Evapotranspiration of “Superior” grapevines under intermittent irrigation

This study deals with the effects of intermittent irrigation on actual evapotranspiration (ET) and leaf area index (LAI) of “Superior” grapevines grown in a semiarid environment in northeastern Brazil. The field experiments were carried out during two consecutive fruiting cycles (dry season and rainy season) of grapevines (Vitis vinifera, L) irrigated by drip at a rate of 2.3 L h⁻¹. Four irrigation time intervals were used as follow: one turn irrigation-time (I-1), two turn irrigation-time (I-2), three turn irrigation-time (I-3), and four turn irrigation-time (I-4). The growing cycles received different amounts of water by irrigation, which for dry and rainy seasons were 470.5 and 243.5 mm, respectively. The ET increased from 5.7 to 7.5 mm day⁻¹ when the irrigation time interval changed from I-1 to I-4 and resulted in a higher value of LAI. The values of ET during the rainy-season growing cycle were much lower throughout the phenological stages, reaching a maximum of 6.4 mm day⁻¹ for I-4 in the maturation stage. For both growing cycles, an increase in the cumulated vineyard evapotranspiration was observed when changing the irrigation time interval from I-1 to I-4, except I-2, which was slightly greater than I-3. Soil water drainage had a very gradual exponential decrease from I-1 to I-4 in both fruiting cycles. The grapevine coefficient under intermittent irrigation can be described as function of days after pruning by polynomial models.     

Astaxanthin Delivery Systems for Skin Application: A Review

Astaxanthin (AST) is a biomolecule known for its powerful antioxidant effect, which is considered of great importance in biochemical research and has great potential for application in cosmetics, as well as food products that are beneficial to human health and medicines. Unfortunately, its poor solubility in water, chemical instability, and low oral bioavailability make its applications in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical field a major challenge for the development of new products. To favor the search for alternatives to enhance and make possible the use of AST in formulations, this article aimed to review the scientific data on its application in delivery systems. The search was made in databases without time restriction, using keywords such as astaxanthin, delivery systems, skin, cosmetic, topical, and dermal. All delivery systems found, such as liposomes, particulate systems, inclusion complexes, emulsions, and films, presented peculiar advantages able to enhance AST properties, among which are stability, antioxidant potential, biological activities, and drug release. This survey showed that further studies are needed for the industrial development of new AST-containing cosmetics and topical formulations.     

Genetic diversity associated with in vitro and conventional bud propagation of Saccharum varieties using RAPD analysis

Polymorphisms in the genomic DNA of eight varieties maintained by conventional bud propagation (via rhizomes) and by in vitro shoot tip cultures were detected by RAPD analysis of sugarcane varieties. The study estimated the genetic diversity induced after in vitro multiplication of these varieties. Higher (28.9%) and lower (12%) numbers of polymorphic bands were detected in plants propagated via rhizomes; the genetic similarity estimate varying from 0.63 to 0.80. Plants of SP90‐3723 and SP91‐1049, or RB85‐5113 and SP90‐3723, varieties involving greater genetic distances may be indicated as progenitors in breeding programmes. In vitro multiplication of RB86‐7515, RB85‐5113, RB83‐5054 and SP86‐42 varieties increases genetic variability, while in vitro multiplication of SP91‐1049, SP90‐1638, RB92‐8064 and SP90‐3723 leads to genetic similarity. Results show that the RAPD technique is an effective tool for detecting polymorphism in sugarcane clones and it allows quick collection of the necessary information (more genetically divergent plant varieties) to guide new crossing in sugarcane breeding programmes.     

Investigating pig survival in different production phases using genomic models

Pig survival is an economically important trait with relevant social welfare implications, thus standing out as an important selection criterion for the current pig farming system. We aimed to estimate (co)variance components for survival in different production phases in a crossbred pig population as well as to investigate the benefit of including genomic information through single-step genomic best linear unbiased prediction (ssGBLUP) on the prediction accuracy of survival traits compared with results from traditional BLUP. Individual survival records on, at most, 64,894 crossbred piglets were evaluated under two multi-trait threshold models. The first model included farrowing, lactation, and combined postweaning survival, whereas the second model included nursery and finishing survival. Direct and maternal breeding values were estimated using BLUP and ssGBLUP methods. Furthermore, prediction accuracy, bias, and dispersion were accessed using the linear regression validation method. Direct heritability estimates for survival in all studied phases were low (from 0.02 to 0.08). Survival in preweaning phases (farrowing and lactation) was controlled by the dam and piglet additive genetic effects, although the maternal side was more important. Postweaning phases (nursery, finishing, and the combination of both) showed the same or higher direct heritabilities compared with preweaning phases. The genetic correlations between survival traits within preweaning and postweaning phases were favorable and strong, but correlations between preweaning and postweaning phases were moderate. The prediction accuracy of survival traits was low, although it increased by including genomic information through ssGBLUP compared with the prediction accuracy from BLUP. Direct and maternal breeding values were similarly accurate with BLUP, but direct breeding values benefited more from genomic information. Overall, a slight increase in bias was observed when genomic information was included, whereas dispersion of breeding values was greatly reduced. Combined postweaning survival presented higher direct heritability than in the preweaning phases and the highest prediction accuracy among all evaluated production phases, therefore standing out as a candidate trait for improving survival. Survival is a complex trait with low heritability; however, important genetic gains can still be obtained, especially under a genomic prediction framework.     

Synthesis of proximal sensing,terrain analysis,and parent material information for available micronutrient prediction in tropical soils

Precision Agriculture - In developing countries, the use of proximal and remotely sensed data is of critical importance as a less expensive means of obtaining soils information. While proximal...     

Use of real-time extend GNSS for planting and inverting peanuts

Among the main techniques employed in precision agriculture, yield mapping and automatic guidance of agricultural machines are the best-known to farmers. The objective of this study was to evaluate, using statistical process control tools, the quality of automatic guidance using satellite signals, to reduce positioning errors and losses in peanut digging. The treatments consisted of the use of manual (operator guidance) and automatic (autopilot) guidance with RTX satellite signals in sowing and digging operations. The quality of the operation was evaluated after collection of 30 points spaced at 100 m for each quality indicator, which are the losses and the errors of alignment of the mechanised sets in sowing and digging operations. From the perspective of statistical control, manual guidance was shown to be compromised for the quality indicators of digging losses. Despite the instability in the sowing and digging operations, the use of automatic guidance proved to be accurate. The use of automatic guidance increases the precision and reduces overlaps (<?38 mm, as stipulated by the supplier) for sowing and digging. The manual sowing mean error between overlaps was stable; however, it did not remain constant over time.

     

Canopy height and N affect herbage accumulation and the relative contribution of leaf categories to photosynthesis of grazed brachiariagrass pastures

The effects of three canopy heights (10, 25 and 40 cm) and two N rates (50 and 250 kg ha^?1 year^?1) on herbage accumulation (HA), participation of leaf categories in the leaf area index (LAI) and photosynthesis of grazed “Mulato II” brachiariagrass (Brachiaria brizantha × B. decumbens × B. ruziziensis) were investigated during two summer growing seasons in Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. The HA and LAI increased linearly from 8560 to 13600 kg DM ha^?1 year^?1 and 2.3 to 5.5 m² m^?2, respectively, as canopy height increased. Mulato II brachiariagrass maintained at 10 cm canopy height showed greater proportion of young leaves, but was less productive than taller canopies. Taller canopies had greater proportion of mature leaves in the LAI as well as greater photosynthesis. The greater N rate contributed to increased LAI, leaf and canopy photosynthesis rates and HA but did not affect the LAI composition. The total leaf area is more important to HA than the proportion of young leaves in the LAI, as taller canopies were more productive, suggesting that maintaining Mulato II brachiariagrass at 25 or 40 cm is advantageous for this grass.     

Effects of Lactobacillus buchneri isolated from tropical maize silage on fermentation and aerobic stability of maize and sugarcane silages

This study was aimed to perform a screening of Lactobacillus buchneri strains from maize silage and use them as inoculant in maize and sugarcane silages. In all, 151 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains were isolated from whole‐plant maize silage, and their identification was based on the sequence analysis of 16S rDNA. In total, 15 strains were categorized to the L. buchneri group and eight of these were selected based on growth rate and fermentation pattern. The selected strains were evaluated on fermentation and aerobic stability of maize and sugarcane silages. For maize, the inoculated silages had lower pH and higher LAB population, but lower acetic acid concentration in comparison with the untreated control silage. For sugarcane silage, the strains 56.1, 56.4 and 40788 resulted in highest dry‐matter (DM) content and lowest DM losses. However, only the strain 40788 showed lowest counts of yeasts and moulds. Sugarcane silages inoculated with the strains 56.9, 56.26 and the untreated control silage showed highest concentrations of lactic acid and ethanol, besides the great DM losses. Even so, for both crops, the aerobic stability was not affected by inoculation. After air exposure, all silages increased temperature and had high population of yeast and moulds. Nevertheless, the strains 56.1 and 56.4 are promising for use as a silage inoculant.     

Conidial sporulation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Stemphylium solani</Emphasis> under laboratory conditions and infectivity of the inoculum produced <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis>

Potato virus Y (PVY) is the type-species of the genus Potyvirus, family Potyviridae, being reported as a major tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) pathogen in several regions of the world. Pepper yellow mosaic virus (PepYMV) was originally described as a resistance-breaking Potato virus Y (PVY) isolate on Capsicum annuum L. cultivars, and afterwards it was also reported infecting tomatoes in Brazil. In the present work, a search for sources of resistance to both PepYMV and PVY was conducted in a collection of 119 accessions belonging to seven Solanum (section Lycopersicon) species. This germplasm was initially evaluated to PepYMV reaction by mechanical inoculation followed by symptom observations and ELISA. Potential PepYMV resistance sources were identified for the first time in S. habrochaites, S. peruvianum, S. corneliomuelleri, S. chilense, S. pimpinellifolium, and one accession derived from an interspecific cross (S. lycopersicum x S. peruvianum). A sub-group of 24 accessions with negative serology for PepYMV was also challenged with a PVY isolate, followed by serological and molecular detection with universal primers. Solanum habrochaites ‘L.03683’ and ‘L.03684’ were the only accessions found with stable resistance to both viruses. These results confirm S. habrochaites as the most important source of multiple resistance factor(s) to distinct Potyvirus species.     

Molecular diversity in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium oxysporum</Emphasis> isolates from common bean fields in Brazil

The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is widely cultivated in Brazil and is known as a very important crop for families in this country. Fusarium wilt severely harms common beans and has become a big issue for this crop. In order to assist the breeding programs that target resistance to this disease, the evaluation of genetic diversity of the pathogen and its molecular characterization are crucial. Thus, the present goal was to identify Fusarium isolates obtained from several places in Brazil using molecular tools; select molecular markers for these isolates; and analyze their diversity. All of isolates were molecularly identified as Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. phaseoli (Fop). By using seven selected SSR markers, the results of diversity obtained by the dendrogram and the Bayesian analysis formed four groups where a large diversity of this fungus was found within each state. However, the groups were more homogenous according to the collection source and the pathogenicity test. More specifically, group 2 was composed of the most virulent strains and originated from Minas Gerais State – UFV, and group 3 was mostly composed by isolates from Goias state. Group I was also more diverse in terms of location and virulence. The overall results indicated a positive correlation between Fusarium diversity and its virulence to common bean. Furthermore, the use of these markers was effective in molecular identification and in detecting polymorphism within F. oxysporum f. sp. phaseoli.