Antimicrobial activity of Agave sisalana

This study was carried out to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of extracts of the leaves and leaf waste discarded in the process of obtaining the hard fibers of Agave sisalana. The antimicrobial activity was determined by the paper disk diffusion method using Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (nonresistant and resistant to antibiotics) and a fungus. The hydroalcoholic extract obtained from leaves and from sisal waste showed significant inhibition of Candida albicans, on the other hand, it was inactive against three strains of Staphylococcus aureus, two strains of Escherichia coli, a strain ofMicrococcus luteus, Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella choleraesuis. The methanol extract of leaves showed weaker reduction in the inhibitory action of C. albicans when compared with the above extracts, and it was also inert against the other microorganisms tested

Adubação fosfatada em mudas de bananeira 'Prata anã'(AAB), cultivadas em dois Latossolos

As informações relacionadas com os efeitos do fósforo sobre o desenvolvimento de bananeiras ainda são poucas. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram avaliar os efeitos da aplicação de fósforo sobre o desenvolvimento de mudas de bananeira "Prata Anã", cultivadas em Latossolo Vermelho (LV) e Latossolo Vermelho- Amarelo (LVA, e determinar o nível crítico de fósforo. Os tratamentos foram distribuídos em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 8 x 2, com três repetições. Os fatores corresponderam a oito doses de fósforo (0; 50; 100; 150; 300; 450; 600; 750 mg.dm-3) e dois tipos de solos, respectivamente. A produção de matéria seca das mudas de bananeira aumentou com as aplicações de fósforo nos solos. Os níveis críticos de fósforo nos solos LV e LVA foram 18,9 e 40,2 mg dm-3, respectivamente e, nas folhas das mudas cultivadas no LV e LVA os níveis críticos de fósforo foram 0,20 e 0,31 dag kg-1, respectivamente. O fósforo foi utilizado com maior eficiência pelas mudas de bananeira cultivadas no LV

RAPD marker use for improving resistance to Helicoverpa zea in corn

Helicoverpa zea is responsible for great losses to the corn, Zen mays L., crops final productivity, and the best way to control it is by improving genetic resistance. In collaboration with corn improvement and increasing resistance to insects through molecular marker assisted selection, this work had as an objective the selection of resistant (RP) and susceptible progenies (SP) to H. zea based on the RAPD technique. Molecular markers were Found, among the resistant progenies and it is suggested that linkage of these within the Zapalote Chico corn race, be used to extract resistance genes from this race as a donor. The progenies were selected from a population of half-sibs exhibiting a broader genetic base (FCAVJ-VF14). After DNA extraction, two sample bulks were formed; one made up of the six most resistant plants, the other of the six least resistant plants. Eighty-six primers were tested for PCR reactions with the resistant and susceptible bulks and analyzed on agarose electrophoresis for the detection of RAPD band polymorphism. The results of the banding patterns and similarity values indicated a nucleotide sequence amplified by the primer OPC-2 as a possible molecular marker for the identification of resistant progenies and a homology region between them and the Zapalote Chico corn race