Chemical composition of Eucalyptus spp. essential oils and their insecticidal effects on Lutzomyia longipalpis.

The chemical composition of essential oils from three species of plants belonging to the Eucalyptus genus was determined and, their insecticidal effects on egg, larva and adult phases of Lutzomyia longipalpis were assessed. The insects were collected in the municipality of Sobral in the State of Ceará, Brazil. Five treatments with different concentrations were performed along with two negative controls, distilled water and Tween 80 (3%), and a positive control, cypermethrin (0.196mg/ml). The tests were carried out in plastic pots internally coated with sterile plaster and filled with a substrate made of rabbit feces and crushed cassava leaves. The eggs, larvae and adults were sprayed with the oils. The hatched larvae were counted for 10 consecutive days and observed until pupation. Insect mortality was observed after 24, 48 and 72h. E. staigeriana oil was the most effective on all three phases of the insect, followed by E. citriodora and E. globulus oils, respectively. The major constituents of the oils were Z-citral and alpha-citral (E. staigeriana), citronellal (E. citriodora) and 1,8-cineole (E. globulus). The Eucalyptus essential oils constitute alternative natural products for the control of L. longipalpis since the median effective concentration (EC(50)) values revealed relevant action as compared with other natural products, some of their chemical constituents are already known for their insecticidal activity and these oils are produced in commercial scale in Brazil.

Meat quality of Moxotó and Canindé goats as affected by two levels of feeding.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of reduced feed intake on Moxotó and Canindé goat, which are native breeds of semi arid area of Brazil, by analyzing the resultant meat quality. Intact male goats of both genotypes (10 animals each), weighing about 15kg, were allocated to two feeding levels (AL: feed ad libitum and FR: feed restricted to 63% of the total feed consumed by AL). Water-holding capacity and a(∗) color parameter were significantly influenced (p<0.05) by genotype. Proximate composition, cholesterol, shear force, pH, cooking loss, and sensory scores did not differ significantly (p>0.05) between genotypes. The redness of the meat of the Canindé breed was much improved in FR goats. Although, feed restriction by 37% did affect the final live weight and mean daily gain weight, it had no effect on chemical, physical, and sensory quality of Moxotó and Canindé meat.