Nonsyndromic oral clefts (NSOC) are the most common craniofacial birth defects in humans. The etiology of NSOC is complex, involving both genetic and environmental factors. Several genes that play a role in cellular proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis have been associated with clefting. For example, variations in the homeobox gene family member MSX1, including a CA repeat located within its single intron, may play a role in clefting. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between MSX1CA repeat polymorphism and NSOC in a Southern Brazilian population using a case-parent triad design. We studied 182 nuclear families with NSOC recruited from the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre in Southern Brazil. The polymorphic region was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and analyzed by using an automated sequencer. Among the 182 families studied, four different alleles were observed, at frequencies of 0.057 (175 bp), 0.169 (173 bp), 0.096 (171 bp) and 0.67 (169 bp). A transmission disequilibrium test with a family-based association test (FBAT) software program was used for analysis. FBAT analysis showed overtransmission of the 169 bp allele in NSOC (P=0.0005). These results suggest that the CA repeat polymorphism of theMSX1 gene may play a role in risk of NSOC in populations from Southern Brazil.

De modo geral, o acamamento tem sido controlado mediante restrição da aplicação de fertilizantes nitrogenados e/ou o uso de cultivares de porte baixo. No entanto, esse problema também pode ser solucionado pela utilização de redutores de crescimento. Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar o efeito de doses e épocas de aplicação de três redutores de crescimento sobre plantas de trigo do cultivar Pioneiro. O experimento, conduzido em Viçosa-MG de maio a setembro de 2005, foi instalado com os tratamentos dispostos em esquema fatorial e hierárquico com uma testemunha, no delineamento de blocos casualizados com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram: 500, 1.000 e 1.500 g ha-1 de clormequat; 62,5, 125 e 187,5 g ha-1 de trinexapac-etil; e 40, 80 e 120 g ha-1 de paclobutrazol, aplicados no estádio 6 ou 8 da escala Feeks e Large, mais uma testemunha sem aplicação de redutor. O trinexapac-etil e o clormequat foram mais eficientes em reduzir a estatura das plantas de trigo. A ação do clormequat e do paclobutrazol sobre a altura das plantas foi independente da época de aplicação, porém o trinexapac-etil no estádio 8 promoveu menor altura do que no estádio 6. O aumento das doses dos redutores promoveu menor estatura das plantas; clormequat e paclobutrazol não afetaram a produtividade dos grãos. A maior dose de trinexapac-etil causou redução na produtividade do trigo.

In general, lodging has been controlled by restricting nitrogen fertilizer application and/or using short cultivars. Growth retardants can also be used to solve this problem.The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of rates and application times of three growth retardants on Pioneiro wheat cultivar. The trial was carried out in Viçosa-MG, from May to September 2005, in a factorial and hierarchical scheme, in a randomized block design with four replications and a control treatment. The treatments consisted of 500, 1,000 and 1,500 g ha-1 of chlormequat; 62.5, 125 and 187.5 g ha-1 of trinexapac-ethyl and 40, 80 and 120 g ha-1 of paclobutrazol applied at growth stages 6 or 8, growth stage used on the scale of Feeks and Large, and a control treatment without growth retardant application. Only trinexapac-ethyl and chlormequat were efficient in reducing plant height; the effect of chlormequat and paclobutrazol on plant height was independent of the application time, but the trinexapac-ethyl at growth stage 8 produced shorter plant height than at stage 6. Increasing growth retardant rates produced shorter plant heights; chlormequat and paclobutrazol did not affect grain yield. However, the highest trinexapac-ethyl rates reduced wheat yield.