A 3-year field study to assess winter cover crops as nitrogen sources for an organic maize crop in Mediterranean Portugal

Current environmental concerns, the rising economic and environmental costs of mineral fertilizers and the need to respond to the limitations of N fertilization in organic farming motivate the search for alternative sources of N in maize cropping. Forage legumes used as winter cover crops may improve soil N fertility and offer benefits to the environment. The aim of this study was to examine the effects, in a factorial field experiment, of two sowing dates (SD) and nine different cover crop treatments (balansa clover, crimson clover, gland clover, arrowleaf clover, French serradella, yellow lupin, Italian ryegrass, a cover mixture and a weedy fallow) as a potential alternative N source in an organically managed maize crop. The experiment was conducted at Viseu (Portugal) for three years (2007/2008, 2008/2009 and 2011/12), in the same field. Results showed that maize grain yield was not influenced by cover crop species but was affected by SD and the higher dry matter (DM) aboveground biomass production was observed in early SD (6.1 t ha 1). The cover crops revealed their importance in maize N uptake: yellow lupin of earlier SD had the highest N uptake (83.6 kg N ha 1), but this was not significantly different from balansa clover (83.2 kg N ha 1). Ryegrass was the most efficient in depleting soil mineral N but values were just significantly lower than yellow lupin. Lupin was the least efficient, leaving more mineral N in the soil than the others cover crops, immediately before the period when the risk of leaching is high. It was concluded that, under the edaphoclimatic conditions tested, most of the tested cover crops were efficient in supplying N to maize, and balansa clover had the best performance.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Assessment of Mineralized Nitrogen During Maize Growth Succeeding Different Winter Cover Crops in the Mediterranean Environment

Background: Understanding soil nitrogen (N) dynamics is essential to find alternative N sources and improve N use efficiency in agriculture. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess N mineralization rates from residues of winter cover crops, during maize crop season, under Mediterranean conditions. Methods: A field experiment was carried out from May to September in central Portugal, with four replications, two sowing dates of cover crops (15/10/2011 and 29/11/2011) and three cover crops residues (balansa clover, ryegrass and yellow lupine) that were incorporated in the soil. Plots were cropped with local maize and net N mineralization was measured during the crop cycle, using soil cylinders placed inside micro-perforated polyethylene bags. Results and Discussion: Early sowing of the cover crops residues increased the NH4+ and NO3- contents in the soil. Yellow lupine residue had the highest rate of daily N mineralization (0.71 mg N kg-1 day-1). For all treatments, the highest mineralization rate was found in the last incubation period, ranging between 0.78 mg N kg-1 day-1 and 1.84 mg N kg-1 day-1, both for balansa clover, from the second and the first sowing date, respectively. Conclusion: The present study suggests that, under Mediterranean field conditions, cover crops residue of Italian ryegrass, balansa clover and yellow lupin can be used as a nitrogen source namely for sustainable maize crops.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

SPI-based drought category prediction using loglinear models

Loglinear modeling for three-dimensional contingency tables was used with data from 14 rainfall stations located in Alentejo and Algarve region, southern of Portugal, for short term prediction of drought severity classes. Loglinear models were fitted to drought class transitions derived from Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) time series computed in a 12-month time scale. Quasi-association loglinear models proved to be the most adequate in fitting all the 14 data series. Odds and respective confidence intervals were calculated in order to understand the drought evolution and to estimate the drought class transition probabilities. The validation of the predictions was performed for the 2004–2006 drought, particularly for periods when the drought was initiating and establishing, and when it was dissipating. Despite the contingency tables of drought class transitions present a strong diagonal tendency, results of three-dimensional loglinear modeling present good results when comparing predicted and observed drought classes with 1 and 2 months lead for those 14 sites. Only for a few cases predictions did not fully match the observed drought severity, mainly for 2-month lead and when the SPI values are near the limit of the severity class. It could be concluded that loglinear prediction of drought class transitions is a useful tool for short term drought warnin

Development of lactobacilli therapy to prevent recurrent urinary tract infections in females

Culture-dependent PCR-amplified rRNA gene restriction analysis and culture-independent (PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) methodologies were used to examine vaginal lactobacilli from Brazilian women who were healthy or had been diagnosed with vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) or bacterial vaginosis. Only Lactobacillus crispatus was detected accordingly by both methods, and H O -producing lactobacilli were not associated with protection against VVC. Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved. 2

Seed quality and optimal spatial arrangement of fodder radish

Besides the use of fodder radish (Raphanus sativus var. oleiferus Metzg.) as green manure plant cover crops and animal feed, the seeds have high oil content and low viscosity, ideal characteristics for the production of biodiesel. Studies related to the technology of seed production for this species are insufficient to define the best spatial arrangement of plants in the field that provides higher yields associated with high-quality seeds. Thus, we investigated the space and density between plants that would be ideal for the production of high quality fodder radish seeds. We evaluated the agronomic characteristics and physical, physiological and seed health quality in recently harvested fodder radish in row spacings of 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 m and densities of 10, 30, 50 and 70 seeds m-2. The quality and productivity of the fodder radish's seeds were affected by the spatial arrangement of plants in the field. Seeds harvested under the spacing of 0.2 m and density of 30 seeds m-2 had better performance and physical, physiological and health quality. Alternaria sp. incidence increased with greater spacing, while Fusarium sp. incidence decreased

Comparative in vitro and in vivo antimalarial activity of the indole alkaloids ellipticine, olivacine, cryptolepine and a synthetic cryptolepine analog

Indole alkaloids ellipticine (1), cryptolepine triflate (2a), rationally designed 11-(4-piperidinamino)cryptolepine hydrogen dichloride (2b) and olivacine (3) (an isomer of 1) were evaluated in vitro against Plasmodium falciparum and in vivo in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice. 1-3 inhibited P. falciparum (IC50 ≤ 1.4 μM, order of activity: 2b > 1 > 2a > 3). In vitro toxicity to murine macrophages was evaluated and revealed selectivity indices (SI) of 10-12 for 2a and SI > 2.8 × 102 for 1, 2b and 3. 1 administered orally at 50 mg/kg/day was highly active against P. berghei (in vivo inhibition compared to untreated control (IVI) = 100%, mean survival time (MST) > 40 days, comparable activity to chloroquine control). 1 administered orally and subcutaneously was active at 10 mg/kg/day (IVI = 70-77%; MST = 27-29 days). 3 exhibited high oral activity at ≥50 mg/kg/day (IVI = 90-97%, MST = 23-27 days). Cryptolepine (2a) administered orally and subcutaneously exhibited moderate activity at 50 mg/kg/day (IVI = 43-63%, MST = 24-25 days). At 50 mg/kg/day, 2b administered subcutaneously was lethal to infected mice (MST = 3 days) and moderately active when administered orally (IVI = 45-55%, MST = 25 days). 1 and 3 are promising compounds for development of antimalarials. © 2012 Elsevier GmbH

Morfofisiologia da inervação do diafragma de ovinos Morphophysiology of diaphragm innervation in sheep

Foram estudados em 30 diafragmas de ovinos da raça Santa Inês, a origem, a divisão e a distribuição dos nervos frênicos direito e esquerdo (Fde) e a participação de outros nervos na inervação do diafragma. Mediante fixação e dissecação das peças foi observado que os nervos frênicos (F) originam-se a partir dos ramos ventrais do 5º (C5) e 6º (C6) nervos espinhais cervicais (Ec) tanto à direita (46,67%) como à esquerda (43,33%). Os F finalizam em tronco lombocostal e ramo esternal à direita (40,00%) e em ramo lombar, costal e esternal à esquerda (36,68%). Os ramos lombares dos F inervam à esquerda (96,67%) o pilar homolateral do diafragma e, à direita (50,00%) fornecem filetes à veia caudal. Os ramos costais dos F ramificam à esquerda (90,00%) e à direita (76,67%) as regiões dorsal e ventral da pars costalis. Os ramos esternais dos F inervam à direita (100,00%) e à esquerda (83,33%) a pars sternalis e a região ventral da pars costalis do mesmo lado. Os nervos intercostais (VIII ao XII pares, 63,33%) contribuem na inervação do diafragma de ovinos da raça Santa Inês.<br>Thirty diaphragms of sheep of Santa Inês breed were studied regarding their origin, division and arrangement of the right and left phrenic nerves (Fde), and the participation of other nerves in the innervation of the diaphragm. By fixing and dissecting pieces, it was found that phrenic nerves (F) frequently come from the ventral branches of the 5th (C5) and 6th (C6) cervical spinal nerves (Ec), at right (46.67%) and at left (43.33%). The F often form a lumbocostal trunk, sternal branches at right (40.00%) and lumbar, costal and esternal branches at left (36.68%). The lumbar branches of F innervate frequently at left (96.67%) the homolateral pillar of the diaphragma, and at right (50.00%) they give fillets to Vena cava caudalis. The costal branches of the F innervate at left (90.00%) and at right (76.66%) the dorsal and ventral regions of the pars costalis. The sternal branches of the F innervate at right (100.00%) and at left (83.33%) the pars sternalis and the ventral region of the pars costalis at the same side. The intercostal nerves (VII to XII pairs, 63.33%) contribute to innervate the diaphragm of Santa Inês sheep

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