José Abramo Marchese

Perfil dos consumidores de plantas medicinais e condimentares do município de Pato Branco (PR)

The profile of supermarket users in Pato Branco city, Parana State, Brazil, was obtained, related to their preference for medicinal and spice plants, as a subsidy to production by small farmers. The consumers prefer organic products observing the appearance and price of the product, and they go once a week to the market, preferably on Saturdays. The ten favorite medicinal plants are Chamomilla recutita, Pimpinella anisum, Vernonia condensata, Baccharis sp., Mikania sp., Malva sp., Cunilla sp., Maytenus sp., Mentha sp. and Salvia officinalis. The ten favorite spices are: Allium cepa, Eugenia caryophyllata, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Origanum vulgaris, Allium sativum, Myristicia fragans, Capsicum annuum, Allium schoenoprasum, Anethum graveolens and Petroselinum crispum.

Estado nutricional e componentes da produção de plantas de pimentão conduzidas em sistema de fertirrigação durante indução de estresse salino em cultivo protegido

ABSTRACTNUTRITIONAL CONDITION AND YIELD COMPONENTS OF BELL PEPPER PLANTS CONDUCED INFERTIGATION SYSTEM DURING INDUCTION OF SALINE STRESS IN PROTECTED CULTIVATION The use of fertigation techniques in greenhouse is increasing in Brazil due to the facilities andreduction of the costs of production. In spite of these advantages, it is pointed out that this practice canalso bring risks, mainly for the accumulation of salts in the surface of the soil and in the peripheric rootsite of the bulb. In case of soil salinization due to incorrect handling of the system, it can happen alterationsin the disponibility of nutrients, with physiological consequences to the development of the plants. Inthis research, the bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) was used as model for studies of the interference ofthe salinity in plant nutrition and yield. The obtained results revealed some antagonism among nutrients,especially among the cationic forms due to the increase of the KCl concentration in the treatments withhigh EC. The supplying of the soil with organic matter did not attenuate the effects of the increase ofthe saline concentration and the extreme values of EC interfered drastically in the production.Key words: Capsicum annuum L., salt stress, fertigation, plant nutrition.

Carbon isotope composition as a tool to control the quality of herbs and medicinal plants

Isotope screening is a simple test for determining the photosynthetic pathway used by plants. The scope of this work was to classify the photosynthetic type of some herbs and medicinal plants through studies of the carbon isotope composition (δ13C). Also, we propose the use of carbon isotope composition as a tool to control the quality of herbs and medicinal plants. For studies of δ13C, δ13C‰ = [R (sample)/R (standard) − 1] × 10−3, dry leaves powdered in cryogenic mill were analyzed in a mass spectrometer coupled with an elemental analyzer for determining the ratio R = 13CO2/12CO2. In investigation of δ13C of 55 species, 23 botanical families, and 44 species possessed a C3 photosynthetic type. Six species found among the botanical families Euphorbiaceae and Poaceae were C4 plants, and 5 species found among the botanical families Agavaceae, Euphorbiaceae, and Liliaceae possessed CAM-type photosynthesis. Carbon isotope composition of plants can be used as quality control of herbs and medicinal plants, allowing the identification of frauds or contaminations. Also, the information about the photosynthetic type found for these plants can help in introducing and cultivating exotic and wild herbs and medicinal plants.

Carbon isotope composition and leaf anatomy as a tool to characterize the photosynthetic mechanism of Artemisia annua L.

Leaves of Artemisia annua L. are a plentiful source of artemisinin, a drug with proven effectiveness against malaria. The aim of this study was to classify the photosynthetic mechanism of A. annua through studies of the carbon isotope composition (d 13C) and the leaf anatomy. A. annua presented a d 13C value of - 31.76 ± 0.07, which characterizes the plants as a typical species of the C3 photosynthethic mechanism, considering that the average d 13C values for C3 and C4 species are -28 and -14, respectively. The leaf anatomy studies were consistent with the d 13C results, where, in spite of the existence of parenchymatic cells forming a sheath surrounding the vascular tissue, the cells do not contain chloroplasts or starch. This characteristic is clearly different from that of the Kranz anatomy found in C4 species.

Biochemical changes during the induction of mineral stress in plants of bell pepper cultivated in fertigation system

Universidade Tecnologica Federal do Parana, Laboratorio de Bioquimica e Fertilidade do Solo, Faculdade de Agronomia

Crecimiento vegetativo, producción y calidad de las fibras en plantas de algodonero sometidas a estrés mineral

espanolEl potasio asi como el nitrogeno constituyen los elementos necesarios para el crecimiento, desarrollo y produccion del cultivo del algodon. Ademas, estos elementos estan directamente relacionados con la formacion de las fibras y cuando se proporcionan en forma adecuada, garantizan la calidad de las mismas. Con el objetivo de evaluar la influencia del potasio sobre parametros biometricos, produccion y calidad de la fibra del algodon, fueron cultivadas en invernadero plantas del cultivar Delpa opal, con fertilizacion potasica alterada, simulando deficiencia (subdosis) y dos niveles de sobredosis. Durante las diferentes fases fenolo- gicas del cultivo fueron analizadas variables biometricas incluyendo la produccion de fibras y sus parametros cualitativos. Los tratamientos de subdosis de potasio y las sobredosis aplicadas alteraron todos los parametros evaluados, demostrando la importancia de la fertilizacion potasica sobre los mismos. EnglishPotassium, like nitrogen, it constitutes an essential element for growth, development and production of cotton crops. Moreover, these elements are directly related to fiber formation and when provided in suitable doses, influences its quality. The aim of the experiments was to evaluate the influence of potassium on biometric parameters, yield and quality of cotton fibers. For this purpose, plants of the cultivar Delta opal were grown in a greenhouse with altered potassium fertilization, simulating K deficiency and two overdoses. During the different phenological stages, biometric variables were analyzed including the production of fibers and their qualitative parameters. The sub-dose and the overdoses treatments of K, changed all the evaluated parameters, demonstrating the importance of potassium fertilizer on them.