Brazil nuts are subject to infection with B and G aflatoxin-producing fungus, Aspergillus pseudonomius.

The exploitation of the Brazil nut is one of the most important activities of the extractive communities of the Amazon rainforest. However, its commercialization can be affected by the presence of aflatoxins produced by fungi, namely Aspergillus section Flavi. In the present study, we investigated a collection of Aspergillus nomius strains isolated from Brazil nuts using different approaches, including morphological characters, RAPD and AFLP profiles, partial ß-tubulin and calmodulin nucleotide sequences, aflatoxin patterns, as well as tolerance to low water activity in cultured media. Results showed that most of the isolates do belong to A. nomius species, but a few were re-identified as Aspergillus pseudonomius, a very recently described species. The results of the analyses of molecular variance, as well as the high pairwise FST values between A. nomius and A. pseudonomius suggested the isolation between these two species and the inexistence of gene flow. Fixed interspecific nucleotide polymorphisms at ß-tubulin and calmodulin loci are presented. All A. pseudonomius strains analyzed produced aflatoxins AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2. This study contains the first-ever report on the occurrence in Brazil nuts of A. pseudonomius. The G-type aflatoxins and the mycotoxin tenuazonic acid are reported here for the first time in A. pseudonomius.

Capacidade combinatória e heterose em populações de milho crioulo / Combining ability and heterosis in maize landraces

As populações de milho crioulo são importantes patrimônios genéticos e fontes de genes de tolerância/resistência a estresses que necessitam ser adequadamente caracterizadas quanto ao potencial para o melhoramento. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram determinar o potencial genético individual e em cruzamentos de populações crioulas e identificar materiais para a seleção intrapopulacional e a síntese de compostos em dois locais. Na safra 2000/01, foram avaliadas 31 populações per se, 31 cruzamentos top-crosses intragrupo e dois híbridos em látices 8x8, com cinco e quatro repetições nas cidades de Palmeira e Londrina, Paraná, Brasil, respectivamente. As populações apresentaram comportamento diferenciado nos locais, mas BR 106, Cabo Roxo, Palha Roxa, Ouro Verde e Comum Antigo x Sabugo Fino apresentaram as melhores médias de produtividade em ambos locais, não diferindo estatisticamente das testemunhas (AG1051 e C125). Os efeitos de heterose média foram significativos para produtividade, altura de planta, posição relativa da espiga e porcentagem de acamamento, sem interação com locais. Os cruzamentos produziram cerca de 10,2 por cento (Palmeira) a 8,5 por cento (Londrina) a mais que as mesmas populações per se. As populações Palha Roxa, Milho Sem Nome, Pintado e Comum Antigo x Sabugo Fino apresentaram as maiores estimativas de capacidade geral de combinação para produtividade e participaram das melhores predições de médias para síntese de compostos.

Maize landraces are an important genetic patrimony and gene sources of tolerance/resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, which should be characterized in relation to the breeding potential. The aims of this study were to determine the landraces potential per se and in crosses; to identify genetic materials for intrapopulation selection and composites synthesis in two places. In 2000/01, thirty one populations per se, thirty one top-crosses intragroup and two hibrids were evaluated using an 8x8 lattice, with five and four replications in Palmeira and Londrina, Paraná, Brazil, respectively. The results of the populations per se showed different performances for each local, but BR 106, Cabo Roxo, Palha Roxa, Ouro Verde e Comum Antigo x Sabugo Fino showed higher grain yield means in both places, that did not differ significantly to the means of the commercial checks (AG1051 and C125). The average heterosis effects were significant for grain yield, plant height, ear placement and root lodging percentage, without local interactions. The top-crosses produced 10.2 percent (Palmeira) and 8.5 percent (Londrina) more than the same populations per se. The populations Palha Roxa; Milho Sem Nome; Pintado e Comum Antigo x Sabugo Fino showed the highest effects of general combining ability for grain yield and took part in the better composite predictions.

Genetic variation in the cuticle-degrading protease activity of the entomopathogen Metarhizium flavoviride

Extracellular proteases have been shown to be factors of virulence in fungal entomopathogenicity. We examined the production of the cuticle-degrading extracellular proteases chymoelastase (Pr1) and trypsin (Pr2) in isolates of the fungus Metarhizium flavoviride. Fungal growth was in a mineral medium (MM) containing nitrate, and in MM supplemented with either cuticle from Rhammatocerus schistocercoides or with the non-cuticular substrate casein. The substrates used for growth influenced the expression of both analyzed proteases, the highest protease activities of nearly all isolates having been observed in the medium containing insect cuticle, with more Pr1 than Pr2 being produced. There was a natural variability in the production of cuticle-degrading proteases among isolates, although this was less evident for Pr2. Our data support the hypothesis that the production of Pr1 on insect cuticle is a useful characteristic for the analysis of intraspecific variability of M. flavoviride isolates