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ABSTRACT: Endophytic fungi associated with medicinal plants. With the use of
medicinal plants in infusions, syrups, dyes, unguents, among other forms, it is
expected that endophytic fungi, present inside the plants but not causing
diseases, become components of these products, especially when used in
natura. In addition, endophytic fungi can produce toxic substances to the users
or even modify the plant metabolism, altering the medicinal composition and
properties, as well as the quality of the stored and commercialized product.
Therefore, the aim of this study was to isolate and identify the endophytic flora
from eleven randomly chosen medicinal species. Pure cultures were obtained
from the fungi Phomopsis, Colletotrichum, Pestalotia, Trichoderma, Fusarium,
Nigrospora and Glomerella endophytically occurring in Plectranthus barbatus,
Vernonia condensata, Pfaffia paniculata, Foeniculum vulgare, Cymbopogon
citratus, Cymbopogon nardus, Cordia curassavica, Maytenus ilicifolia, Punica
granatum, Morus nigra and Bauhinia forficata. The plant species that presented
the highest number of endophytic fungi were Vernonia condensata, Punica
granatum and Morus nigra. All fungi recovered in this study showed strictly
endophytic features, not manifesting pathogenicity in their host species. Among
the detected fungi, special attention must be given to the genus Fusarium, since
a wide range of species of this genus are known to produce mycotoxins and
constitute important post-harvest pathogens.
ABSTRACT: The Cerrado is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. In the last
35 years, more than 50% of its aproximately 2 million km2 has been
transformed into pasture and agricultural lands planted in cash crops. Cerrado
has the richest flora among the world’s savannas (>7,000 species) and high
levels of endemism. Species richness of birds, fishes, reptiles, amphibians, and
insects is equally high, whereas mammal diversity is relatively low.
Deforestation rates have been higher in the Cerrado than in the Amazon rain
forest, and conservation efforts have been modest: only 2.2% of its area is
under legal protection. Numerous animal and plant species are threatened with
extinction, and an estimated 20% of threatened and endemic species do not
occur in protected areas. Soil erosion, the degradation of the diverse Cerrado
vegetation formations, and the spread of exotic grasses are widespread and
major threats. The use of fire for clearing land and to encourage new growth for
pasture has also caused damage, even though the Cerrado is a fire-adapted
ecosystem. Ecosystem experiments and modeling show that change in land
cover is altering the hydrology and affecting carbon stocks and fluxes. Cerrado
agriculture is lucrative, and agricultural expansion is expected to continue,
requiring improvements in and the extension of the transportation infrastructure,
which will affect not only the Cerrado but also the Amazon forest. Large-scale
landscape modification and threats to numerous species have led to renewed
interest from various sectors in promoting the conservation of the Cerrado,
particularly through strengthening and enlarging the system of protected areas
and improving farming practices and thus the livelihoods of local communities.
ABSTRACT: Fungi are everywhere in nature, with about 1.5 million species,
which raise important questions in different sectors of human activity, so that
the Mycology deployed in various specialties reflected in various sectors of
knowledge and applications, products and services in development, such as
chemicals and pharmaceuticals, edible, dairy products, alcoholic drinks of all
kinds and biomedical, fungi are fundamental things for humanity. All these
processes of transformation of renewable raw materials, and production with
crops and applications of microorganisms, animals and plants, or its distinct
components comprise Biotechnology. Long before man understand the biology,
he wore biotechnology in the production of wines and breads largely due to the
properties of yeast fermentation for thousands of years, from fungi that have
played a precursor role for biotechnological applications. The biotechnology
involves several areas of knowledge and, consequently, various professionals,
being a multidisciplinary science that associated with the performance achieved
through the mycological improvement techniques to obtain new biotech
products, brought benefits to human health. Besides the industrial potential, the
fungi are directly linked to environmental recovery in both the recycling of
agricultural and agro-industrial waste as the biodegradation of materials with
economic, social and environmental performance. With the use of sources of
chemical compounds of fungal cells, much remains to be researched and
developed considering the benefits and possibilities of the new tools mentioned,
the biotechnology occupies a prominent place with the introduction of the fungi
in its processes and advances.