Agronomic Performance and Genetic Variability of \u3cem\u3ePanicum Maximum\u3c/em\u3e Accessions in the Cerrado of Federal District, Brazil

In the last three decades, the Brazilian Savanna (locally called Cerrado ) became the most important beef cattle production region in Brazil. Around 90% of all beef produced in the region comes from pasture-based systems. Intensively-managed and fertilised Panicum maximum pastures can be highly productive and economic. As a result, farmers are demanding new P. maximum cultivars for using in well-fertilised pastures or in crop-pasture rotation systems. This study aimed to evaluate the agronomic performance and the genetic variability of P. maximum accessions in the Brazilian Cerrado

Multivariate characterization of bean varieties according to yield production, mineral and phenolic contents

The contents of mineral nutrients (Fe, Ca, Cu, Mn, Mg, and Zn) and phenolic compounds (total phenols and tannins) of sixteen bean cultivars grown under controlled conditions have been quantified. Data obtained from chemical determinations and bean yields were evaluated by multivariate methods, principal components, hierarchical cluster and canonical correlation analysis. Three groups of cultivars were recognized and mineral nutrients Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn as well as bean yields were the most relevant factors for their discrimination. Potential bean varieties for biofortification programs or direct use in fortified food were identified mainly in cluster I, in which a number of cultivars conciliate good yields and high mineral contents, such as Aporé (Fe and Mg), Bambuí (Zn), and Valente (Fe and Cu). The use of canonical correlation analysis allowed for the detection of significant relationships between bean yield, tannins, and Mg, Zn, and Mn metals

ANÁLISE DE AGROTÓXICOS ORGANOCLORADOS EM CAMARÃO E PESCADO POR CROMATOGRAFIA A GÁS COM DETECTOR DE MICRO CAPTURA DE ELETRONS (GC-µECD)

Otimizou-se um método analítico para a determinação de multirresíduos de organoclorados em camarão marinho para a espécie Litopenaeus vannamei e em músculo de peixes da espécie Oreochromis sp., chamada popularmente de tilápia-vermelha. Utilizou-se a técnica de extração denominada QuEChERS, empregando cromatografia a gás com detector de micro captura de elétrons (CG-µECD) para análise dos seguintes organoclorados em amostras de camarão e em músculo de peixes: hexaclorobenzeno, lindano, DDE, DDT, clorpirifós, endossulfan sulfato, endossulfan beta, endossulfan alfa, heptacloro, aldrin, endrin e dieldrin. O limite de detecção para todos os compostos foi de 0,0005 µg∙g-1 e o limite de quantificação do método foi estabelecido em 0,005 µg∙g-1. Os valores de recuperação variaram entre 80 % e 120 % com desvio padrão (RSD) abaixo de 20 % para todos os compostos

Marxan with Zones: Software for optimal conservation based land- and sea-use zoning

Marxan is the most widely used conservation planning software in the world and is designed for solving complex conservation planning problems in landscapes and seascapes. In this paper we describe a substantial extension of Marxan called Marxan with Zones, a decision support tool that provides land-use zoning options in geographical regions for biodiversity conservation. We describe new functions designed to enhance the original Marxan software and expand on its utility as a decision support tool. The major new element in the decision problem is allowing any parcel of land or sea to be allocated to a specific zone, not just reserved or unreserved. Each zone then has the option of its own actions, objectives and constraints, with the flexibility to define the contribution of each zone to achieve targets for pre-specified features (e.g. species or habitats). The objective is to minimize the total cost of implementing the zoning plan while ensuring a variety of conservation and land-use objectives are achieved. We outline the capabilities, limitations and additional data requirements of this new software and perform a comparison with the original version of Marxan. We feature a number of case studies to demonstrate the functionality of the software and highlight its flexibility to address a range of complex spatial planning problems. These studies demonstrate the design of multiple-use marine parks in both Western Australia and California, and the zoning of forest use in East Kalimantan

A social and ecological assessment of tropical land uses at multiple scales: the Sustainable amazon network

Science has a critical role to play in guiding more sustainable development trajectories. Here, we present the Sustainable Amazon Network (Rede Amazônia Sustentável, RAS): a multidisciplinary research initiative involving more than 30 partner organizations working to assess both social and ecological dimensions of land-use sustainability in eastern Brazilian Amazonia. The research approach adopted by RAS offers three advantages for addressing land-use sustainability problems: (i) the collection of synchronized and co-located ecological and socioeconomic data across broad gradients of past and present human use; (ii) a nested sampling design to aid comparison of ecological and socioeconomic conditions associated with different land uses across local, landscape and regional scales; and (iii) a strong engagement with a wide variety of actors and non-research institutions. Here, we elaborate on these key features, and identify the ways in which RAS can help in highlighting those problems in most urgent need of attention, and in guiding improvements in land-use sustainability in Amazonia and elsewhere in the tropics. We also discuss some of the practical lessons, limitations and realities faced during the development of the RAS initiative so far