Two selenium (Se) fertilization methods were tested for their effects on levels of anticarcinogenic selenocompounds in radish (Raphanus sativus), as well as other nutraceuticals. First, radish was grown on soil and foliar selenate applied 7 days before harvest at 0, 5, 10, and 20 mg Se per plant. Selenium levels were up to 1200 mg Se/kg DW in leaves and 120 mg Se/kg DW in roots. The thiols cysteine and glutathione were present at 2–3-fold higher levels in roots of Se treated plants, and total glucosinolate levels were 35% higher, due to increases in glucoraphanin. The only seleno-aminoacid detected in Se treated plants was Se-methyl-SeCys (100 mg/kg FW in leaves, 33 mg/kg FW in roots). The levels of phenolic aminoacids increased with selenate treatment, as did root total nitrogen and protein content, while the level of several polyphenols decreased. Second, radish was grown in hydroponics and supplied with 0, 5, 10, 20, or 40 μM selenate for 1 week. Selenate treatment led to a 20–30% increase in biomass. Selenium concentration was 242 mg Se/kg DW in leaves and 85 mg Se/kg DW in roots. Cysteine levels decreased with Se in leaves but increased in roots; glutatione levels decreased in both. Total glucosinolate levels in leaves decreased with Se treatment due to repression of genes involved in glucosinolates metabolism. Se-methyl-SeCys concentration ranged from 7–15 mg/kg FW. Aminoacid concentration increased with Se treatment in leaves but decreased in roots. Roots of Se treated plants contained elevated transcript levels of sulfate transporters (Sultr) and ATP sulfurylase, a key enzyme of S/Se assimilation. No effects on polyphenols were observed. In conclusion, Se biofortification of radish roots may be achieved via foliar spray or hydroponic supply. One to ten radishes could fulfill the daily human requirement (70 μg) after a single foliar spray of 5 mg selenate per plant or 1 week of 5–10 μM selenate supply in hydroponics. The radishes metabolized selenate to the anticarcinogenic compound Se-methyl-selenocysteine. Selenate treatment enhanced levels of other nutraceuticals in radish roots, including glucoraphanin. Therefore, Se biofortification can produce plants with superior health benefits.

RESUMO -O glyphosate é o principal produto usado para manejo não-seletivo das plantas daninhas. Já foram identificados biótipos de azevém resistentes a esse herbicida no Rio Grande do Sul, os quais estão se tornando predominantes rapidamente. Objetivou-se neste trabalho identificar o tipo de herança, o número de genes que conferem resistência e o grau de resistência dos biótipos homozigotos e heterozigotos resistentes em azevém. Fora m realizados cruzamentos recíprocos entre genitores suscetíveis e resistentes para obtenção de semen tes F 1 e, em seguida, efetua ram-se os retrocruzamentos resistente e sensível. Plantas F 1 foram cruzadas, para obtenção da geração F 2 . Sobre as plantas F 1 , F 2 , RCr e RCs e genitores foi aplicado o glyphosate na dose de 720 g ha -1 , para avaliar a segregação. A fim de avaliar o grau de resistência, as plantas F 1 e os genitores resistente e sensível foram tratados com doses crescentes de glyphosate (0, 360, 720, 1.440 e 2.880 g ha -1 ). As plantas F 1 evidenciaram resposta intermediária ao biótipo resistente e sensível, demonstrando que a interação alélica é do tipo dominância incompleta. As plantas F 2 mostraram tendência para segregação 3:1, indicando que a característica resistência ao glyphosate é controlada por um gene semidominante. (0, 360, 720, 1.440 and 2.880 g ha -1 Palavras-chave: herbicidas, hibridação, inibidores de EPSPs. ABSTRACT -Glyphosate is a non

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HPLC-MS n analysis of extracts of the Cameroonian medicinal plant Erigeron floribundus (Kunth) Sch. Bip. (Asteraceae) led to the identification of 40 different phenolic constituents. Four triterpene derivatives were isolated using semi-preparative HPLC and structures were elucidated on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR measurements. Compound 1, olean-3-oleil-12,18 diene, was a new natural product. Quali-quantitative measurements on the infusion obtained from dried aerial parts were also performed by HPLC-MS n and HPLC-DAD analysis showing that a cup of E. floribundus tea contains about 2.7 mg/mL of phenolics, with the caffeoyl quinic derivatives being the most abundant constituents.

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Selenium (Se) is a fundamental microelement for several organisms,\ud including humans. Higher plants represent the main dietary source of Se and their\ud enrichment in Se may infl uence sulfur (S) accumulation and consequently, the synthesis\ud of health promoting S-containing compounds. In this study, the effect of selenate\ud foliar fertilization on the production of total and specifi c glucosinolates (GSL)\ud was investigated in two rocket species, Eruca sativa and Diplotaxis tenuifolia . Se\ud accumulated in the leaves of the two plant species at a similar rate, but exerted an\ud opposite effect on S content when supplied at high dose. Specifi cally, selenate fertilization\ud with 10 mg Se per plant increased the leaf level of sulfur in E. sativa and\ud reduced it in D. tenuifolia . The trend of leaf GSL accumulation in both plant species\ud was strongly consistent with the variation in S content. We conclude that Se at high\ud dosage affects the production of GSL in rocket plants, the increase or reduction\ud depending on the plant species, while low doses of selenate do not signifi cantly\ud infl uence S and GSL contents in edible tissues. Furthermore, variations in S content\ud mediated by Se are indicative of changes in the level of GSL