Total phenolics, flavonoids, tannins and antioxidant activity of lima beans conserved in a Brazilian Genebank / Fenólicos, flavonoides, taninos totais e atividade antioxidante de fava conservada em banco de germoplasma

The objective of this study was to characterize for the first time polyphenols and DPPH (2-diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl radical) antioxidant activity in commonly cultivated accessions of Phaseolus lunatus from an ex situ germplasm collection maintained by Embrapa, in Brazil. Furthermore, the study aimed to detect changes in total polyphenols, total flavonoids and condensed tannin for the same accessions after regeneration in a greenhouse. The results showed the diversity of the lima bean collection for phenolic compounds, which were strongly correlated with antioxidant activity. Lima beans accessions with the highest polyphenols and antioxidant activity were those with colored seeds. Conservation through cold storage of P. lunatus seeds in a cold chamber in the germplasm collection did not necessarily affect phenolic compounds. Variations observed in values after regeneration seeds may be mainly results of biotic and abiotic factors, including not only cultivar, but also environmental conditions. This study suggests that polyphenols in the lima beans present antioxidant activity, with possible beneficial effects for human health. It was expected that the potential of this tasty legume can be also used as a functional food crop and/or as a new ingredient in gastronomy.

O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar, pela primeira vez, os polifenois totais e a atividade antioxidante por DPPH (2- difenil-1- picryhydrazyl radical) em acessos cultivados de Phaseolus lunatus L., provenientes de uma coleção de germoplasma mantida pela Embrapa, no Brasil, e detectar mudanças nos teores de polifenóis totais, flavonoides e taninos condensados, após a regeneração dos acessos em casa de vegetação. Os resultados mostraram a diversidade da coleção de fava para compostos fenólicos, que foram fortemente correlacionados com a atividade antioxidante. Os acessos de fava com os teores mais elevados de polifenóis e de atividade antioxidante foram aqueles com sementes coloridas. A conservação das sementes de P. lunatus na câmara fria da coleção de germoplasma não afetou, necessariamente, os polifenois, sendo que as variações após a regeneração das sementes parecem resultar principalmente de fatores bióticos e abióticos, incluindo não apenas cultivar, mas também condições ambientais. Este estudo sugeriu que os polifenóis da fava apresentam atividade antioxidante, com possíveis efeitos benéficos para a saúde humana. Esperamos que o potencial deste apetitoso legume também possa ser aplicado como alimento funcional e/ou como um novo ingrediente na gastronomia.

Potencial ornamental de acessos de pimenta / Potential for ornamental use of pepper accessions

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o potencial ornamental de dez acessos de pimenta Capsicum spp. procedentes da Coleção de Germoplasma da Universidade Federal do Piauí, Brasil. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação, no Departamento de Fitotecnia, do Centro de Ciências Agrárias, no município de Teresina, Piauí, obedecendo ao delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, com três repetições. Na caracterização morfoagronômica dos acessos, conforme orientação do Bioversity International, utilizaram-se os seguintes descritores qualitativos e quantitativos para o gênero Capsicum: forma da folha, hábito de crescimento da planta, antocianina no nó da planta, posição da flor, cor da corola, cor do fruto no estado intermediário e maduro, forma do fruto, forma do ápice do fruto, textura da epiderme do fruto, comprimento do fruto, comprimento do pedicelo, persistência do fruto maduro e altura da planta. Dentre os dez acessos avaliados, sete foram considerados com potencial ornamental: CGC-06 (C. chinense), CGC-07 (C. chinense), CGC-11 (C. annuum var. glabriusculum), CGC-23 (C. chinense), CGC-36 (C. annuum var. glabriusculum), CGC-59 (C. annuum var. glabriusculum) e CGC-67 (C. annuum var. glabriusculum). O CGC 11 apresentou estética mais harmoniosa, com flores eretas, as quais são de fácil percepção; frutos eretos e vistosos e folhas de formato lanceolado.

The objective of this research was to evaluate the potential for ornamental use of ten Capsicum spp. accessions from Germplasm Collection of Federal University of Piauí, Brazil The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse at the Department of Plant Science, Centre of Agricultural Sciences, in Teresina City, Piauí State, according to the completely randomized design, with three replications. In the morphoagronomic characterization of pepper accessions, according to Bioversity International, the following qualitative and quantitative descriptors for the Capsicum genus were used: leaf shape, plant growth habit, anthocyanin node of the plant, flower position, color of the corolla, fruit color and mature in the intermediate state, fruit shape, fruit shape of apex of the texture of the fruit skin , fruit length, length of pedicel, persistence of ripe fruit and plant height. Among the ten accessions, seven were considered with ornamental potential: CGC-06 (C. chinense), CGC-07 (C. chinense), CGC-11 (C. annuum var. glabriusculum), CGC-23 (C. chinense), CGC-36 (C. annuum var. glabriusculum), CGC-59 (C. annuum var. glabriusculum) and CGC-67 (C. annuum var. glabriusculum). The CGC 11 was the more harmonious aesthetic accession, by presenting erect flowers , which are easy to read; erect and showy fruits and lanceolate leaves format.

Development of a Brazilian maize core collection

The aim of this study was to evaluate methods for developing a Brazilian maize core collection. For an initial survey of the active collection, passport information, as well as characterization and evaluation of accessions, were taken into consideration, these then being divided according to geographic region and kernel-type. Multiple sampling methods were evaluated. The strategy of constant sampling generated extensive alterations in extract accession frequency. The multivariate strategy with dispersion graphs and principal components associated with the Tocher method was considered efficient for identifying the most divergent genotypes. The multivariate strategy generated greater alterations in the variance of traits. The average number of traits revealed few modifications with the various sampling strategies used. Therefore, the active collection could be considered as possessing a satisfactory amount of information for most of its accessions. Moreover, the multivariate strategy generated modifications in the variance of the traits, independent of sampling intensity.