ABSTRACT Essential oils in plants are produced in very low concentrations and elicitation stands out among the techniques used to increase their productivity. This work evaluated the potential elicitor of salicylic acid (SA) or seaweed extract (SE) on the biomass yield, physiological parameters and essential oil production in Varronia curassavica Jacq. plants. The elicitors were applied through foliar spray in four serial applications (21, 34, 53 and 70 d after transplanting the seedlings to the pots - DAT), in concentrations of 1 mM (SA) and 5 mL L-1 (SE). The control plants were sprayed with water. Biometric measurements of plant height and number of branches were performed after 2, 3 and 4 elicitor applications. Plants were harvested at 91 DAT and biometric, biochemical and phytochemical parameters were evaluated. Application of SA resulted in increases in number of leaves (11.68%) and foliar concentrations of chlorophylls (57.67%), anthocyanins (73.80%), carotenoids (42.58%), total soluble sugars (19.48%) and essential oil (18%). The plants treated with SE had no changes in leaf biomass or essential oil production. The SA treatment increased by twice the amount of α-humulene and (E)-caryophyllene present in the essential oil while for SE treatment there was an average increase of 78.6%. It was concluded that the elicitation of V. curassavica plants by SA foliar pulverization is an efficient strategy for promoting the higher productivity of leaves and essential oil. Foliar pulverization of SA or SE modifies essential oil quality, inducing increases in the compounds of greatest interest for the pharmaceutical industry.

Abstract The objective of this research was to select orange-fleshed sweet potato clones with high stability, yield, and β-carotene content in different planting seasons, using a selection index. Joint analysis of experiments and analysis of responsiveness and stability by the GGE biplot method were performed for the variables yield, dry matter percentage, and root flesh color. The variables yield, dry matter, color and stability were used to estimate a selection index. The GGE biplot analysis indicated that there are differences among clones in stability for Yield. However, the percentage of dry matter and color of the roots show low interaction in the different environments. Because of that, stability for yield was included in the selection index, together with yield, dry matter, and root orange color intensity. Finally, the selection index based on stability, yield, dry matter percentage and root color was efficient in the selection of a new biofortified sweet potato cultivar. orangefleshed fleshed βcarotene β carotene seasons Yield However environments intensity Finally cultivar

RESUMO: O urucum (Bixa orellana L.) é uma espécie arbórea domesticada na Amazônia a partir de seu ancestral selvagem (B. orellana var. urucurana). Das suas sementes ortodoxas, é extraído a bixina, corante bastante utilizado na alimentação. Este estudo teve como objetivos avaliar métodos de superação da dormência e determinar o potencial de germinação de sementes, comparando populações domesticadas e selvagens. Sementes de duas populações domesticadas e duas famílias de uma população selvagem, armazenadas por dois anos após a coleta, foram submetidas a cinco tratamentos de superação da dormência: T1 - controle; T2 - escarificação mecânica (com lixa); T3 - escarificação mecânica (com lixa) + imersão em água a 36 ºC durante a noite (12 horas); T4 - imersão em água à temperatura ambiente (23 ºC, em média) por 24 h; T5 - imersão em ácido sulfúrico concentrado (95 - 98%) por 15 min + água corrente por 3 min. Foram observadas diferenças altamente significativas (P < 0,001) no potencial de germinação de sementes entre domesticadas e selvagens, e entre os tratamentos testados. As populações domesticadas apresentaram maior porcentagem de germinação (10 - 58%) em comparação com a de urucum selvagem (0 - 44%). Os melhores tratamentos foram os realizados com escarificação mecânica. Considerando sua simplicidade, concluímos que a escarificação mecânica com lixa representa boa alternativa para superar a dormência do urucum.

ABSTRACT: Annatto (Bixa orellana L.) is an arboreal species domesticated in Amazonia from its wild ancestor (B. orellana var. urucurana). Bixin extracted from its orthodox seeds is a natural dye widely used in the food industry. This study evaluated methods to overcome seed dormancy and determine the germination potential, comparing domesticated and wild annatto populations. Seeds from two domesticated-type populations and two families of a wild-type population, stored for two years after field collection, were submitted to five treatments to overcome dormancy: T1 - control; T2 - mechanical scarification (with sandpaper); T3 - mechanical scarification (with sandpaper) + immersion in water at 36 ºC overnight (12 hours); T4 - immersion in water at room temperature (23 ºC, on average) for 24 h; T5 - immersion in concentrated sulfuric acid (95 - 98%) for 15 min + running water for 3 min. Highly significant differences (P < 0.001) were observed in the germination percentage of annatto seeds between wild and domesticated types, and among the treatments tested. Domesticated types showed higher germination percentage (10 - 58%) over all treatments when compared to the wild type (0 - 44%). The best treatments were those performed with mechanical scarification. Given the simplicity, we concluded that mechanical scarification with sandpaper is a good alternative to overcome dormancy of annatto seeds.

Abstract Annatto (Bixa orellana) is a tropical crop native to the Americas with Amazonia as the likely center of origin of domestication. Annatto is important because it produces the dye bixin, which is widely used in the pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic and textile industries. A total of 32 microsatellite loci were isolated from a microsatellite-enriched genomic library, of which 12 polymorphic loci were used to characterize four populations of B. orellana and B. orellana var. urucurana, the wild relative. Higher genetic diversity estimates were detected for the wild populations when compared to the cultivated populations. Also, higher apparent outcrossing rates were found for the two wild than the cultivated populations. These results indicate a mixed mating system for the species. All markers described herein have potential to be used in further studies evaluating the genetic diversity, population dynamics, domestication, breeding, and conservation genetics of annatto.

Existe uma extensa variedade genética no urucum que são conhecidas por denominações como "focinho de rato", "cabeça de moleque", "peruana", "bico de pato", "amarela", "piave" entre outras. Todas são caracterizadas por propriedades como porte da planta, período de produção, forma e cores das cachopas, deiscência, etc. A última década tem sido marcada por um melhoramento genético, buscando maior produtividade e, principalmente, maior teor de pigmentos. O Instituto Agronômico (IAC) comporta no Polo Regional Centro Norte, (Pindorama, SP), uma coleção de plantas de urucum, com mais de 25 acessos, que em trabalhos anteriores foram avaliadas quanto às suas características agronômicas. Contudo, os teores de bixina e lipídeos, que também são características importantes das sementes de urucum, pois afetam diretamente o rendimento industrial, não foram estudados. Este estudo teve como objetivo a validação de uma metodologia analítica de determinação de bixina e a caracterização da coleção do IAC quanto aos teores de bixina e lipídios. Os resultados indicaram que no método proposto houve linearidade na faixa de trabalho utilizada para a análise de sementes de urucum. Os limites de detecção e quantificação foram de 0,31 e 0,63 g de carotenóides totais expressos como bixina por 100 g de semente, respectivamente. O método foi preciso mas sensível a alterações na massa de amostra, tempo de extração e no coeficiente de absorção (). As árvores existentes na coleção possuem altos teores de bixina na semente, variando (em base seca) de 3,12 ± 0,06% a 6,26 ± 0,06%. Os teores de lipídios variaram de 1,97 ± 0% a 3,98 ± 0,09%. Não foram observadas correlações entre as concentrações de bixina e de lipídios.

Annato has wide genetic varieties that are known by different names including "focinho de rato", "cabeça de moleque", peruana, "bico de pato", yellow and piave. Different properties are used to characterize them, namely, size of plant, production period, shape and fruit color, dehiscence, etc. The last decade have been marked by genetic improvement researches, in order to reach greater productivity and, especially, higher pigment content. The IAC has at the Polo Regional Centro Norte, in Campinas-SP, a collection of annatto plants with more than 25 varieties, which in previous studies were evaluated regarding their agronomic characteristics. However, bixin and lipids levels were not studied and both characteristics of the annatto seeds are very important, once the industrial performance during dyes production may be directly affected. The aim of the present study was to validate a methodology for bixin determination in annatto seeds and to evaluate the IAC collection for bixin and lipids content. The proposed method showed a linear response for each compound analyzed in the work concentration range. The detection and quantification limits for the bixin, were, respectively 0.31 and 0.63 g per 100 g seeds. The repeatability study revealed a precise method; thus, significant variations have occurred when some parameters are changed, such as sample amount, time of extraction and absorption coefficient (). The trees in the collection exhibited relatively high levels of bixin in the seeds, ranging (on dried basis) from 3,12 ± 0,06% to 6,26 ± 0,06%. The levels of lipid varied from 1,97 ± 0% to 3,98 ± 0,09%. No correlation was observed between bixin and lipids concentrations.