Seed quality of crambe (Crambe abyssinica Hochst) submitted to different drying methods 1 Qualidade de sementes de crambe (Crambe abyssinica Hochst) submetidas a diferentes métodos de secagem

ABSTRACT -The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of different drying methods on physiological quality of crambe seeds. Crambe seeds of FMS Brilhante cultivar were produced in the Lageado experimental farm (UNESP, Botucatu, Brazil) in 2012. The drying methods were: artificial drying with hot air, artificial drying with fresh air, natural yard drying, natural shade drying and natural field drying. The water content of seeds was monitored before, during and after drying. Germination, first germination count, abnormal seedlings, GSI, germination synchronization, frequency and germination mean time, electrical conductivity, fatty acid index and oil content were evaluated in order to know the physiological quality. The experimental design was randomized and the averages compared by the t-test at 5% significance. Results showed that artificial hot air drying favored with higher germination and vigor of crambe seeds when compared to other drying methods and demanded shorter time to reduce the water content. The natural shade drying method is feasible for crambe seeds despite taking longer. Key words: Natural drying. Artificial drying. Crambe seeds vigor. Seeds damage. RESUMO -Objetivou-se nesta pesquisa avaliar o efeito de diferentes métodos de secagem na qualidade fisiológica de sementes de crambe. As sementes de crambe da cultivar FMS Brilhante foram produzidas na Fazenda Experimental Lageado (UNESP -Botucatu) no ano de 2012. As condições de secagem foram: secagem artificial com ar aquecido, secagem artificial com ar natural, secagem natural em terreiro, secagem natural à sombra e secagem na planta. O teor de água foi monitorado antes, durante e após a secagem. Para avaliação da qualidade fisiológica foi realizado o teste de germinação, primeira contagem de germinação, plântulas anormais, IVG, sincronização da germinação, frequência e tempo médio de germinação, teste de condutividade elétrica, índice de acidez graxa e teor de óleo. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado e as médias comparadas pelo teste de Tukey a 5% de significância. Pelos resultados obtidos a secagem artificial com alta temperatura favoreceu obtenção de sementes de crambe com alta germinação e vigor em relação aos demais tipos de secagem com um tempo menor para redução do teor de água. A secagem natural na sombra é viável para sementes de crambe apesar de ser longa. Palavras-chave: Secagem natural. Secagem artificial. Vigor de sementes de crambe. Danos em sementes

Ozonated water in the post-harvest treatment of coffee fruits

ABSTRACT Ozone is used in many countries for the treatment of effluents, becoming a viable alternative in sanitation of coffee wastewater. However, the strong ozone oxidation, responsible for its germicidal effect, can also compromise grain and beverage quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of Arabica coffee in different periods of treatment with ozonated water and its effect after drying. Coffee fruits were subjected to ozonation at regular intervals of 0, 5, 10, 20, and 30 min, with continuous stirring promoted by a recirculating water system at constant rate of 1 ppm of solubilized ozone. The design was completely randomized with five treatments and four replicates. After obtaining the data, the analysis of variance was performed and means were compared by Tukey test (p ≤ 0.05). The results showed a partial reduction of fungi after washing with ozonated water, but the same effect was not observed after drying. For coffee quality analysis, the longest times of exposure to the solubilized gas in the water produced some negative results in electrical conductivity and total and reducing sugars. However, the sensory quality of the beverage was maintained

Data from: Evolution and epidemic spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Brazil

Brazil currently has one of the fastest growing SARS-CoV-2 epidemics in the world. Owing to limited available data, assessments of the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) on virus spread remain challenging. Using a mobility-driven transmission model, we show that NPIs reduced the reproduction number from >3 to 1–1.6 in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Sequencing of 427 new genomes and analysis of a geographically representative genomic dataset identified >100 international virus introductions in Brazil. We estimate that most (76%) of the Brazilian strains fell in three clades that were introduced from Europe between 22 February11 March 2020. During the early epidemic phase, we found that SARS-CoV-2 spread mostly locally and within-state borders. After this period, despite sharp decreases in air travel, we estimated multiple exportations from large urban centers that coincided with a 25% increase in average travelled distances in national flights. This study sheds new light on the epidemic transmission and evolutionary trajectories of SARS-CoV-2 lineages in Brazil, and provide evidence that current interventions remain insufficient to keep virus transmission under control in the country