ABSTRACT In this study, we evaluated the effects of dietary inclusion of ethanolic extract of green propolis (EEGP) on productivity, egg quality, nutrient utilization, and duodenal morphology of 120 Japanese laying quail. The quail were randomly distributed into five treatment groups: one group with no EEGP in the diet (control diet) and four groups with increasing EEGP levels (500, 1000, 1500, and 2000 mg EEGP/kg diet) in the diets. Excreta and diet samples were collected on day 40 and were analyzed for dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), ash, gross energy (GE), calcium, and phosphorus to evaluate the nutrient and energy use. At the end of the study period, productive performance, egg quality, and duodenum morphology were evaluated. Duodenal sections were obtained from four birds per treatment and were processed for optical microscopy. The EEGP did not affect DM, GE utilization, apparent metabolizable energy, ash retention, feed intake, feed conversion, egg mass, egg quality, crypt depth, or villus height:crypt depth ratio in the duodenum. However, EEGP did increase laying rate, CP, EE, calcium, and phosphorus utilization, as well as villus height and absorption surface area in the duodenum when provided to birds at 1500 and 2000 mg/kg in the diet. Thus, the inclusion of EEGP at 1500 ppm in the diet of Japanese laying quail improves productivity, egg quality, nutrient utilization ability, and duodenal morphology.

El polifenol, ácido gálico (ácido 3,4,5-trihidroxibenzoico), es un compuesto con reconocida actividad antioxidante que reduce las especies reactivas del oxígeno (ERO) mediante mecanismos antiradicalarios o por quelación de metales. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el efecto antioxidante y el procedimiento de aplicación del ácido gálico sobre la calidad de las semillas de trigo. Semillas de trigo ‘BRS 264’ fueron sometidas a cinco tratamientos de aplicación del ácido gálico, en cinco dosis diferentes. Las semillas fueron sometidas al test de envejecimiento acelerado y posteriormente fue evaluado: la germinación, primer conteo de germinación, longitud (parte aérea y raíz) y masa de las plántulas. Se utilizaron cuatro repeticiones de 50 semillas, analizados en un diseño factorial 5 ´ 5 (cinco procedimiento de aplicación y cinco dosis diferentes de ácido gálico). Los datos fueron analizados mediante el test de Shapiro-Wilk, análisis de varianza y la prueba LSD (5%). Dosis de 0,10; 1,00 y 10,00 mg L-1 son recomendadas en los diferentes procedimientos de aplicación del ácido gálico. El ácido gálico posee actividad antioxidante con uso potencial en la agricultura; semillas de trigo embebidas en soluciones de este antioxidante, mostraron mayor germinación y vigor, incluso cuando fueron sometidas al envejecimiento acelerado.

The polyphenol, gallic acid (3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid), is a compound with recognized antioxidant activity that reduces reactive oxygen species (ROS) by means of anti-radical mechanisms or by chelation of metals. The objective of this work was to evaluate the antioxidant effect and the application process of gallic acid in wheat seeds. Wheat seeds ‘BRS 264’ received five treatments of gallic acid application in five different doses. The seeds were submitted to the accelerated aging test and then the germination, first germination count, length (shoot and root) and seedling mass were evaluated. Four replicates of 50 seeds were used, analyzed in a 5 x 5 factorial scheme (five forms of application of gallic acid x five doses of the same). Data were submitted to the Shapiro-Wilk test, analysis of variance and test LSD (5%). Doses of 0.10; 1.00 and 10.00 mg L-1 are recommended in the different forms of gallic acid application. Gallic acid has antioxidant action for use in agriculture; wheat seeds soaked in solution of this antioxidant, express greater germination and vigor, even when subjected to accelerated aging.