Insecticidal and repellent activity of the essential oil of Cinnamomum camphora var. linaloolifera Y. Fujita (Ho-Sho) and Cinnamomum camphora (L. ) J Presl. var. hosyo (Hon-Sho) on Sitophilus zeamaisMots. (Coleoptera, Curculionedae) / Atividade inseticida e repelente do óleo essencial de Cinnamomum camphora var. linalooliferaY. Fujita (Ho-Sho) e Cinnamomum camphora (L. ) J Presl. var. hosyo (Hon-Sho) sobre Sitophilus zeamais Mots. (Coleoptera, Curculionedae).

ABSTRACT: The aim of this work was to evaluate the insecticidal and repellency activity of the essential oil of Cinnamomum camphora var. linaloolifera Y. Fujita (Ho-Sho) and Cinnamomum camphora (L.) J Presl.var. hosyo (Hon-Sho), against the Sitophilus zeamais in maize grains. The essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-MS.The insecticidal activity was determined by the toxicity of different concentrations of essential oils during 24 hours of contact with the insects, in the absence of feed substrate. The Bioassays of repellency were conducted with lethal doses (LD50,LD25,and LD12.5) obtained from insecticidal bioassay. In order to compare the treatments the preference index (PI) was employed. The analysis of the essential oils of Cinnamomum camphora leaves indicated 68% of camphor and 9% of linalool for the variation Hon-Sho and 95% of linalool to the variation Ho-Sho. The variation Ho-Sho presented greatest insecticidal activity than the variation Hon-Sho against the Sitophilus zeamais, with LD50 of 0.35 µL/cm2, whereas in the variation Hon-Sho the ratewas 0.48 µL/cm2. However, considering only the concentrations of linalool and camphor of Ho-Sho and Hon-Sho, the lethal doses' evaluation of these compounds were similar. The values of the preference index ranged from -0.3 to -0.8 for thevariation Ho-Sho and -0.2 to -0.7 for the variation Hon-Sho. The essential oils evaluated in this work showed repellent activity against Sitophiluszeamais in vitro and in trials performed in mini-silos

RESUMO: Atividade inseticida e repelente do óleo essencial de Cinnamomum camphora var. linaloolifera Y. Fujita (Ho-Sho) e Cinnamomum camphora (L.) J Presl. var. hosyo (Hon-Sho) sobre Sitophilus zeamais Mots. (Coleoptera, Curculionedae). O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a atividade inseticida e de repelência dos óleos essenciais de Cinnamomum camphora var. linaloolifera Y. Fujita (Ho-Sho) e Cinnamomum camphora (L.) J Presl. var. hosyo (Hon-Sho) contra Sitophilus zeamais em grãos de milho. Os óleos essenciais foram obtidos por hidrodestilação e analisados por CG-EM. A atividade inseticida foi determinada pela toxicidade de diferentes concentrações dos óleos essenciais durante 24 horas de contato com os insetos, na ausência de substrato alimentar. Os bioensaios de repelência foram realizados com as doses letais (DL50, DL25, e DL12,5) obtidas do bioensaio inseticida. Para comparar os tratamentos foi utilizado o índice de preferência (PI). A análise de óleos essenciais de folhas de Cinnamomum camphora indicou a presença de 68% de cânfora e 9% de linalol na var. Hon-Sho e de 95% de linalol na var. Ho-Sho. A var. Ho-Sho apresentou maior toxicidade que var. Hon-Sho contra Sitophilus zeamais, com DL50 de 0,35 µL/cm2,enquanto que na var. Hon-Sho foi de 0,48 µL/cm2. No entanto, considerando apenas as concentrações de linalol e cânfora de Ho-Sho e Hon-Sho, a avaliação das doses letais destes compostos foram semelhantes. Os valores do índice de preferência variaram de -0,3 a -0,8 para a var. Ho-Sho e -0,2 para -0,7 para a var. Hon-Sho. Os óleos essenciais avaliados neste trabalho apresentaram atividade repelente contra Sitophilus zeamais in vitro e em experimentos realizados em mini-silos

Effect of different liming levels on the biomass production and essential oil extraction yield of Cunila galioides Benth.

Poejo is an aromatic and medicinal plant native to highland areas of south Brazil, in acid soils with high Al3+ concentration. The main objective of the present work was to evaluate the effect of liming on the extraction yield of essential oil of three chemotypes of poejo (Cunila galioides Benth). For this purpose, the experiments were performed in a greenhouse, using 8-litre pots. The treatments were four dosages of limestone (0, 3.15, 12.5, and 25 g.L(-1)) and a completely random experimental design was used, with four replications and three chemotypes, set up in a 3 × 4 factorial arrangement. The parameters evaluated were dry weight of aerial parts, essential oil content and chemical composition of essential oil. Results showed that liming affects the biomass production, essential oil yield and chemical composition, with cross interaction verified between chemotype and limestone dosage. For the higher dosage lower biomass production, lower yield of essential oil as well as the lowest content of citral (citral chemotype) and limonene (menthene chemotype) was observed. In the ocimene chemotype, no liming influence was observed on the essential oil yield and on the content of major compounds. The dosage of 3.15 g.L(-1) can be considered the best limestone dosage for the production of poejo for the experimental conditions evaluated.

Use of palmae wax hydrocarbon fractions as chemotaxonomical markers in Butia and Syagrus.

The wax hydrocarbon fractions of native Butia and Syagrus species collected from Palms in different regions of the of Rio Grande do Sul state (Brazil) and in Rocha (Uruguay) were analyzed to evaluate their potential as chemotaxonomic markers. The wax was extracted with chloroform and the resulting wax was fractionated by preparative TLC. The hydrocarbon fractions were analyzed by GC-MS. Statistical analyses were completed with the Statistica 5.0 program. The total crude wax yields averaged 0.31% w.w-1 dried leaves for Butia samples and 0.28% for Syagrus samples. The linear hydrocarbons represented on average 15% of the total waxes in the case of Butia samples and 13.7% in Syagrus samples. Hentriacontane and triacontane were the main components of all samples. The comparison of the means showed significant differences among Butia and Syagrus samples, and amongst Butia samples collected in different localities. In the case of the Syagrus collections no consistent groupings could be made. In the case of Butia samples the formation of three groupings could be observed, which were consistent with the species described for their geographical distribution. These results are discussed in the paper.

Use of palmae wax hydrocarbon fractions as chemotaxonomical markers in Butia and Syagrus / Uso de frações de hidrocarbonetos de palmeiras como marcadores quimiotaxonômicos em Butia e Syagrus

The wax hydrocarbon fractions of native Butia and Syagrus species collected from Palms in different regions of the of Rio Grande do Sul state (Brazil) and in Rocha (Uruguay) were analyzed to evaluate their potential as chemotaxonomic markers. The wax was extracted with chloroform and the resulting wax was fractionated by preparative TLC. The hydrocarbon fractions were analyzed by GC-MS. Statistical analyses were completed with the Statistica 5.0 program. The total crude wax yields averaged 0.31% w.w–1 dried leaves for Butia samples and 0.28% for Syagrus samples. The linear hydrocarbons represented on average 15% of the total waxes in the case of Butia samples and 13.7% in Syagrus samples. Hentriacontane and triacontane were the main components of all samples. The comparison of the means showed significant differences among Butia and Syagrus samples, and amongst Butia samples collected in different localities. In the case of the Syagrus collections no consistent groupings could be made. In the case of Butia samples the formation of three groupings could be observed, which were consistent with the species described for their geographical distribution. These results are discussed in the paper.

Frações de hidrocarbonetos das ceras de espécies nativas de Butia e Syagrus coletadas de palmeiras em diferentes regiões do Rio Grande do Sul (Brasil) e em Rocha (Uruguai) foram analisadas para avaliar o seu potencial como marcadores quiomiotaxonômicos. As ceras foram extraídas com clorofórmio e fracionadas por TLC preparativo. As frações de hidrocarbonetos foram analisadas por CG-EM. As análises estatísticas foram realizadas com auxílio do programa Statistica 5.0. O rendimento total de cera das folhas secas foi de 0,31% g.g–1 para as amostras de Butia e de 0,28% para Syagrus. Os hidrocarbonetos lineares representaram em média 15 e 13% do total das ceras para Butia e Syagrus, respectivamente. Hentriacontano e triacontano foram os compostos majoritários em todas as amostras. A comparação de médias mostrou diferenças significativas entre as amostras de Butia e Syagrus e entre as amostras de Butia coletadas em diferentes localidades. As amostras de Syagrus não formaram agrupamentos relacionados com os locais de coleta. Já no caso de Butia, três agrupamentos puderam ser observados e são consistentes com a distribuição geográfica desta espécie. Estes resultados são discutidos no trabalho.

Análise de taninos totais em plantas aromáticas e medicinais cultivadas no Nordeste do Rio Grande do Sul / Determination of tannin total content in aromatic and medicinal plants cultivated in Northern Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil

Os taninos são componentes polifenólicos encontrados em plantas, alimentos e bebidas, sendo utilizados como fonte de matéria-prima para várias indústrias, como por exemplo a farmacêutica e a alimentícia, no curtimento do couro, na produção de borrachas, no tratamento de água em barragens, entre outras. Em vista da importância deste grupo de compostos, algumas plantas aromáticas e medicinais cultivadas no Núcleo Agronômico do Instituto de Biotecnologia da Universidade de Caxias dos Sul foram avaliadas quanto ao teor de taninos totais: Angelica archangelica , Cinnamomun camphora var. linaloolifera fugita , Cymbopogon citratus, Lavandula dentata , Lippia alba, Rosmarinus officinalis e Thymus vulgaris, e esses foram comparados com o teor de taninos totais da Acacia mearnsii (acácia negra), planta utilizada para a extração de taninos. O processo de extração empregado foi a maceração com metanol e a quantificação foi realizada por espectrofotometria, utilizando-se o reagente de Folin Denis. A partir da curva de calibração ( por cento equivalente ao ácido tânico) foram obtidos os teores de taninos totais, que variaram de 0,01 por cento para Cymbopogom citratus a 18,9 por cento para Lippia alba.

Tannins are polyphenolic compounds present in plants which are also found in foods and beverages. They are specially used by pharmaceutical, food, leather and rubber industries, and also for water treatment. Considering the significance of this group of compounds, several of aromatic and medicinal plants cultivated in Northern Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, were tested for their total tannin content. Angelica archangelica , Cinnamomun camphora var. linaloolifera fugita , Cymbopogon citratus, Lavandula dentata , Lippia alba, Rosmarinus officinalis and Thymus vulgaris were analysed and compared with Acacia mearnsii (black wattle) which is industrially used for tannin extraction. The extraction procedure was made by macerating the plants in methanol, and the quantification was done using Folin Denis reagent and spectrophotometry. By using a calibration curve ( percent tannic acid equivalent) the total tannin contents range from 0.01 percent ( Cymbopogom citratus ) to 18.9 percent ( Lippia alba ).

Correlation between the chemical and genetic relationships among commercial thyme cultivars.

The essential oil composition and genetic variability of six commercial cultivars of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), a Mediterranean medicinal and aromatic plant, were analyzed by GC-MS and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), respectively. All evaluated cultivars belong to the thymol chemotype, with differences in the concentrations of thymol, gamma-terpinene, p-cymene, and other minor components. The comparison of the oil components concentration by multivariate analysis allowed separation of the cultivars into two groups. All of the cultivars exhibited characteristic RAPD patterns that allowed their identification. On the basis of the RAPD patterns, the cultivars could be divided into two clusters, which coincides with results obtained by oil GS-MS analysis, with a correlation coefficient of -0.779.