Paulo Pedro da Silva

Genetic similarity among genotypes of sugarcane estimated by SSR and coefficient of parentage

The aim of this study was to analyze the genetic similarity in commercial cultivars of sugarcane from the breeding program cultivars RB (Republic of Brazil), using SSR markers and coefficient of parentage. Eighteen microsatellite markers were used to estimate genetic similarity in 30 genotypes and coefficient of parentage was estimated in 28 accessions. Eighteen primer pairs produced an average of 3.2 alleles, the level of polymorphism (PIC value) ranged from 0.34 to 0.78 in SMC248CG and SCC2 primers, respectively. The parentage coefficient was high among cultivars, with a mean of 0.14, suggesting high relationship among the cultivars. The results here suggest that to analyzed accessions, there is a high genetic similarity which could reduce the genetic gain in breeding. However, crosses among genotypes of sugarcane produce a high variability in the progenies, suggesting a combination between the genomes of species that originated the current cultivars.

Mortalidade de larvas de Plutella xylostella tratadas com extratos etanólicos de Aspidosperma pyrifolium

The objective of this work was to assess the effects of Aspidosperma pyrifolium ethanol extracts on cabbage moth (Plutella xylostella) larvae. The ethanol extracts of the stem bark, fruits and roots of A. pyrifolium were obtained by classical phytochemical methods, and the resulting subfractions were tested on P. xylostella, using 4 and 5 mg L-1. The crude ethanol extract of the stem bark was more lethal. The alkaloid-rich aqueous subfraction derived from the stem bark extract caused 100% larval mortality at 4 mg L-1. Insecticidal activity was associated with the presence of the monoterpenoid indole alkaloids aspidofractinine, 15-demethoxypyrifoline, and N-formylaspidofractinine. These alkaloids presented excellent insecticidal properties against P. xylostella.