The contribution of forest biomass to Canada’s energy production is small but growing. As the forest bioenergy industry in Canada expands, there is growing interest in more sustainably managing the wood ash that is generated as a by-product. Despite being rich in nutrients, wood ash is usually landfilled in Canada. Soil applications of ash in Canadian forests could be used to mimic some of the effects of wildfire, to replace nutrients removed during harvesting, to counteract the negative effects of acid deposition, and to improve tree growth. At present, the provincial and territorial processes for obtaining regulatory approval to use wood ash as a forest soil amendment can be challenging to navigate. Furthermore, the costs for obtaining approval and transporting and applying wood ash to the soil can render landfilling a more cost-effective method of ash management. To ensure that wood ash applications in Canadian forests are conducted safely, effectively, and efficiently, experience from European countries could provide a useful starting point for developing best practices. The results of Canadian research trials will assist policy makers and forest managers in refining management guidelines that encourage soil applications of wood ash as a forest management tool while protecting the ecology, water quality, biodiversity, and productivity of Canadian forests.

Essential oils from fresh Piperaceae leaves were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and a total of 68 components were identified. Principal components analysis results showed a chemical variability between species, with sesquiterpene compounds predominating in the majority of species analyzed. The composition of the essential oil of Piper mosenii was described for the first time. The cytotoxicity of the essential oils was evaluated in peritoneal macrophages and the oils of P. rivinoides, P. arboretum, and P. aduncum exhibited the highest values, with cytotoxic concentration at 50% (CC 50 ) > 200 µg/mL. Both P. diospyrifolium and P. aduncum displayed activity against Leishmania amazonensis, and were more selective for the parasite than for the macrophages, with a selectivity index (SI) of 2.35 and >5.52, respectively. These SI values were greater than the 1 for the standard drug pentamidine. The antileishmanial activity of the essential oils of P. diospyrifolium and P. aduncum was described for the first time. P. rivinoides, P. cernuum, and P. diospyrifolium displayed moderate activity against the Mycobacterium tuberculosis H 37 Rv bacillus, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 125 µg/mL. These results are relevant and suggests their potential for therapeutic purposes. Nevertheless, further studies are required to explain the exact mechanism of action of these essential oils.

RESUMO -O uso de indutores de resistência em plantas representa um método alternativo e promissor no controle de podridões pós-colheita de frutos. Assim sendo, foi conduzido um experimento na Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná -Câmpus Dois Vizinhos -PR, no ano de 2004, com objetivo de avaliar a aplicação pré-colheita de quitosana e acibenzolar-S-metil (ASM) sobre o comportamento pós-colheita de frutos de morangueiro da cultivar Aromas. O efeito da aplicação de quitosana (0,5; 1,0 e 2,0%) e de uma dose de ASM (0,0025%) foi verificado em relação à testemunha (água destilada) e ao tratamento-controle com aplicação de fungicidas. A aplicação na pré-colheita de quitosana, nas três doses avaliadas, retardou a maturação dos frutos, manteve maior firmeza de polpa e acidez titulável e diminuiu a perda de massa. Esses tratamentos também diminuíram a produção de etileno, o teor de açúcares redutores e mantiveram mais elevado os teores de polifenóis totais. A aplicação de quitosana, nas três doses avaliadas, induziu maior resistência das plantas a patógenos, resultando na diminuição de podridão dos frutos em pós-colheita. No entanto, a concentração de 2% de quitosana causou dano aos frutos na pós-colheita, elevando a taxa respiratória e o teor de açúcares redutores. O ASM teve efeito na retenção da acidez titulável e na redução de podridões, similar ao tratamento com fungicidas. A aplicação de quitosana e ASM na pré-colheita não interferiu na qualidade organoléptica dos frutos em pós-colheita. Termos para Indexação: elicitor, ASM, quitosana, morango, qualidade, Botrytis cinerea. POST HARVEST BEHAVIOR OF STRAWBERRY FRUITS AFTER PRE HARVEST TREATMENT WITH CHITOSAN AND ACIBENZOLAR-S-METHYLABSTRACT -The use of inductors of resistance in plants represents an alternative and a promising method to control fruit rots at post harvest. The experiment was carried out at Federal Technological University of Paraná -Dois Vizinhos -Campus, during 2004 with the objective to evaluate the induction of chitosan resistance and acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) on strawberry plants. The treatments compared the effect of chitosan (0.5; 1.0 and 2.0%) and ASM (0.0025%) in relation to control plants (distilled water only) and those with fungicides application. The chitosan treatment in all three evaluated concentrations, delayed the fruit maturation, increased the flesh firmness and titratable acidity and decreased the mass loss. It was also observed reduction in the ethylene production and in the reduced sugars and increased the total polyphenol in strawberry fruits. The chitosan treatment in all three evaluated concentrations induced greater plant resistance to diseases with effect on the reduction of the fruit rots in the post harvest by Botrytis cindered. Although, chitosan treatment in the concentration of 2% caused damage to the fruits in the post harvest increased the respiration rate and the reduced sugar. The ASM had effect on the retention of the titratable acidity and acted efficiently on the rot reduction similar to the treatment with ...

RESUMOO objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar diferentes fontes comerciais de fosfito e acibenzolar-S-metílico (ASM) seguidos de uma aplicação de fungicida no controle do míldio, do oídio e da ferrugem asiática, para reduzir o número de aplicações de fungicidas e aumentar o espectro de controle das doenças da soja. Foram conduzidos dois experimentos na região de Ponta Grossa, PR, nas safras 2006/07 e 2007/08. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi de blocos casualizados com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram cinco fontes comerciais de fosfitos de potássio e uma de manganês (450 g P 2 O 5 ha -1 ) e ASM (12,5 g i.a. ha -1 ), aplicados nos estádios V7 e R2. Os tratamentos com fosfito e ASM receberam uma aplicação do fungicida piraclostrobina + epoxiconazole (66,5 + 25 g i.a. ha -1 ) no estádio R3 e foram comparados com uma em R2 e duas aplicações do mesmo fungicida, aplicados em R2 e R5.1, e a testemunha. O uso de fosfito e ASM reduziram significativamente a área abaixo da curva de progresso do míldio e não tiveram efeito sobre o oídio e a ferrugem asiática. O maior número de aplicações do fungicida aumentou o controle dos patógenos biotróficos sob maior pressão das doenças. Palavras-chave: Peronospora manshurica, Phakopsora parchyrhizi, oídio. ABSTRACT Phosphite sources and acibenzolar-S-methyl associated to fungicides on the control of foliar diseases in soybeanThe goal of this study was to evaluate commercial sources of phosphite and acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) followed by one fungicide application on the control of downy mildew, powdery mildew and asian soybean rust, reducing the number of fungicide applications and increasing the control spectrum of these soybean diseases. Two field experiments were carried out in Ponta Grossa, Paraná state, Brazil, during the 2006/07 and 2007/08 growing seasons. The experimental design was of randomized blocks with four replications. Treatments consisted on five sources of potassium phosphite and one of manganese (450 g P 2 O 5 ha -1 ) and ASM (12.5 g a.i. ha -1 ) sprayed at the V7 and R2 stages. Phosphite-and ASM-treated plants received one application of the fungicide piraclostrobine + epoxiconazol (66.5 + 25 g i.a. ha -1 ) at the R3 stage and were compared to plants which received two fungicide applications at the R2 and R5.1 stages, as well as to untreated plants. The use of phosphite and ASM significantly reduced the AUDPC for downy mildew. No effects were observed for powdery mildew and Asian rust. The higher number of fungicide application increased the control of biotrophic fungi under higher disease pressure.

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ABSTRACT. The toxicities of essential oils (EOs) from 18 species of Brazilian Piperaceae were assessed on eggs of the velvetbean caterpillar, Anticarsia gemmatalis. Oils were extracted using steam distillation, and dilutions were made for bioassays at concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0%. All EOs reduced larval hatching. The lowest lethal concentrations were obtained from Piper fuligineum (SP), Piper mollicomum "chemotype 1" (SP), Piper mosenii (PR), Piper aduncum (PA) and Piper marginatum (PA). Ovicidal activity is related to the potential toxicity of several compounds, especially dilapiolle, myristicin, asaricine, spathulenol and piperitone. According to our results, EOs from 16 Brazilian Piper species have potential for use as biorational botanical insecticides.

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RESUMOO conhecimento das relações entre porta-enxerto e copa é vital para produção de mudas sem problemas de compatibilidade. Nesse sentido, a atividade de peroxidases e a concentração de fenóis apresentam grande importância na união entre enxerto e portaenxerto, influenciando na resposta de compatibilidade de enxertia. Objetivou-se, neste trabalho, avaliar a compatibilidade de enxertia em mudas de pessegueiro interenxertadas, quantificando a atividade da peroxidase e a concentração dos fenóis totais em cultivares do gênero Prunus, no período de crescimento vegetativo e de repouso. Amostras da casca foram processadas e quantificadas por espectrofotometria. Os tratamentos foram a combinação de dois porta-enxertos de pessegueiro ('Okinawa' e 'Capdeboscq'), com dois interenxertos de ameixeira ('Irati' e 'Reubennel') e duas copas ('Chimarrita' e 'Coral'), mais o damasqueiro Japonês e cerejeira 'Capulin', cultivados no viveiro da Embrapa Transferência de Tecnologia, Canoinhas-SC. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente ao acaso, com três repetições e três plantas por parcela. Concluiu-se que a atividade da peroxidase e os fenóis totais apresentaram baixa variação entre o pessegueiro e a ameixeira, sendo compatíveis entre si. A atividade da peroxidase e os fenóis totais foram superiores no período de repouso das mudas. O damasqueiro e a cerejeira apresentaram alta incompatibilidade, quando enxertados sobre porta-enxertos de pessegueiro. Termos para indexação: Prunus persica, Prunus salicina, Prunus mume, Prunus serotina, incompatibilidade, interenxertia. ABSTRACTThe understanding of the biochemical relation between rootstock and scion is very important for the production of seedlings without incompatibility problems. The activity of peroxidases and the phenol concentration are very important to the union between scion and rootstock, influencing the graft compatibility. This work aimed to analyze the compatibility of graft in peach tree intergrafted seedlings, to determine the peroxidase activity and total phenols in cultivars of Prunus, during the vegetative growth and dormancy period. Samples of bark were processed and quantified by spectrophotometry. The treatments included the combination of two rootstocks ('Okinawa' and 'Capdeboscq'), two interstock (plum tree 'Irati' and 'Reubennel') and two scions ('Chimarrita' and 'Coral'), and the Japanese apricot and cherry 'Capulin' cultivated at Embrapa Technology Transfer Station, Canoinhas-SC. The experimental design was the completely randomized blocks with three replications, each one with three plants. The peroxidase activity and total phenols content presented low variation between the peach tree and the plum tree, being compatible among them. Tissues collected during the dormancy period showed greater peroxidase activity than tissues from vegetative phase. The Japanese apricot and cherry present high incompatibility when grafted on peach rootstock. INTRODUÇÃOA enxertia envolve o emprego de espécies ou de variedades diferentes, cada qual com particularidades esp...