We report here the successful micropropagation of adult Juniperus phoenicea L. with respective ploidy stability studies. Microcuttings with axillary buds were grown on five media supplemented with different growth regulator combinations. Best elongation rates were achieved on Driver and Kuniyuki (DKW) medium supplemented with kinetin alone or with naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), while Rugini olive (OM) medium stimulated the development of new branches. Shoots growing on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium browned and showed necrotic zones. Shoots of second to fourth subcultures usually had higher elongation rates than those of the first culture. For rooting assays, half strength DKW and OM media, different concentrations of growth regulators, auxin continuous exposure vs. dipping and the type of solid matrix were assessed. During rooting assays, two morphotypes were observed with one type having well developed internodes and the other showing hyperhydratation and no internode development. High rooting rates (40 %) were only obtained in the first morphotype shoots exposed for 5 min to 2.4 µM IBA and then transferred to OM medium without growth regulators. Plants were acclimatized in pots containing a mixture of peat and Perlite (3:2) in greenhouse with progressive reduction of relative humidity. A flow cytometric screening for major ploidy changes revealed no differences among the morphotypes and between them and the mother plant. Also the nuclear DNA content of this species was estimated for the first time using flow cytometry (2C = 24.71 pg).

We describe a protocol for somatic embryogenesis (SE) induction from an adult wild olive tree (Olea europaea ssp. europaea var. sylvestris. The protocol used confirms for the first time that there is no need to use juvenile or rejuvenated material for SE induction. For SE induction, petiole and leaf (proximal, intermediary and distal zones) explants were grown on Murashige and Skoog (MS) or Olive Medium (OM) media with different combinations of plant growth regulators (PGR): a-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), Zeatin (Zea), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), 2-isopentyl adenine (2iP), thidiazuron (TDZ) and 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). All media had 30 g/l sucrose and 7 g/l agar, and the pH was adjusted to 5.8. Cultures were incubated in the dark and, after 3 months, they were transferred to MS medium without PGR for expression. Petiole explants gave the highest callus production, while for SE induction and expression distal blade leaf and petiole explants gave the highest rates. The best medium for SE induction was MS with 12.25 lM IBA plus 4.56 lM Zea. Histological analyses confirmed the individuality of globular somatic embryos. This is the first report of SE expression in explants without rejuvenation in Olea genus, and opens perspectives for using this strategy in SE protocols both for this wild genotype and for commercial genotypes.

The crop species Olea europaea L. (olive tree) is of great economic importance in the Mediterranean region. Hence, many efforts have been done in the last decades to propagate this commercially valuable species by in vitro methods. On the other hand, the lesser known Olea maderensis (Lowe) Rivas Mart. & Del Arco which is a native species of the Madeira Archipelago has only been the subject of micropropagation from nodal stem cuttings. Therefore, in this work we analysed the stability of ten nuclear simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers at successive stages of the somatic embryogenesis process in two adult trees belonging to these two species from the Madeira Archipelago. For the induction of somatic embryogenesis, petiole and leaf explants were cultivated on solid Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) with 12.25 lM indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and 4.56 lM of zeatin, in the dark. After 3 months, different callus tissues (non-embryogenic, pre-embryogenic and embryogenic) developed from leaf explants and petioles were later transferred to MS medium without growth regulators in the dark. All ten SSR markers were able to distinguish between species. However, no mutations were found at the SSR loci at any of the successive developmental stages from PEMs (pre-embryogenic masses) to somatic embryos. This genetic uniformity was observed within material derived from each genotype/species and its respective donor plant. Therefore, we conclude that the genomic integrities of both O. europaea and O. maderensis were maintained throughout the stages of the embryogenic processes in study suggesting the absence of somaclonal variation.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the relevance of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in East Timor and proposes a set of ESD indicators to be implemented in the formal education sector. Design/methodology/approach – A detailed analysis of relevant literature concerning national development plans (Republica Democrática de Timor-Leste, 2011), literature centred in East Timor and international perspectives about ESD principles, policies and values (UN reports) was carried, in order to examine the relevance of ESD in East Timor and to assist the selection of a set of ESD indicators. These indicators are proposed in order to assess and monitor if the current national policies, educational programmes, secondary school content, learning goals and activities in formal education express concerns related with ESD promotion in terms of specific curricular themes, learning characteristics, learning resources, skills, values and attitudes. Findings – This paper argues that the East Timor government has intentions in ESD promotion and implementation. Thus, ESD indicators could be helpful in assessment of new curricular practices. However, even though ESDI may indicate that secondary school programmes, content, learning goals or activities are aligned with ESD principles, it is also important to assess if they then contribute effectively to sustainable development. Originality/value – The case study of East Timor adds to the literature about the current interests of young countries such as this in progressing towards a sustainable future, starting from the selection and implementation of ESD indicators in the current curriculum reform. If it is successful, ESD will contribute to transforming not only education but also the quality of life of the East Timorese.

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Given that reforms involving how to deal with the past are extremely difficult, especially when the past involves memories of victimization, death, and destruction so widespread that a high percentage of the population is affected, the main purpose of this article is to describe how the general secondary education (GSE) curriculum in East Timor -an ancient Portuguese colony-is organized in terms of principles and objectives, themes, and methodological guidelines that give priority to assisting students to minimize or manage problems associated with conflict. Subsequently, the current state of GSE is characterized, in terms of school organization and logistics, and mobilization of teachers and students in using the new curriculum. The empirical results show that curricular materials incorporate aspects that can contribute to understanding and minimizing or managing problems created by the conflict, as well as contributing to avoid new conflicts. Nevertheless, although textbooks incorporate these aspects and teachers and students express interest in use them, problems remain regarding their appropriate usage due to numerous factors such as: logistics; school organization and poor teacher skills, despite training given and continued focused investment.

This chapter explores the relevance of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in formal education reform in East Timor. This chapter relied on relevant published documents and information published by various national and international agencies concerning East-Timor. It firstly reflects on the organization background of development of new secondary curriculum in East Timor; then it focuses on what protocols and principles form the basis of these new curricula. There is further description of the development and implementation of the new curricula inclusive of subject selection in consideration of ESD and Millennium Development Goals (MGDs) as illustrated with some examples of ESD integration in new textbooks for 10th year. Lastly, it highlights the challenges that team developers faced at the completion of curricular development and presents some solutions to overcome difficulties related to restructuring and implementation. Thus this chapter aims to provide an example of sustainable development integration into secondary curricula of a young country - East Timor – while illustrating the extent of curricular materials could contribute to developing skills, values and attitudes aligned with sustainable development perspectives.

O objetivo deste estudo foi adaptar um instrumento brasileiro para a avaliação do ciúme romântico no contexto cultural português e avaliar as suas propriedades psicométricas. O instrumento adaptado foi respondido por 808 participantes, divididos em duas amostras equivalentes quanto ao número e ao sexo. Análises fatoriais exploratórias revelaram grande similaridade entre as estruturas fatoriais obtidas com as amostras portuguesas e destas com a estrutura encontrada em um estudo prévio com participantes brasileiros. Todos os fatores apresentaram índices de fidedignidade superiores a 0,8. Análises com base na Teoria de Resposta ao Item evidenciaram um bom uso das categorias de resposta empregadas e mostraram que a maioria das escalas é mais discriminativa para características relacionadas com a manifestação patológica do ciúme. Concluiu-se que a escala apresenta validade baseada na estrutura interna e boa fidedignidade, podendo ser recomendada para utilização em investigações.