In vitro Evaluation of PHYTOSANEB-020, A Biopesticide for the Control of Mealybug (Planococcus ficus) on Rosa multiflora and Bougainvillea spectabilis in Kimwenza-Mission

This study focused on the in vitro evaluation of the effectiveness of Phytosaneb-020, a bio-pesticide on Mealybug Planococcus ficus (Signoret) which infests Rosa multiflora (Rosa polyantha) and Bougainvillea spectabilis. Three treatments were used: Phytosaneb-020, Pacha a chemical insecticide and aqueous solution (distilled water) as a negative control. A volume of 1.5 mL for an area of ​​56.72 cm2 corresponding to the area of ​​a Petri dish, used for each treatment. Populations of Maconellicoccus hirsutus were carefully collected from bougainvillea leaves and roses. Pacha gave the highest mortality percentage for direct toxicity by contact (98.3± 2.89%) followed by Saneb-020 (93.3 ± 7.64%). The negative control, distilled water, was not effective against the insects. No death was observed (0%). The repellency effect assay revealed a repellent activity of 80% ± 20 for Saneb-20. Distilled water gave the best avoidance effect (86.7±11.6%) pointing out the fact that Mealybug Planococcus ficus doesn’t support the presence of water. Pasha exhibited low repellency effect on Mealybug Planococcus ficus (46.7±41.6%). Further investigations on different pests are strongly suggested and encouraged to improve the effectiveness of this biopesticide.

PALINOLOGIA DE PLANTAS VASCULARES DA UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL RURAL DO RIO DE JANEIRO (UFRRJ), CAMPUS SEROPÉDICA

Introdução: Palinologia é a ciência que estuda grãos de pólen e esporos de plantas atuais e fósseis preservadas em rochas e sedimentos. A partir da necessidade de estudos que fornecessem conhecimento da flora polínica da região, iniciou-se o estudo palinológico de plantas do campus Seropédica da UFRRJ e a construção de uma Palinoteca no Departamento de Solos da UFRRJ. Materiais e Métodos: Coletou-se no campus Seropédica da UFRRJ, materiais de Angiospermas e Monilófitas, sendo confeccionadas 38 exsicatas para depósito no Herbário RBR. Em laboratório, foram coletadas, com auxílio de uma lupa, esporângios e anteras para realização da acetólise padrão, sendo produzidas 81 lâminas para observação em microscopia óptica, descrição da morfologia polínica e análise morfométrica dos grãos e esporos, sendo o material utilizado para a confecção da primeira Palinoteca da UFRRJ. Resultados: Quanto à descrição polínica morfológica e morfométrica das Angiospermas observou-se que Mimosa caesalpiniifolia possui tamanho pequeno. Os Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, tanto var. rosa, vermelha e branca e Talipariti tiliaceum possuem tamanho muito grande e são apolares, Antigonon leptopus, Delonix regia, Ipomoea sp., Pachira aquatica, Stifftia chrysantha, Thevetia peruviana e a Thunbergia grandiflora, Thunbergia alata são grandes. As espécies de Thunbergia são heteropolares e as demais espécies isopolares. Para a espécie Yucca sp., foi observado padrão monocolpado, e as espécies de Thunbergia possuem colpo espiroaperturado. H. rosa-sinensis, Ipomoea e T. tiliaceum apresentam poros e superfícies equinadas, Bougainvillea spectabilis, C. fistula, Clerodendrum splendens, C. thomsoniae e Tecoma stans possui grãos tricolpados. A. leptopus, B. spectabilis, D. regia e P. aquatica possuem ornamentação reticulada, os Clerodendrum são microequinados; M. caesalpiniifolia e Yucca sp. são psilados; Murraya paniculata e S. chrysantha são estriados e T. alata é escabrada. Todos apresentam simetria radial e são mônades com exceção de M. caesalpiniifolia que é uma políade. Quanto as samambaias, observou-se perispório em Nephrolepis biserrata diferindo de Microgramma vacciniifolia, ambas são de tamanho médio, heteropolares, de lesão monolete, superfície verrucada e mônade. Conclusão: Através do estudo foi possível verificar a grande variação de características das espécies analisadas, bem como deu início a construção da primeira Palinoteca da UFRRJ.

Pharmacognostical, Phytochemical and Fluorescence analysis of the plant Bougainvillea spectabilis (Willd.)

Objective: The aim of the study is to investigate the Phytochemical, Pharmacognostical, Fluorescence analysis and heavy metal testing of the plant Bougainvillea spectabilis (WILLD.). Methods: The plant powder was extracted with different solvents such as petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, ethanol, and water. The different extracts were tested qualitatively for the identification of various phytochemical constituents. The plant powder was subjected to fluorescence analysis in daylight and in ultraviolet-light (254 nm and 365 nm) and heavy metal testing. Results: Water soluble extractive value was found to be higher than ethanol, Ethyl acetate, chloroform and petroleum ether. The total ash values were found to be higher followed by water soluble ash and acid insoluble ash. From the phytochemical screening result showed the presence of various phytochemical constituents such as alkaloid, glycoside, Carbohydrate, Flavonoids, Saponins, Terpenoids, Taninns and phytosterols. Fluorescence analysis of leaf powder of Bougainvillea spectabilis showed characteristic coloration with various chemicals. The presence of heavy metals like cobalt, mercury, nickel, silver and zinc were found negative. Conclusion: Thus the bioactive natural products in leaf extracts of Bougainvillea spectabilis can be used in the development of new pharmaceuticals that enhances therapeutic use.

Antifungal Activities of Wood and Non-Wood Kraft Handsheets Treated with Melia azedarach Extract Using SEM and HPLC Analyses

The main objective of this work was to evaluate pulp produced by kraft cooking for wood materials (WMT) (Bougainvillea spectabilis, Ficus altissima, and F. elastica) and non-wood materials (NWMT) (Sorghum bicolor and Zea mays stalks) and to study the fungal activity of handsheets treated with Melia azedarach heartwood extract (MAHE) solutions. Through the aforementioned analyses, the ideal cooking conditions were determined for each raw material based on the lignin percentage present. After cooking, pulp showed a decrease in the Kappa number produced from WMT, ranging from 16 to 17. This was in contrast with NWMT, which had Kappa numbers ranging from 31 to 35. A difference in the optical properties of the pulp produced from WMT was also observed (18 to 29%) compared with pulp produced from NWMT (32.66 to 35.35%). As for the evaluation of the mechanical properties, the tensile index of the pulp ranged from 30.5 to 40 N·m/g for WMT and from 44.33 to 47.43 N·m/g for NWMT; the tear index ranged from 1.66 to 2.55 mN·m2/g for WMT and from 4.75 to 5.87 mN·m2/g for NWMT; and the burst index ranged from 2.35 to 2.85 kPa·m2/g for WMT and from 3.92 to 4.76 kPa·m2/g for NWMT. Finally, the double fold number was 3 compared with that of pulp produced from pulp, which showed good values ranging from 36 to 55. In the SEM examination, sheets produced from treated handsheets with extract from MAHE showed no growth of Aspergillus fumigatus over paper discs manufactured from B. speclabilis pulp wood. Pulp paper produced from Z. mays and S. bicolor stalks was treated with 1% MAHE, while pulp paper from F. elastica was treated with 0.50% and 1% MAHE. With the addition of 0.5 or 1% MAHE, Fusarium culmorum showed no increase in growth over the paper manufactured from B. speclabilis, F. altissima, F. elastica and Zea mays pulps with visual inhibition zones found. There was almost no growth of S. solani in paper discs manufactured from pulps treated with 1% MAHE. This is probably due to the phytochemical compounds present in the extract. The HPLC analysis of MAHE identified p-hydroxybenzoic acid, caffeine, rutin, chlorogenic acid, benzoic acid, quinol, and quercetin as the main compounds, and these were present in concentrations of 3966.88, 1032.67, 834.13, 767.81, 660.64, 594.86, and 460.36 mg/Kg extract, respectively. Additionally, due to the importance of making paper from agricultural waste (stalks of S. bicolor and Z. mays), the development of sorghum and corn with high biomass is suggested.