Balanço e análise da sustentabilidade energética na produção orgânica de hortaliças.

Os insumos e serviços utilizados na produção vegetal representam custo energético. Dependendo desses fatores e das produtividades obtidas, a conversão da produção em energia determinará a eficiência energética do sistema. A agricultura orgânica somente atingirá a missão de preservação ambiental se tiver comprovada sustentabilidade energética. Neste trabalho, objetivou-se caracterizar os balanços energéticos dos cultivos orgânicos e analisar sua sustentabilidade, em comparação aos sistemas convencionais. Monitoraram-se campos de produção de dez culturas, de 1991 a 2000 em Domingos Martins-ES. Os dados do sistema convencional foram obtidos pelas médias dos coeficientes técnicos da região. Quantificaram-se os coeficientes técnicos, convertendo suas grandezas físicas em equivalentes energéticos, expressos em kcal. O sistema orgânico gastou 4.571.159 kcal ha-1 e apresentou 12.696.712 kcal ha-1 de energia inserida na colheita, mostrando balanço médio de 2,78. Esse valor foi similar ao obtido no sistema convencional (1,93). As participações dos componentes nos gastos do sistema orgânico foram embalagem (35,8%), composto orgânico (17,2%), irrigação (12,6%), sementes/mudas (12,4%) e mão-de-obra (11,0%), serviços mecânicos (5,0%) e frete (4,5%). Se os custos com embalagens fossem eliminados, os gastos do sistema orgânico seriam reduzidos para 2.930.113 kcal ha-1, aumentando sua eficiência. A maioria dos cultivos orgânicos pode ser considerada sustentável em transformação de energia, com balanços superiores a 1,00 e produção média diária de 80.421 kcal ha-1 por dia, superior à necessidade mínima de 58.064 kcal ha-1

Overview of progress in European medium sized tokamaks towards an integrated plasma-edge/wall solution

Integrating the plasma core performance with an edge and scrape-off layer (SOL) that leads to tolerable heat and particle loads on the wall is a major challenge. The new European medium size tokamak task force (EU-MST) coordinates research on ASDEX Upgrade (AUG), MAST and TCV. This multi-machine approach within EU-MST, covering a wide parameter range, is instrumental to progress in the field, as ITER and DEMO core/pedestal and SOL parameters are not achievable simultaneously in present day devices. A two prong approach is adopted. On the one hand, scenarios with tolerable transient heat and particle loads, including active edge localised mode (ELM) control are developed. On the other hand, divertor solutions including advanced magnetic configurations are studied. Considerable progress has been made on both approaches, in particular in the fields of: ELM control with resonant magnetic perturbations (RMP), small ELM regimes, detachment onset and control, as well as filamentary scrape-off-layer transport. For example full ELM suppression has now been achieved on AUG at low collisionality with n  =  2 RMP maintaining good confinement ${{H}_{\text{H}\left(98,\text{y}2\right)}}\approx 0.95$ . Advances have been made with respect to detachment onset and control. Studies in advanced divertor configurations (Snowflake, Super-X and X-point target divertor) shed new light on SOL physics. Cross field filamentary transport has been characterised in a wide parameter regime on AUG, MAST and TCV progressing the theoretical and experimental understanding crucial for predicting first wall loads in ITER and DEMO. Conditions in the SOL also play a crucial role for ELM stability and access to small ELM regimes

Real-time plasma state monitoring and supervisory control on TCV

In ITER and DEMO, various control objectives related to plasma control must be simultaneously achieved by the plasma control system (PCS), in both normal operation as well as off-normal conditions. The PCS must act on off-normal events and deviations from the target scenario, since certain sequences (chains) of events can precede disruptions. It is important that these decisions are made while maintaining a coherent prioritization between the real-time control tasks to ensure high-performance operation. In this paper, a generic architecture for task-based integrated plasma control is proposed. The architecture is characterized by the separation of state estimation, event detection, decisions and task execution among different algorithms, with standardized signal interfaces. Central to the architecture are a plasma state monitor and supervisory controller. In the plasma state monitor, discrete events in the continuous-valued plasma state are modeled using finite state machines. This provides a high-level representation of the plasma state. The supervisory controller coordinates the execution of multiple plasma control tasks by assigning task priorities, based on the finite states of the plasma and the pulse schedule. These algorithms were implemented on the TCV digital control system and integrated with actuator resource management and existing state estimation algorithms and controllers. The plasma state monitor on TCV can track a multitude of plasma events, related to plasma current, rotating and locked neoclassical tearing modes, and position displacements. In TCV experiments on simultaneous control of plasma pressure, safety factor profile and NTMs using electron cyclotron heating (ECH) and current drive (ECCD), the supervisory controller assigns priorities to the relevant control tasks. The tasks are then executed by feedback controllers and actuator allocation management. This work forms a significant step forward in the ongoing integration of control capabilities in experiments on TCV, in support of tokamak reactor operation

Modelling human choices: MADeM and decision‑making

Research supported by FAPESP 2015/50122-0 and DFG-GRTK 1740/2. RP and AR are also part of the Research, Innovation and Dissemination Center for Neuromathematics FAPESP grant (2013/07699-0). RP is supported by a FAPESP scholarship (2013/25667-8). ACR is partially supported by a CNPq fellowship (grant 306251/2014-0)

Ethnobotanic, medicinal plants, traditional knowledge, ethnopharmacology

n order to evaluate the popular knowledge on the use of medicinal plants and the contribution in the preservation of medicinal flora, the present work aims to rescue and organize such knowledge on medicinal species and its relation with therapeutic uses, in the city of Rosario de Limeira, MG. Data were collected January to March, 2007. Fifteen informants, all resident in urban and agricultural communities, were asked about their knowledge on medicinal plants. The current survey revealed the use of 66 species belonging to 33 families (Asteraceae with the major number of species, followed by Lamiaceae, Rutaceae, and Bignoniaceae) used in the treatment of various diseases. 44,3% of them grow spontaneously and 55,7% are cultivated. The main vegetal part used in the preparation of the phytotherapy was the leaf, and the most common preparation was the infusion. The most used species were: Baccharis trimera, Mentha sp., Plantago major, Chenopodium ambrosioides and Symphytum officinale.Em virtude da importância do saber popular na utilização de plantas medicinais e da contribuição desse saber na preservação da flora medicinal, o trabalho atual tem o objetivo de resgatar e sistematizar o conhecimento popular de espécies medicinais e sua relação com usos terapêuticos, em Rosário de Limeira, MG. Os dados foram coletados entre janeiro e março de 2007. Quinze informantes foram entrevistados sobre seus conhecimentos das espécies medicinais, residentes nas comunidades rurais e nos bairros do município. A pesquisa revelou o uso de 66 espécies pertencentes a 33 famílias (Asteraceae com o maior número de espécies, seguido por Lamiaceae, Rutaceae e Bignoniaceae) usadas no tratamento de várias patologias. Das espécies medicinais citadas, 44,3% crescem espontaneamente e 55,7% são cultivadas. A principal parte vegetal usada na preparação dos fitoterápicos é a folha e a preparação mais comum é a infusão. As espécies mais usadas são: Baccharis trimera, Mentha sp., Plantago major, Chenopodium ambrosioides e Symphytum officinale

Homoptera insects associated with Solanum gilo

Foram observadas seis famílias e 21 espécies de Homoptera associadas ao jiloeiro (Solanum gilo Raddi). As espécies de maiores densidades foram Empoasca sp. (Cicadellidae), Myzus persicae (Aphididae), Bolbonota melaena e Entylia gemmata (Membracidae). A oviposição de B. melaena foi em massas de ovos injetados preferencialmente na nervura principal da face inferior das folhas, além do pecíolo, e no ápice do caule. E. gemmata ovipositou injetando os ovos nas nervuras foliares. As fêmeas desta espécie protegeram os ovos durante sua incubação. Verificou-se relação de protocooperação das espécies de Aethalionidae, Aphididae e Membracidae com Camponotus rufipes e Crematogaster sp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). A elevação da densidade populacional dos Homoptera mais abundantes ocorreu em períodos de temperatura elevada.Twenty-one species belonging to six Homoptera families associated with Solanum gilo were observed. The highest populations collected belonged to Empoasca sp. (Cicadellidae), Myzus persicae (Aphididae), Bolbonota melaena and Entylia gemmate (Membracidae). B. melaena laid its eggs into the main vein of the inferior face of the leaves and on the petiole, as well as on the top of the stem. Entylia gemmata laid its eggs into the foliar veins. Females of this species protected their eggs during incubation. An ecological trophobiotic association between Aethalionidae, Aphididae and Membracidae with Camponotus rufipesand Crematogaster sp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) was recorded. The highest populations of these Homoptera were recorded during periods of high temperature

Essential oil in the taxonomy of Ocimum selloi benth

Chemical composition analysis of the essential oil from the leaves and flowers of two accessions of Ocimum selloi Benth, cultivated at the Federal University of Viçosa was carried out. For accession A the major component was identified as estragole and represented 94,95% and 92,54% of the oil from the leaves and flowers respectively. For accession B, the oil from the leaves and flowers was constituted by 65,49% and 66,18% of methyleugenol, respectively. For both accessions several minor constituents were also identified. The phenotypic and chemical differences observed between these two accessions suggest the existence of two chemicaly distinct varieties for Ocimum selloi Benth