Objetivou-se, neste estudo, verificar o efeito do uso combinado de Azospirillum brasilense, ácidos húmicos e diferentes doses de nitrogênio nas características agronômicas do trigo. Os experimentos foram instalados no dia 21 de maio de 2011 e a colheita foi procedida no dia 13 de setembro de 2011. O delineamento experimental adotado foi o de blocos casualizados em esquema fatorial 4 x 4, com quatro repetições. O primeiro fator se refere à combinação da estirpe Ab-V5 de A. brasilense com os ácidos húmicos, sendo utilizados os seguintes tratamentos: controle; Ab-V5; ácido húmico e Ab-V5+ácido húmico e o segundo fator se refere às doses de nitrogênio (0, 30, 60 e 90 kg ha-1 N). A maioria das variáveis em análise apresentou efeito linear positivo dos tratamentos em função da adubação nitrogenada sendo que apenas para a variável massa de cem grãos este efeito foi linear negativo. Não houve diferença significativa entre as variâncias, na produção de grãos. Pôde-se concluir que o uso combinado de Ab-V5 + ácido húmico promove principalmente a produção de matéria seca de folhas e não é responsivo à adubação nitrogenada para os demais componentes produtivos em estudo nem para a produtividade dos grãos.

Loxosceles intermedia spider venom was subjected to proteomic analysis through a MudPIT shot-gun approach to identify the protein composition. Were identified 39 proteins which seem to responsible by the lesion of different types of tissues, to some physiopathological actions and by the prevention of structural damage to the toxin structures.

A total of 15 mixtures involving 9 different stocks attributed to the 19/20, 32 and 39 major clonal genotypes of Trypanosoma cruzi were used to infect third-instar nymphs of Triatoma infestans via an artificial feeding device. Three biological parameters were considered: (1) the percentage of infected insects (%II), (2) the number of flagellates per insect (NFI), and (3) the percentage of trypomastigotes per insect (%DIF). Genetic characterization by both multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MLEE) and random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) indicated that in almost all cases (87%), mixtures remained present after completion of the whole cycle in the insect vector. Two lines of comparison were performed: (1) pure clonal genotypes versus corresponding mixed clonal genotypes and (2) the actual behavior of mixed clonal genotypes versus the expected behavior of the theoretical mixture (i.e. the arithmetic mean of the results observed for each of the two clonal genotypes taken separately). Statistical analyses of the variables were made difficult because of the presence of large standard deviations. Nevertheless, in several cases, mixtures differed significantly from pure clonal genotypes, and in one case the actual mixture differed significantly from the theoretical mixture. In some cases, interaction (either potentialization or reciprocal inhibition) could be suspected.

Aluminum (Al 3+) toxicity is a major limiting factor to crop productivity in acid soils. The effects of aluminum on root and shoot growth of physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) young plants and, the uptake and distribution of phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and aluminum in the roots and shoots were investigated in the present study. Plants were grown in 2.5L pots in a greenhouse. After fourteen days of adaptation to nutrient solution, plants were exposed to Al concentrations of 0, 370, 740, 1,100 and 1,480 μmol L -1 , corresponding to an active Al 3+ solution of 13.3, 35.3, 90.0, 153.3 and 220.7 μmol L -1 , respectively. The dry matter partitioning between roots, stems and leaves, and the concentrations of P, Ca, Mg and Al in plant tissue, were measured after 75 days exposure to Al. The increasing level of Al 3+ activity in solution progressively decreased the growth of the shoot and root of physic nut plants, and at the two highest active Al 3+ levels, plants showed morphological abnormalities typical of the toxicity caused by this metal. Higher Al 3+ activity reduced P concentrations in leaves and Ca and Mg in leaves and roots of physic nut, demonstrating the effect of Al on the uptake, transport and use of these nutrients by plants. The Al accumulated preferentially in the roots of physic nut, whereas only a small amount was transported to shoots. Key words: Jatropha curcas, aluminum toxicity, aluminum tolerance Resumo