Lablab purpureus (L.) sweet soil-plant system towards the recovery of marginal lands

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Mechanisms implemented for the sustainable development of agriculture: an overview of Cabo Verde performance

In 2005, the Economic Community ofWest African States (ECOWAS) adopted the Common Agricultural Policy of ECOWAS (ECOWAP), as an instrument for implementing the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP). The main goals of ECOWAP/CAADP were set to promote agriculture development and end hunger by 2025. In this study we focused on the Cabo Verde archipelago as one of the best performing countries within ECOWAS in terms of overall sustainable development. In this paper, the evolution of the ECOWAP implementation and of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) associated with agriculture in Cabo Verde, were assessed by semi-quantitative (e.g., agricultural policies, agrarian periodical literature) and quantitative (modeling regression of ECOWAP implementation and Sustainable Development Goals—SDGs—performance) analyses. Our integrated results suggest that the agriculture development strategies, the signature of ECOWAP/CAADP by the national government, and political stability might explain the progress made towards poverty reduction and the improvement of food security. The results also show that agriculture-related SDGs in Cabo Verde are higher than the mean values obtained from the remaining West African countries, well above the top 25% WA countries. Nevertheless, Cabo Verde public expenditure into agriculture under the ECOWAP was generally below the targeted 10% of the national budget, with food import required to meet internal food demandsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Article A Green Solution for the Rehabilitation ofMarginal Lands: The Case of Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet Grown in Technosols

Acknowledgments: Antonio Aguilar-Garrido (A.A.-G.) thanks the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities for its predoctoral fellowship and the mobility grant under application references FPU-18/02901 and EST21/00734, respectivelyReclamation of abandoned mining areas can be a potentially viable solution to tackle three major problems: waste mismanagement, environmental contamination, and growing food demand. This study aims to evaluate the rehabilitation of mining areas into agricultural production areas using integrated biotechnology and combining Technosols with a multipurpose (forage, food, ornamental and medicinal) drought-resistant legume, the Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet. Two Technosols were prepared by combining gossan waste (GW) from an abandoned mining area with a mix of low-cost organic and inorganic materials. Before and after plant growth, several parameters were analysed, such as soil physicochemical characteristics, nutritional status, bioavailable concentrations of potentially hazardous elements (PHE), soil enzymatic activities, and development and accumulation of PHE in Lablab, among others. Both Technosols improved physicochemical conditions, nutritional status and microbiological activity, and reduced the bioavailability of most PHE (except As) of GW. Lablab thrived in both Technosols and showed PHE accumulation mainly in the roots, with PHE concentrations in the shoots that are safe for cattle and sheep consumption. Thus, this is a potential plant that, in conjunction with Technosols, constitutes a potential integrated biotechnology approach for the conversion of marginal lands, such as abandoned mining areas, into food-production areasPortuguese national funds through FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a TecnologiaProject UIDB/04129/2020 of LEAF—Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food, Research Unit (Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal

From rice-microalgae As removal to electricity generation using a microbial fuel cell: a new conceptual approach for the agro-industrial sector

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Metallothionein immunoexpression in non-syndromic and syndromic keratocystic odontogenic tumour

Background: To commpare the metallothionein (MT) immunoexpression in non-syndromic and syndromic keratocystic odontogenic tumour (KOT), to correlate MT with cellular proliferation, and to evaluate the influence of inflammation in MT. Material and Methods: Fourteen cases of KOT were submitted to imm unohistochemistry for MT and Ki-67 analysis. The lesions were grouped according to their grade of inflammation, and statistical analysis was performed. Results: MT was higher in non-syndromic KOT than in syndromic KOT (p<0.05). No statistical difference in Ki- 67 could be identified; however, an inverse correlation was observed between MT and Ki-67 in both lesions. When analysing inflammation, non-syndromic KOT showed no differences in either MT or Ki-67. Conclusions: The MT imm unophenotype of syndromic KOT was different from non-syndromic KOT. MT might not be involved in the proliferation control of both KOT. MT and Ki-67 imm unoexp ressions proved to be unaffected by inflammation in non-syndromic KOT

Identification of candidate genome regions controlling disease resistance in Arachis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Worldwide, diseases are important reducers of peanut (<it>Arachis hypogaea</it>) yield. Sources of resistance against many diseases are available in cultivated peanut genotypes, although often not in farmer preferred varieties. Wild species generally harbor greater levels of resistance and even apparent immunity, although the linkage of agronomically un-adapted wild alleles with wild disease resistance genes is inevitable. Marker-assisted selection has the potential to facilitate the combination of both cultivated and wild resistance loci with agronomically adapted alleles. However, in peanut there is an almost complete lack of knowledge of the regions of the <it>Arachis </it>genome that control disease resistance.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this work we identified candidate genome regions that control disease resistance. For this we placed candidate disease resistance genes and QTLs against late leaf spot disease on the genetic map of the A-genome of <it>Arachis</it>, which is based on microsatellite markers and legume anchor markers. These marker types are transferable within the genus <it>Arachis </it>and to other legumes respectively, enabling this map to be aligned to other <it>Arachis </it>maps and to maps of other legume crops including those with sequenced genomes. In total, 34 sequence-confirmed candidate disease resistance genes and five QTLs were mapped.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Candidate genes and QTLs were distributed on all linkage groups except for the smallest, but the distribution was not even. Groupings of candidate genes and QTLs for late leaf spot resistance were apparent on the upper region of linkage group 4 and the lower region of linkage group 2, indicating that these regions are likely to control disease resistance.</p

Comunicação Alternativa no Estado do Tocantins: uma análise dos fanzines Paralelopípedo e Aperitivos

OTocantins foi criado legalmente em5 de outubro de 1988 coma promulgação da nova Constituição brasileira. Baseada em manifestações híbridas, a cultura tocantinense, aos poucos, vai ganhando publicações e produções artísticas que buscam o reforço de sua identidade regional. Contudo, nem sempre os produtos alcançam esse objetivo, mostrando que a presença de outras culturas ainda é muito forte no jovem Estado. Esta pesquisa procurou analisar o conteúdo da produção dos fanzines Paralelopípedo (2004) e Aperitivos (2008) a fim de mostrar que,mesmo o meio alternativo, ainda não possui uma produção com características essencialmente da cultura regional

Selective silencing of 2Cys and type-IIB Peroxiredoxins discloses their roles in cell redox state and stress signaling

Peroxiredoxins (Prx) catalyse the reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and, in association with catalases and other peroxidases, may participate in signal transduction by regulating intercellular H2O2 concentration that in turn can control gene transcription and cell signaling. Using virus-induced-gene-silencing (VIGS), 2-Cys Peroxiredoxin (2CysPrx) family and type-II Peroxiredoxin B (PrxIIB) gene were silenced in Nicotiana benthamiana, to study the impact that the loss of function of each Prx would have in the antioxidant system under control (22 °C) and severe heat stress conditions (48 °C). The results showed that both Prxs, although in different organelles, influence the regeneration of ascorbate to a significant extent, but with different purposes. 2CysPrx affects abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis through ascorbate, while PrxIIB does it probably through the xanthophyll cycle. Moreover, 2CysPrx is key in H2O2 scavenging and in consequence in the regulation of ABA signaling downstream of reactive oxygen species and PrxIIB provides an important assistance for H2O2 peroxisome scavenges.The research was funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT): CBAA (PestOE/AGR/UI0240/2011), the post-doc grants SFRH/BPD/43898/2008 to PV and SFRH/BPD/85767/2012 to LC.Peer reviewe

Comunidade de abelhas (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) em ecossistema de dunas na Praia de Panaquatira, São José de Ribamar, Maranhão, Brasil Community of bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) in the coastal sand dunes at Panaquatira beach, São José de Ribamar, Maranhão, Brazil

Comunidade de abelhas (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) em ecossistema de dunas na Praia de Panaquatira, São José de Ribamar, Maranhão, Brasil. Foi analisada a estrutura da comunidade de Apoidea de uma área restrita de dunas primárias em São José de Ribamar, Maranhão, Brasil. Amostragens foram realizadas quinzenalmente durante um ano com metodologia padronizada totalizando 24 coletas. As coletas ocorreram no período das 12:00 às 18:00 h no primeiro dia e das 6:00 às 12:00 h no segundo, realizadas por dois coletores. Um total de 3305 indivíduos de 31 espécies pertencentes a quatro famílias (Apidae>Halictidae>Megachilidae>Andrenidae em número de indivíduos) foram coletadas nas flores. Centris com 14 espécies e 890 indivíduos foi o gênero mais rico e abundante. O padrão de abundância e riqueza foi bastante semelhante ao de outros habitats de dunas no nordeste brasileiro. Das espécies amostradas, 61% foram representadas por menos de 36 indivíduos e apenas 5 espécies foram muito abundantes com mais de 177 indivíduos: Apis mellifera Linnaeus, Centris (Centris) leprieuri Spinola, Eulaema (Apeulema) nigrita Lepeletier, Eufriesea surinamensis Linnaeus e Xylocopa (Neoxylocopa) cearensis Ducke. As abelhas estiveram presentes durante todo o ano, apresentando picos de abundância no período de maior precipitação. A atividade diária foi maior entre 06:00 e 11:00 h, quando a temperatura aumentava e a umidade relativa decrescia.<br>The community structure of Apoidea of a restricted area of primary dunes in São José de Ribamar, Maranhão, Brazil was analyzed. Standardized samples were taken for one year, 2 times a month, from 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on the first day and from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. on the second by two collectors. A total of 3305 individuals of 31 species, belonging to four families (Apidae > Halictidae > Megachilidae > Andrenidae) were collected. Centris with 14 species and 890 individuals was the richest and most abundant genus. The abundance pattern and the richness were very similar to other sand dunes habitats in northeast Brazil. Of the total of bees sampled, 61% were represented by less than 36 individuals. The five most abundant species (more than 177 indivuduals) were: Apis mellifera Linnaeus, Centris (Centris) leprieuri Spinola, Eulaema nigrita Lepeletier, Eufriesea surinamensis Linnaeus and Xylocopa (Neoxylocopa) cearensis Ducke. Bees were active throughout the year, with abundance peaks in the highest rainfall periods. Daily activity was greatest between 06:00 and 11:00 a.m., when relative humidity decreased and the temperature increased

Effect of a health claim on consumer acceptance of exotic Brazilian fruit juices: Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.), Camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia), Cajá (Spondias lutea L.) and Umbu (Spondias tuberosa Arruda)

This study evaluates the influence of information on the health benefits for acceptance of four exotic tropical fruit juices: açaí, camu-camu, cajá and umbu. One hundred and six evaluators participated in the tests and sensory acceptability of the four juices in relation to the overall impression was assessed using a hedonic scale of nine points. Testing was conducted in three stages: the first with no information, the second with the information on juice flavor and the last with the information on health benefits from consumption of such juice. Between the second and third session the evaluators were asked to fill out a questionnaire in order to obtain its socioeconomic and cultural profile. It was observed by internal preference mapping that the cajá and umbu juices showed higher sensory acceptance in all sessions. Camu-camu juice had the highest sensory rejection. It was found that the information on the taste of açaí and cajá juices positively influenced consumer acceptance. However the influence of information on health benefits can be observed for all evaluated juices, but despite this information the camu-camu juice continued in the area of sensory rejection (hedonic scores below 5). In the questionnaire it can be observed that the main factor of motivation for consumption of fruit juice is taste, and not the health benefits. It was concluded that the information of health benefits can positively influence sensory acceptance, provided there is sensory pleasure