A site suitability analysis for castor (Ricinus communis L.) production during Brazil's second harvest incorporating disease prediction.

Castor (Ricinus communis L.) is an important industrial crop with a wide range of industrial and pharmaceutical applications. Brazil is among the largest castor-producing countries. Between 2004 and 2010, castor cultivation was stimulated with an emphasis towards biodiesel production. However, this was not enough to leverage the production of castor in Brazil, mainly due to the lack of structured trade and the competition with other cheaper raw materials for the production of biodiesel. Despite this failure, the species presents itself as an excellent alternative for crop rotation in the second crop among soybean, corn, beans, and cotton cultivation areas as the oil is highly valuable for other products. Moreover, it has drawn the attention of producers and researchers in Brazil for this potential rotation as it is considered a plant tolerant of water-deficiency and is highly susceptible to gray mold, a disease favored by high humidity in the final stages of the crop. For instance, its cultivation in the second crop in Cerrado regions, where rains occur in the early stages of the crop and cease when the plants reach the final stage of production, has been successful and shows great promise. The current study aimed to evaluate the suitability of environments throughout Brazil to grow castor, incorporating variables associated with the incidence of gray mold and confirm these findings based on existing castor trial data obtained from the literature. The site suitability analysis determined that 74.99 million hectares - 8.8% of Brazilian territory - are highly suitable for castor production during second harvest, mostly located in the Northeastern and Midwestern regions. These results are surprising since Brazil currently has around 7.8% (∼66.81 million hectares) of its territory occupied with agriculture (grains, fruits, vegetables, and perennial crops). The findings of this study provide a method to perform site suitability for crops using data associated with agronomic and disease characteristics, as is the case with gray mold that often results in significant losses in castor production. Also, this analysis provides evidence for the great potential of Brazil to increase castor production and meet the world demand for its oil through utilization of second-crop cultivation.

The Complete Chloroplast Genome of Plukenetia volubilis Provides Insights Into the Organelle Inheritance.

Plukenetia volubilis L. (Malpighiales: Euphorbiaceae), also known as Sacha inchi, is considered a promising crop due to its high seed content of unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), all of them highly valuable for food and cosmetic industries, but the genetic basis of oil biosynthesis of this non-model plant is still insufficient. Here, we sequenced the total DNA of Sacha inchi by using Illumina and Nanopore technologies and approached a de novo reconstruction of the whole nucleotide sequence and the organization of its 164,111 bp length of the chloroplast genome, displaying two copies of an inverted repeat sequence [inverted repeat A (IRA) and inverted repeat B (IRB)] of 28,209 bp, each one separating a small single copy (SSC) region of 17,860 bp and a large single copy (LSC) region of 89,833 bp. We detected two large inversions on the chloroplast genome that were not presented in the previously reported sequence and studied a promising cpDNA marker, useful in phylogenetic approaches. This chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) marker was used on a set of five distinct Colombian cultivars of P. volubilis from different geographical locations to reveal their phylogenetic relationships. Thus, we evaluated if it has enough resolution to genotype cultivars, intending to crossbreed parents and following marker's trace down to the F1 generation. We finally elucidated, by using molecular and cytological methods on cut flower buds, that the inheritance mode of P. volubilis cpDNA is maternally transmitted and proposed that it occurs as long as it is physically excluded during pollen development. This de novo chloroplast genome will provide a valuable resource for studying this promising crop, allowing the determination of the organellar inheritance mechanism of some critical phenotypic traits and enabling the use of genetic engineering in breeding programs to develop new varieties.

Direct in vitro regeneration of castor bean plants (Ricinus communis) using epicotyls / Regeneração direta in-vitro de plantas de mamona ( Ricinus communis ) usando epicótilos

A regeneration protocol for castor bean plant (Ricinus communis) was successfully developed using epicotyl sections obtained from in vitro seedlings. The maximum number of induced shoots (4.3 shoots/explant) and highest shoots frequency (75,56%) was obtained in WPM medium supplemented with TDZ (1 mg/L) and zeatin (0.5 mg/L), whereas the minimum number (0.8 shoots/explant) and lowest shoots frequency (37,78%) was obtained in medium containing TDZ (1 mg/L) and BAP (0.5 mg/L). The highest percentage of rooting (93.3%) was obtained in a medium containing IBA (1 mg/L). These plants were transplanted in a mesh house and achieved a high adaptability to acclimatization, reaching 77% survival. On the other hand, the maximum elongation (height) during this stage was 7.9 cm in plants supplemented with WPM nutrients, whereas it was only 4.38 cm in control plants

Foi desenvolvido com sucesso um protocolo de regeneração para a planta de Mamona (Ricinus communis) utilizando seções de epicótilos, obtidas a partir de mudas in vitro. O número máximo de brotações induzidas (4.3 brotos/explante), assim como a maior frequência de brotações (75,56%), foi obtido em meio WPM suplementado com TDZ (1 mg/L) e zeatina (0,5 mg/L). Enquanto que o número mínimo (0,8 brotos/explante), como a menor freqüência de rebentos (37,78%), foi obtido em meio contendo TDZ (1 mg/L) e BAP (0,5 mg/L). Adicionalmente, a maior percentagem de enraizamento (93,3%) foi obtida em um meio contendo IBA (1 mg/L). Depois da regeneração, as plantas foram transplantadas em casa de vegetação e conseguiram uma alta adaptabilidade e aclimatização, atingindo 77% de sobrevivência. Por outro lado, oalongamento máximo (altura) durante este estágio foi de 7,9 cm em plantas suplementadas com nutrientes de WPM, enquanto as plantas de controle presentaram apenas 4,38 cm

Development and application of KASP marker for high throughput detection of AhFAD2 mutation in peanut

Background: Cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a major oilseed crop worldwide. Fatty acid composition of peanut oil may affect the flavor and shelf life of the resulting food products. Oleic acid and linoleic acid are the major fatty acids of peanut oil. The conversion from oleic acid to linoleic acid is controlled by theΔ12 fatty acid desaturase (FAD) encoded byAhFAD2AandAhFAD2B, two homoeologous genes from A and B subgenomes, respectively. One nucleotide substitution (G:C→A:T) ofAhFAD2Aand an "A" insertion ofAhFAD2Bresulted in high-oleic acid phenotype. Detection ofAhFAD2mutation had been achieved by cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS), real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR). However, a low cost, high throughput and high specific method is still required to detectAhFAD2genotype of large number of seeds. Kompetitive allele specific PCR (KASP) can detect both alleles in a single reaction. The aim of this work is to develop KASP for detectionAhFAD2genotype of large number of breeding materials. Results: Here, we developed a KASP method to detect the genotypes of progenies between high oleic acid peanut and common peanut. Validation was carried out by CAPS analysis. The results from KASP assay and CAPS analysis were consistent. The genotype of 18 out of 179 BC4F2seeds was aabb. Conclusions: Due to high accuracy, time saving, high throughput feature and low cost, KASP is more suitable fordeterminingAhFAD2genotype than other methods.

First Record of Euphoria lurida Fabricius (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Injurious to Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) (Asterales: Asteraceae) in Brazil.

We present the first report on Euphoria lurida (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) infestation on safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.), a crop of industrial and medicinal importance. Between September and October 2013-2015 in Paraná State, we observed E. lurida adults feeding on safflower plants from the inception of flower head formation onwards, over an area of approximately 400 m2. Losses in the productivity of infested plants were estimated between 15 and 50%. The damage was characterized by perforations in the upper portion and at the base of the developing flower heads or open flowers, resulting in withering and abortion of the reproductive structures.

Seasonal variation of nutrient content in the foliage of jatropha curcas / Variação sazonal dos teores de nutrientes nas folhas de pinhão-manso

Physic nut (Jatropha curcas) is a perennial crop cultivated for the production of oil. Achieving high productivity depends on a profound knowledge of nutritional demand and the appropriate time for fertilization. This study aimed to register the seasonal variation of content of nutrients in leaf and to determine the most suitable time for performing analysis of leaf. For the study, treatments were defined as a factorial combination of 10 months (February, March, April, May, June, August, September, October, November and December) and two provenances of leaf tissues (tissues originating from vegetative branches and coming from fruiting terminals). A completely randomized design was used with four replications and two plants were sampled each time. Foliar concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn showed a wide variation between leaf shedding period through bloom and fruit filling, but the variation was narrow in the period before the leaf shedding phase or the phase of physiological rest. Therefore, the most appropriate time to assess the nutritional status of plants of Jatropha is at the end of the reproductive period during the 30 days preceeding leaf shedding.(AU)

O pinhão-manso (Jathopha curcas L.) é uma planta perene cultivada para a produção de óleo. A obtenção de alta produtividade depende do conhecimento das necessidades nutricionais e da época mais apropriada para a adubação das plantas. Este trabalho objetivou registrar a variação sazonal dos teores foliares de nutrientes visando determinar a época mais adequada para realização da análise foliar de plantas de pinhão-manso. Para o estudo definiu-se como tratamentos uma combinação fatorial de 10 meses do ano (fevereiro, março, abril, maio, junho, agosto, setembro, outubro, novembro e dezembro) e duas procedências dos tecidos foliares (tecidos foliares procedentes de ramos vegetativos e tecido foliar procedente de ramos frutíferos). O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado com quatro repetições e duas plantas por amostragem. Os teores foliares de N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Cu, Fe, Mn e Zn apresentaram muita variação entre os períodos de descanso fisiológico, florescimento e intenso enchimento de frutos, mas a variação foi menor na fase que antecede o início do descanso fisiológico. A época mais adequada para avaliar o estado nutricional de plantas de pinhão-manso é no final do período reprodutivo, nos 30 dias que antecedem a queda das folhas.(AU)

Seasonal variation of nutrient content in the foliage of jatropha curcas / Variação sazonal dos teores de nutrientes nas folhas de pinhão-manso

Physic nut (Jatropha curcas) is a perennial crop cultivated for the production of oil. Achieving high productivity depends on a profound knowledge of nutritional demand and the appropriate time for fertilization. This study aimed to register the seasonal variation of content of nutrients in leaf and to determine the most suitable time for performing analysis of leaf. For the study, treatments were defined as a factorial combination of 10 months (February, March, April, May, June, August, September, October, November and December) and two provenances of leaf tissues (tissues originating from vegetative branches and coming from fruiting terminals). A completely randomized design was used with four replications and two plants were sampled each time. Foliar concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn showed a wide variation between leaf shedding period through bloom and fruit filling, but the variation was narrow in the period before the leaf shedding phase or the phase of physiological rest. Therefore, the most appropriate time to assess the nutritional status of plants of Jatropha is at the end of the reproductive period during the 30 days preceeding leaf shedding.

O pinhão-manso (Jathopha curcas L.) é uma planta perene cultivada para a produção de óleo. A obtenção de alta produtividade depende do conhecimento das necessidades nutricionais e da época mais apropriada para a adubação das plantas. Este trabalho objetivou registrar a variação sazonal dos teores foliares de nutrientes visando determinar a época mais adequada para realização da análise foliar de plantas de pinhão-manso. Para o estudo definiu-se como tratamentos uma combinação fatorial de 10 meses do ano (fevereiro, março, abril, maio, junho, agosto, setembro, outubro, novembro e dezembro) e duas procedências dos tecidos foliares (tecidos foliares procedentes de ramos vegetativos e tecido foliar procedente de ramos frutíferos). O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado com quatro repetições e duas plantas por amostragem. Os teores foliares de N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Cu, Fe, Mn e Zn apresentaram muita variação entre os períodos de descanso fisiológico, florescimento e intenso enchimento de frutos, mas a variação foi menor na fase que antecede o início do descanso fisiológico. A época mais adequada para avaliar o estado nutricional de plantas de pinhão-manso é no final do período reprodutivo, nos 30 dias que antecedem a queda das folhas.