Global interest in sugarcane has increased significantly in recent years due to its economic impact on sustainable energy production. Sugarcane breeding and better agronomic practices have contributed to a huge increase in sugarcane yield in the last 30 years. Additional increases in sugarcane yield are expected to result from the use of biotechnology tools in the near future. Genetically modified (GM) sugarcane that incorporates genes to increase resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses could play a major role in achieving this goal. However, to bring GM sugarcane to the market, it is necessary to follow a regulatory process that will evaluate the environmental and health impacts of this crop. The regulatory review process is usually accomplished through a comparison of the biology and composition of the GM cultivar and a non-GM counterpart. This review intends to provide information on non-GM sugarcane biology, genetics, breeding, agronomic management, processing, products and byproducts, as well as the current technologies used to develop GM sugarcane, with the aim of assisting regulators in the decision-making process regarding the commercial release of GM sugarcane cultivars.

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Arecaceae Schultz-Sch. (Palmae Juss.), a member of the monocotyledon group, is considered one of the oldest extant angiosperm families on Earth. This family is highly valuable because of its species diversity, its occurrence in a wide range of habitats, and its status as an integral part of the culture and the family-based economy of many traditional and nontraditional communities. The main objectives of this study were to perform an ethnobotanical study involving these palms and a “Quilombola” (Maroon) community in the municipality of Cavalcante, GO, Brazil. The variables gender, age, and formal schooling had no influence on the number of species recognized and used by the Kalungas. Ethnobotanical studies based on traditional knowledge in addition to use and management of palms are fundamental aspects for planning and appliance of public policies directed to the use of natural resources and improvement of life quality.

A subfamília Bambusoideae é caracterizada pelas seguintes sinapomorfias: plantas perenes (raro anuais), hábito rizomatoso, ramificação simples ou complexa, folhas pseudopecioladas, mesofilo com células invaginantes fortemente assimétricas, associadas a células fusóides e células buliformes, tricomas bicelulares (micropelos) alongados, com paredes delgadas (Judziewicz et al. 1999), folhas embrionárias com margens que se sobrepõem, plântula sem a primeira folha (Stevens 2012).A subfamília reune três clados, correspondendo às tribos Olyreae (bambus herbáceos), Bambuseae (bambus lignificados) e Arundinarieae (bambus

A National Forest Inventory (NFI) encompassing the entire territory of Brazil is in progress. It is coordinated and promoted by the Brazilian Forest Service of the Ministry of Environment. In each state, the NFI collaborates with local herbaria by receiving collected plant material and performing species identification. Consultants are hired by the NFI and work at the local herbaria under the supervision of a curator. In exchange for curatorial assistance, the NFI provides equipment and consumables for the herbarium. Other public projects collaborating with NFI are Reflora and the Brazilian Biodiversity Information System (SiBBr). Both projects have online platforms that seek to connect herbaria and make all their data freely available, including high quality digital images of specimens. Through inter-institutional collaboration, the joint interests of NFI, Reflora, SiBBr and local herbaria have improved collections, expanded the online Reflora database, and provided the NFI with verified species lists. These strategic uses of public funding are positively affecting Botany, particularly during a period of economic crisis and cuts in research. Here, we illustrate the increase in floristic knowledge through the improvement of a herbarium collection in Rio Grande do Norte (RN) – the Brazilian state with the lowest levels of plant richness. We report 71 new occurrences of vascular plants for RN, belonging mainly to the Poaceae, Fabaceae and Malvaceae. Most of the species with new occurrences have a Neotropical distribution (21 spp.) and only seven are restricted to the Brazilian Northeast. Our findings highlight previous gaps in RN’s floristic knowledge. The partnership NFI, Reflora, SiBBr and the UFRN herbarium improved herbarium curation, digital collection, and quality of data. Finally, a fellowship provided by Reflora and SiBBr allowed improving curation by distributing duplicates and incorporating the Herbarium of Câmara Cascudo Museum.