ABSTRACT. The present research seeks to elucidate the feasibility of chitosan (CHT) in the induction of water deficit tolerance in different maize hybrids, contrasting tolerance to water restriction, tolerance and sensitivity. The maize plants were subjected to water deficit and foliar application of different chitosan doses (60, 100, 140, and 180 mg L-1) at the pre-flowering growth stage and evaluated during the stress period of fifteen days. To understand the induction behaviour of the tolerance to water restriction, biophysical parameters, such as water potential, relative water content and chlorophyll content, gas exchange, and biochemical assays, were quantified based on the activity of SOD, CAT, APX, and PAL antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation activity and hydrogen peroxide content. Among the treatments, maize plants subjected to chitosan foliar application at a dose of 140 mg L-1 presented similar behavioural responses to plants under favourable irrigation conditions. Such positive responses are related to the high degree of activity of antioxidant enzymes, gas exchange and low levels of lipid peroxidation and hydrogen peroxide. The results support the potential use of CHT to increase tolerance to water stress.

AbstractMaize is considered a source of carotenoids; however, these compounds are highly unstable, degraded by high temperatures, exposure to light and presence of oxygen. The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of the moisture and type of drying applied to grains on the level of carotenoids in yellow maize. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design (2 × 4 factorial), two levels of initial moisture at the harvest (22 and 19%) and three types of drying (in the sun; in the shade and in a dryer) and control (no drying). The samples of grains after drying with 12% of final moisture were analyzed by concentration of total carotenoids, carotenes (α-carotene + β-carotene), monohydroxilated carotenoids (β-cryptoxanthin), and xanthophylls (lutein + zeaxanthin). Initial moisture, type of drying and the interaction between moisture versus drying influence (p≤0.05) the levels of carotenoids in grains. This is the first report about the drying conditions and harvest’s initial moisture as influence on the profile and content of carotenoids in maize grains. Based on the results, this work suggested that the harvest be carried out preferably when the grains present 22% humidity, with drying in a dryer or in shade for further use or storage.

RESUMO Esta pesquisa teve o objetivo de avaliar o efeito da convivência de capim-colonião sobre o crescimento inicial de plantas de clones de eucalipto. Foram instalados dois ensaios com mudas de clones de eucalipto e de capim-colonião, que cresceram em parcelas delimitadas lateralmente por paredes de alvenaria preenchidas com terra. O primeiro ensaio obedeceu ao delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, com três repetições, e tratamentos em esquema fatorial 5 x 2 (cinco clones de eucalipto, e a ausência ou presença de duas plantas de capim-colonião plantadas a 10 cm da muda de eucalipto). O segundo ensaio foi semelhante ao primeiro, porém, com apenas três clones de eucalipto, cinco repetições, e tratamentos em esquema fatorial 3 x 2 (três clones de eucalipto e a ausência ou presença de capim-colonião). Os clones de eucalipto não afetaram de modo diferenciado o crescimento de capim-colonião, sendo que aqueles que conviveram com a planta daninha não apresentaram diferença no seu desenvolvimento, igualando-os quando sob competição. As características dos clones de eucalipto mais sensíveis à convivência com capim-colonião foram: área foliar, matéria seca de folhas e caule. O clone 3 foi o que se mostrou mais sensível à convivência com capim-colonião e o clone 1 mais tolerante, porém todos os clones estudados tiveram influência negativa da convivência com capim-colonião.

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the guinea grass effect (Panicum maximum) on the initial growth of different Eucalyptus × urograndis clones. Two assays were established with eucalyptus clones and guinea grass seedlings. The plants were grown in plots with cement borders filled with soil. Each plot received a eucalyptus seedling. The first assay had a completely randomized experimental design, with three replications, and treatments in a 5x2 factorial scheme (five eucalyptus clones and the absence or presence of two guinea grass plants at 10 cm distance from eucalyptus seedling). The second assay was similar to the first, however with three eucalyptus clones. The experimental design was completely randomized, with five replications, and a 3x2 factorial scheme (three eucalyptus clones and the absence or presence of two guinea grass plants). The presence of eucalyptus clones did not affect guinea grass development. The eucalyptus clones that coexisted with guinea grass plants did not show differences in their development, making the clones equal when under competition. The most susceptible characteristics of eucalyptus clones to guinea grass were foliar area, shoot and stem dry matter. Clone 3 showed the most sensitivity to guinea grass, and clone 1 was the most tolerant, but all clones studied suffered a negative interference from guinea grass.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da aplicação de herbicidas pós-emergentes no teor de carotenoides em grãos de milho verde. Utilizou-se o delineamento inteiramente casualizado com cinco tratamentos - sem aplicação; foramsulfuron + iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium (40 g ha-1); nicosulfuron (20 g ha-1); mesotrione (120 g ha-1) e tembotrione (100 g ha-1) - e duas repetições. Os grãos foram avaliados para teores de luteína, zeaxantina, betacriptoxantina, alfacaroteno e betacaroteno, carotenoides pró-vitamina A, carotenoides totais e percentuais de luteína, zeaxantina e carotenoides pró-vitamina A. Os herbicidas tembotrione e o nicosulfuron não causaram efeitos deletérios nos teores de carotenoides totais ou nas frações com atividade pró-vitamina A.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the efect of post-emergence herbicide application on carotenoid content in green corn grains. A completely randomized design was used, with five treatments - no application; foramsulfuron + iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium (40 g ha-1); nicosulfuron (20 g ha-1); mesotrione (120 g ha-1) and tembotrione (100 g ha-1) -, and two replicates. The grains were evaluated in terms of lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, pro-vitamin A carotenoids, total carotenoid contents, and percentage of lutein, zeaxanthin and pro-vitamin A carotenoids. Tembotrione and nicosulfuron herbicides did not cause deleterious effects on total carotenoids or fractions with pro-vitamin A activity.

Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) constitui uma séria praga agrícola na America do Norte. Grande número de biótipos de proso millet selvagens são conhecidos mas a base genética da variabilidade fenotípica é pouco conhecida. No presente estudo foi avaliado o método não radioativo, de coloração com prata, para visualizar fragmentos polimóficos de DNA amplificados por PCR (AFLP) visando estudo de polimorfísmo genético em biótipos de proso millet americano. Foram usados doze biótipos e oito combinações de primers com dois/três e três/três nucleotídeos seletivos. Pares de "primers" com dois/três nucleotídeos seletivos produziram maior número de fragmentos de DNA, enquanto que pares de "primers" com três/três nucleotídeos seletivos foram mais efetivos para revelar maior número de fragmentos polimórficos de DNA. As duas melhores combinações de "primers" foram EcoR-AAC/Mse-CTT e EcoR-ACT/Mse-CAA, que produziram, sete e onze fragmentos polimórficos de DNA, respectivamente. Em um total de 450 fragmentos de DNA amplificados, pelo menos 339 apareceram bem resolvidos em gel de poliacrílamida corado com prata e 39 bandas polimórficas de DNA foram escrutinadas. O nível de polimorfísmo de DNA (11,5%) usando apenas oito combinações de "primers" foi efetivo para agrupar biótipos de proso millet em dois clusters, mas insuficiente para separar biótipos híbridos de biótipos selvagens e cultivados. Entretanto, o presente resultado indicou que o método de coloração com prata poderá ser ferramenta barata e importante para estudar relações filogenéticas em proso millet.

Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is a serious weed in North America. A high number of wild proso millet biotypes are known but the genetic basis of its phenotypic variation is poorly understood. In the present study, a non-radioactive silver staining method for PCR-Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) was evaluated for studying genetic polymorphism in American proso millet biotypes. Twelve biotypes and eight primer combinations with two/three and three/three selective nucleotides were used. Pair of primers with two/three selective nucleotides produced the highest number of amplified DNA fragments, while pair of primers with three/three selective nucleotides were more effective for revealing more polymorphic DNA fragments. The two better primer combinations were EcoR-AAC/Mse-CTT and EcoR-ACT/Mse-CAA with seven and eleven polymorphic DNA fragments, respectively. In a total of 450 amplified fragments, at least 339 appeared well separated in a silver stained acrylamide gel and 39 polymorphic DNA bands were scored. The level of polymorphic DNA (11.5%) using only eight pairs of primers were effective for grouping proso millet biotypes in two clusters but insufficient for separating hybrid biotypes from wild and crop. Nevertheless, the present result indicates that silver stained AFLP markers could be a cheap and important tool for studying genetic relationships in proso millet.