The effects of varying inoculum age and production scale upon the morphology and viability of Streptomyces clavuligerus were studied by analyzing visible and fluorescent light images acquired throughout pilot-plant and pre-industrial scale fermentations. Changes in production scale reveal that in 5 m(3) fermentors, the maximum hyphal area obtained is double the value obtained in 0.5 m(3) fermentors. It is probably due to the higher shear stresses acting upon hyphae in the 0.5 m(3) fermentor caused by higher tip speeds observed in these. The morphological quantification based on elongation and branching rates allowed fermentations to be pattern classified into distinct physiological time zones namely elongation, branching, fragmentation, etc. The general pattern observed for fermentations inoculated with late exponential phase inocula was similar to the pattern of fermentations run with stationary phase inocula except that both the elongation and branching periods started earlier in the former case. Using the available staining technique and image acquisition system, the viability seemed to be generally high and constant throughout the time course of all the studied fermentations.

Rollinia rugulosa Schl. (Annonaceae) é uma espécie nativa brasileira que produz frutos comestíveis atraindo a fauna local, sendo indicada para reflorestamentos ambientais. A produção de mudas via sementes apresenta dificuldades. Para investigar sua propagação via estaquia, foram realizadas coletas de ramos semilenhosos de árvores nativas adultas localizadas em Colombo - PR, nas quatro estações do ano, a partir de março de 2000. As estacas foram submetidas aos seguintes tratamentos com ácido indol butírico (AIB) e ácido naftaleno acético (ANA): 2000 mg.L-1 AIB, 4000 mg.L-1 AIB, 6000 mg.L-1 AIB, 2000 mg.L-1 ANA, 4000 mg.L-1 ANA, 6000 mg.L-1 ANA, 2000 mg.L-1 AIB + 2000 mg.L-1 ANA, além de 5000 mg.L-1 ANA (Raizon 05â) na forma de talco e da testemunha (água destilada). Estacas coletadas no outono e no inverno não enraizaram. A porcentagem máxima de enraizamento (4%) foi obtida nos tratamentos com 6000 mg.L-1 AIB e 2000 mg.L-1 AIB + 2000 mg.L-1 ANA, na primavera, indicando que Rollinia rugulosa apresenta um baixíssimo potencial de enraizamento nas épocas e condições testadas.

Fungal diseases, especially those that affect the root systems of plants, caused by Rhizoctonia and Macrophomina are limiting factors for achieving high crop yields. Alternatives to controlling fungi with chemical products drive the search for new options for bioactive compounds from plants. Attalea geraensis, a palm tree from the Brazilian Cerrado, is rich in flavonoids with antifungal actions. The objective of this work is to identify the chemical classes present in the ethanolic extract of green leaves of A. geraensis and determine the antifungal potential of the extract against isolates of Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid. and Rhizoctonia solani JG Kühn. Phytochemical prospection, flavonoid dereplication, and antifungal activity were carried out of the ethanolic extract of the green leaves of A. geraensis harvested in the Cerrado area of Brazil. Steroids, triterpenes, saponins, and anthraquinones are described here for the first time for the leaves of A. geraensis. The flavonoids quercetin, isorhamnetin, 3,7-dimethylquercetin, quercetin 3-galactoside, 5,7-dihydroxy-2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-{[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy}-4H-chromen-4-one, rhamnazin 3-galactoside, keioside, and rhamnazin 3-rutinoside were identified. Of these, only quercetin and isorhamnetin had already been identified in the leaves of A. geraensis. The results show a fungistatic potential for the species. The diversity of flavonoids present in the leaves of A. geraensis may be the result of a synergistic action between fungus and plant or there could be an antagonistic effect between flavonoids and the other identified chemical classes.