CYANIDE ACID CONTENT IN PROGENIES FROM CROSSES OF BITTER ANDSWEET CASSAVA CULTIVARS Cassava varieties are popularly separated by taste as bitter or sweet cultivars. Roots of bitter cultivars have a high HCN content (over 100 mg HCN equivalent/kg fresh roots) and are consumed only after processing, as flour, starch and other products. Sweet cultivars have low HCN content and can be consumed without any kind of processing. With the purpose of studing the possibility of using bitter varieties in the breeding of sweet cassava varieties, crosses were made between the different types of varieties to verify the cyanogenic profile of the segregating progenies. Two sweet varieties and a bitter variety (SRT-1330 Xingu) were pollinated by a sweet variety (SRT-797 Ouro do Vale). Crosses

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Abstract-Fucus vesiculosus L. seaweeds from three estuarine stations were analyzed by X-ray fluorescence, providing results for the concentration of total K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Br, Sr, and Pb. Four different structures of the algae (base, stipe, reproductive organs, and growing tips) were analyzed to study the differential accumulation of heavy metals by different parts of Fucus. Some elements (e.g., Cu and Fe) are preferentially accumulated in the base of the algae, whereas others (e.g., As) exhibit higher concentrations in the reproductive organs and growing tips. The pattern of accumulation in different structures is similar for Cu, Zn, and Pb, but for other metals there is considerable variability in accumulation between parts of the plant. This is important in determining which structures of the plant should be used for biomonitoring. For samples collected at stations subject to differing metal loads, the relative elemental composition is approximately constant, notwithstanding significant variation in absolute values. The proportion of metals in Fucus is similar to that found in other estuaries, where metal concentrations are significantly lower. Energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence has been shown to be a suitable technique for multielement analysis in this type of sample. No chemical pretreatment is required, minimizing sample contamination. The small amount of sample required, and the wide range of elements that can be detected simultaneously make energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence a valuable tool for pollution studies.

Quarenta clones de mandioca, oriundos de diversos cruzamentos intervarietais, foram avaliados quanto à produção de raízes e outras características, em Campinas e Pindamonhangaba (SP), no período de 1981 a 1984. Originalmente, foram plantados quatro ensaios em Campinas e quatro em Pindamonhangaba, em blocos ao acaso com quatro repetições. Cada ensaio teve 13 tratamentos, dentre os quais três testemunhas comuns. Os resultados obtidos permitiram a seleção de 13 clones mais promissores, que foram novamente testados com a instalação de mais um experimento em cada localidade, utilizando a mesma metodologia. Embora nenhum clone se destacasse significativamente quanto à produção de raízes, em relação às testemunhas SRT 59 - Branca de Santa Catarina, IAC 12-829 e IAC-Mantiqueira, o IAC 576-70, oriundo do cruzamento SRT 797 - Ouro do Vale x IAC 14-18, evidenciou uma série de características favoráveis como mandioca de mesa. Assim, novo experimento foi conduzido em 1983/84, em Campinas, comparando-o com outras variedades de mesa, tendo como testemunha a SRT 454 - Guaxupé. Os resultados obtidos neste trabalho permitem concluir que o clone IAC 576-70 apresenta uma série de vantagens agronômicas e culinárias, em relação às tradicionais variedades de mesa em cultivo, como arquitetura da parte aérea, maior produtividade, razoável resistência de campo à bacteriose, bom aspecto das raízes, bom tempo de cozimento e cor amarela da polpa.

Fucus vesiculosus L. seaweeds from three estuarine stations were analyzed by X‐ray fluorescence, providing results for the concentration of total K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Br, Sr, and Pb. Four different structures of the algae (base, stipe, reproductive organs, and growing tips) were analyzed to study the differential accumulation of heavy metals by different parts of Fucus. Some elements (e.g., Cu and Fe) are preferentially accumulated in the base of the algae, whereas others (e.g., As) exhibit higher concentrations in the reproductive organs and growing tips. The pattern of accumulation in different structures is similar for Cu, Zn, and Pb, but for other metals there is considerable variability in accumulation between parts of the plant. This is important in determining which structures of the plant should be used for biomonitoring. For samples collected at stations subject to differing metal loads, the relative elemental composition is approximately constant, notwithstanding significant variation in absolute values. The proportion of metals in Fucus is similar to that found in other estuaries, where metal concentrations are significantly lower. Energy‐dispersive X‐ray fluorescence has been shown to be a suitable technique for multielement analysis in this type of sample. No chemical pretreatment is required, minimizing sample contamination. The small amount of sample required, and the wide range of elements that can be detected simultaneously make energy‐dispersive X‐ray fluorescence a valuable tool for pollution studies.

Biomonitoring studies of elements (Ti, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Br, Sr and Pb) in leaves of Nerium oleander were performed using energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The samples were collected at different locations in Lisbon, some with light and others with heavy traffic. The results were compared with those obtained for samples from the same species collected in an unpolluted region. Significant differences in the concentrations of some elements, particularly iron, titanium, zinc, strontium and lead, were found for samples from different locations. Titanium and iron concentrations had similar variations from one site to another with an almost constant ratio (TiFe z 0.2). The concentrations of lead were, as expected, higher at locations with heavier traffic.

The results of a photon microprobe study carried out on incrustations and sublimates collected at active fumaroles of the Fogo Island volcano (Cape Verde Archipelago) following the eruption of April 1995 are reported. The mineral phases studied were previously identified by X-ray powder diffraction: sulfur, sodium and potassium chlorides, calcium sulfates with variable degrees of hydration and alums (hydrated Na/K Al-sulfates). Amongst the minor and trace elements detected, P,