood, oxidative stress and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines have been highlighted as playing a vital role in the pathogenesis of the disease. In this sense, alternative treatments are needed to reduce the inflammation caused by COVID-19. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the potential effect of red PBM as an attractive therapy to downregulate the cytokine storm caused by COVID-19 from a zebrafish model. RT-PCR analyses and protein-protein interaction prediction among SARS-CoV-2 and Danio rerio proteins showed that rSpike was responsible for generating systemic inflammatory processes with significantly increased pro-inflammatory (il1b, il6, tnfa, and nfkbiab), oxidative stress (romo1) and energy metabolism (slc2a1a, coa1) mRNA markers, with a pattern like those observed in COVID-19 cases in humans. On the other hand, PBM treatment decreased the mRNA levels of these pro-inflammatory and oxidative stress markers compared with rSpike in various tissues, promoting an anti-inflammatory response. Conversely, PBM promotes cellular and tissue repair of injured tissues and significantly increases the survival rate of rSpike-inoculated individuals. Additionally, metabolomics analysis showed that the most impacted metabolic pathways between PBM and the rSpike-treated groups were related to steroid metabolism, immune system, and lipids metabolism. Together, our findings suggest that the inflammatory process is an incisive feature of COVID-19, and red PBM can be used as a novel therapeutic agent for COVID-19 by regulating the inflammatory response. Nevertheless, the need for more clinical trials remains, and there is a significant gap to overcome before clinical trials.publishedVersio

A list of land plants of Parque Nacional do Caparaó, Brazil, highlights the presence of sampling gaps within this protected area

Brazilian protected areas are essential for plant conservation in the Atlantic Forest domain, one of the 36 global biodiversity hotspots. A major challenge for improving conservation actions is to know the plant richness, protected by these areas. Online databases offer an accessible way to build plant species lists and to provide relevant information about biodiversity. A list of land plants of “Parque Nacional do Caparaó” (PNC) was previously built using online databases and published on the website "Catálogo de Plantas das Unidades de Conservação do Brasil." Here, we provide and discuss additional information about plant species richness, endemism and conservation in the PNC that could not be included in the List. We documented 1,791 species of land plants as occurring in PNC, of which 63 are cited as threatened (CR, EN or VU) by the Brazilian National Red List, seven as data deficient (DD) and five as priorities for conservation. Fifity-one species were possible new ocurrences for ES and MG states

Neuroproteção na ressecção cirúrgica de gliomas cerebrais: revisão da evidência atual

Os gliomas cerebrais são tumores primários do sistema nervoso central que se desenvolvem a partir de células gliais e têm alta morbimortalidade. Seu tratamento padrão envolve a ressecção cirúrgica, radioterapia e quimioterapia, os quais possivelmente podem levar os pacientes a um prognóstico desfavorável. Nesse contexto, a neuroproteção entra como uma aliada para minimizar os efeitos colaterais da ressecção cirúrgica e melhorar a sobrevida e a qualidade de vida dos pacientes. Nesse sentido, o presente estudo tem como objetivo discutir sobre a evidência atual da neuroproteção na ressecção cirúrgica de gliomas cerebrais. Para isso, foram selecionados quatro artigos que que abordavam sobre a evidência atual da neuroproteção na ressecção cirúrgica de gliomas cerebrais, por meio de uma estratégia de busca com recorte temporal entre 2014 e 2023, nas bases de dados PubMed (Medline), Embase e Cochrane Library. Os resultados indicam que o grupo de pacientes que recebeu dexmedetomidina apresentou melhora significativa na cognição e redução da inflamação cerebral em comparação com o grupo-controle pós-ressecção dos gliomas cerebrais, além de menor incidência de efeitos colaterais anestésicos, como náusea e vômitos (p < 0,05). Ademais, foi observado que a modulação da via metabólica do glutamato/glutamina pode inibir o crescimento de gliomas e proteger o parênquima cerebral. Nesse sentido, as evidências atuais indicam que proteger as células nervosas é uma estratégia importante para minimizar os efeitos colaterais da ressecção cirúrgica de gliomas cerebrais, e a dexmedetomidina e a co-cultura de células de glioma e astrócitos que aumenta a concentração extracelular de glutamato e glutamina parecem ser importantes aliadas nessa profilaxia