Collection Expeditions Research Articles

Collaborative exploration and collection of native plant genetic resources as assisted by agrobiodiversity fair

This article describes the agrobiodiversity fair aided exploration and collection expedition of native plant genetic resources in southern Lalitpur, jointly organized by the National Agriculture Genetic Resources Centre (NAGRC) and Group of Helping Hands (SAHAS) Nepal. In-district one-day agrobiodiversity fairs were organized in February and December month of 2019, altogether two times, and these agrobiodiversity fairs were used as a tool to explore plant genetic resources found in Bagmati and Mahankal Rural Municipalities of Lalitpur district. To collect these explored genetic resources during agrobiodiversity fairs, the joint field expedition, key informant survey, diversity rich farmers discussion was used as a collection tool. The present study explored, inventoried, collected and conserved 148 accessions of 44 crop species, the highest number (18 accessions) was of chayote followed by 10 accessions each of soybean, cowpea and maize and 9 accessions of common bean. Collections are generally new and unique. Many landraces, mostly from rice (13 landraces) were identified as extinct from the surveyed areas and few are under extinction mainly due to attraction of farmers to new high yielding varieties. The collected species with orthodox seeds were tested for germination ability and those that passed a minimum of 85% germination, were preserved in seedbank of NAGRC. NAGRC plans to characterize these accessions in the coming seasons depending upon the season of crop growing. The current expedition collected eight species for which mode of propagation is vegetative or those for which seed storage behavior falls under intermediate mode. NAGRC has been started expanding field genebank coverage using these accessions.

Nutritional diversity in accessions of African walnut (Plukenetia conophora L.) sourced from southwestern Nigeria as influenced by collection center and processing

Nut collection expeditions of Plukenetia conophora L. were made to 10 locations in southwestern Nigeria. Seeds extracted were cooked or not and were assayed for phytochemical and mineral contents. Data obtained were statistically analyzed. Omuwo-Oke accession had highest phenol and tannin whereas Ijan had highest phytate; alkaloids and glycosides were higher in Ara accession than others. Accession obtained from Aramoko gave highest iron concentration while the lowest was in Ogotun accession. The concentrations of K, Mg and Na were higher in Ogotun accession while the lowest was found in Alafe, Agbado and Aba-Oyo, respectively. Alafe accession had highest concentration of phosphorus but lower concentration was obtained in Ogotun. Zinc was highest in collection from Aramoko while Abgado accession had the lowest. Phenol, phytate, alkaloids and glycosides were higher in boiled nuts than fresh nuts but tannin was higher in fresh nuts. K, Mg, Zn and Na were higher in fresh nuts than boiled nuts. Higher concentration of Fe and P were recorded in boiled nuts. Genotype x traits biplot analysis revealed that cooked nuts from Agbado, Alafe, and Aramoko had higher values for glycosides. Alkaloid was more pronounced in fresh nut from Ara. Fresh nuts from Aba-Oyo and Agbado gave higher values for phytate. Tannin was highest in fresh nuts from Omuo-Oke and boiled nuts from Igbara-Odo while phenol was higher in boiled nut from Omuo-Oke. Biplot analysis for minerals revealed higher concentration of Zn, NFE, Na and P in boiled nuts from Aramoko, Omuo- Oke, Igbara-Odo, Ogotun and Ijan. Mg was highest in fresh nuts from Ara and Igbara-Odo. Tannin and alkaloids had negative significant relationship (r = –0.581*) but the relationship between glycosides and alkaloids was positive and significant (r = 0.520*). Zn had significant relationships with Mg and P (r = 0.590* and –0.551*, respectively). Similarly, Na had positive relationships with K and Mg (r = 0.599** and 0.491*, respectively). Mg and K had an r-value of 0.502*. Inter-correlative responses between the phytochemicals and minerals revealed that only glycosides had significant relationships with K, Mg and Zn (which were negative) as well as with P (which was positive). Data obtained suggested sufficient genetic diversity in nuts of Plukenetia sourced from southwestern Nigeria, indicating posibility for selection. Besides, cooking had signifcant (in some cases, positive) effect on the phytochemicals and minerals assayed.
 Key words: African walnut, accessions, phytochemical, minerals, processing

Serra do Navio, Guiana Shield lowland area, Brazil: a region with high diversity of Squamata

The Guiana Region is the area bordered by the Orinoco and Negro rivers to the west, by the Amazonas River to the south and by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and east. This area is a biogeographic unit known as the Guiana Shield, with a variety of landscapes. Located in the extreme north of Brazil, in the Guiana Shield lowlands, the state of Amapa presents great diversity of habitats. In this study we provide composition and diversity data of the Squamata from Serra do Navio (SN) region, in the northeastern part of the state of Amapa, Brazil, a lowland area of the Guiana Shield. The species list was based on data obtained from herpetological collections and collection expeditions carried out at 10 sites in the municipalities of Pedra Branca do Amapari and Serra do Navio. We consider literature data from 14 sites and SN data to compare the composition of herpetofauna between the lowland and highland areas in the Brazilian Amazon. We recorded 95 species, including 57 snakes, 36 lizards, and two species of amphisbaenians. Atractus aboiporu, A. trefauti, and Erythrolamprus rochai were described from the data collected in this study. The Squamata community of SN consists mainly of diurnal lizards and nocturnal snakes, with terrestrial and cryptozoic habits, present in pristine and altered environments. The most abundant species of lizard and snake were Loxopholis guianense and Atractus latifrons, respectively. The SN region has 17 exclusive Squamata species, with a fauna similar to the Tumucumaque Mountains and northern Para sites, geographically closer regions with similar altitudes.

Review of the genus Kisaura Ross 1956 (Trichoptera: Philopotamidae) from India.

This paper synthesizes knowledge of caddisflies belonging to the genus Kisaura Ross 1956 from India. The study is based on collection expeditions undertaken since 2008 in streams of the Indian Himalayan region and some of its contiguous states. The species newly described here include Kisaura sangtam sp. nov. (Nagaland); K. acuta sp. nov., (Uttarakhand); and K. rotunda sp. nov. and K. teestaensis sp. nov. (both from Sikkim). Species reported for the first time from India include Kisaura longispina (Kimmins 1955) (from Uttarakhand); K. laban Malicky Chantaramongkol 2009 (in Malicky 2009, Arunachal Pradesh); K. rossi (Kimmins 1955) (from Sikkim, Mizoram, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh); K. surasa Malicky Chantaramongkol 1993 (Uttarakhand); K. filiformis Mey 1996 (from Himachal Pradesh); K. pectinata (Ross 1956) (from West Bengal); and K. intermedia (Kimmins 1955) and K. cina Malicky Chantaramongkol 1993 (both from Arunachal Pradesh). With these additions the genus Kisaura is represented by 39 species, 35 of which have been described previously (27 described originally from India and 8 new records for India) and 4 are new species.

Caracterização da fauna de Collembola em diferentes formações vegetais no município de Santa Bárbara, estado do Pará, Brasil

Collembola apresenta grande importância na ciclagem de nutrientes, sendo indicador da qualidade ecológica do solo. O presente estudo teve como objetivo determinar a abundância e a riqueza da fauna de Collembola nas fitofisionomias de floresta primária, plantação de dendê e sistema agroflorestal, no município de Santa Bárbara, Pará. Foram realizadas quatro expedições de coletas, duas na estação chuvosa e duas no período mais seco da região. As amostras foram obtidas através da armadilha de pitfall, totalizando 144 exemplares. A identificação e a obtenção de dados quantitativos da colembofauna foram feitas em nível de família. Nas fitofisionomias, foram coletados 86.770 espécimes de colêmbolos, classificados em 15 famílias. A maior abundância de colêmbolos foi registrada na floresta primária, com 19.245 espécimes no período chuvoso, enquanto no período menos chuvoso o destaque foi para a plantação de dendê, com 22.322 espécimes. Observou-se que a maior riqueza de famílias ocorreu no ambiente de floresta primária, sendo as mais representativas Paronellidae e Neanuridae, com, respectivamente, 17.145 e 9.545 espécimes. O estudo evidenciou a variabilidade na composição de famílias da colembofauna e gerou novas informações sobre a abundância e a riqueza dos grupos taxonômicos nas fitofisionomias estudadas.

From spears to automatic rifles: The shift in hunting techniques as a mammal depletion driver during the Angolan civil war

Access to sophisticated hunting strategies increases in some political and economic contexts, such as during civil war episodes in Angola (Central Africa) in which there was a widespread distribution of automatic rifles to citizens. This facility favours the local people to slaughter larger animals, mainly during conflict gaps and in the post-war period. Herein, we conducted interviews with hunters to identify the hunting techniques used before, during and after the Angolan civil war in two different landscapes - savannah and forest. We collected information on techniques used by the hunter to approach, pursue and capture game species. Through a network approach and regression models we found that rifles introduced by the Angolan civil war magnify the spectrum of species caught from small-bodied to large-bodied species, and might induce a mammalian population abundance erosion. We also found a clear species-specific conjunct of hunting techniques, valuing the cost-benefit of each approach. The usage frequency of rifles was also higher in the savannah than in the forest. We reveal that changes over time for prey approximation and persecution techniques, which are possibly guided to attend the animal trade chain. Finally, these hunting technique changes has resulted in the predominance of individual hunting events with relatively low bushmeat shared between hunters, indicating a hunting pattern that contrasts with the historical hunting strategy based on collective expeditions. We can conclude that the shift in hunting techniques arising from the Angolan civil war induced a body-mediated decline in mammal diversity, causing their overwhelming annihilation.

First survey of the ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Piauí: filling a major knowledge gap about ant diversity in Brazil

Piauí, a Brazilian Northeast state, has been considered one of the most important regions for the presence of new taxa in ants globally, especially considering the ecosystems’ diversity formed by the transition of the three biomes in the state, the Cerrado, Caatinga and the Atlantic Forest. Despite the recent increase in studies of ant diversity in the Neotropical region, Piauí still represents a major knowledge gap regarding its ant fauna. Therefore, this study aimed to increase the knowledge about the ant fauna of the state by generating a list of species with data obtained from the literature, online repositories and collection expeditions to the Serra da Capivara and Serra das Confusões National Parks. A total of 152 species in 52 genera and nine subfamilies were registered from 24 localities in Piauí. Fifty-eight out the 152 species recorded represent new records for the state, eight are new records for the Brazilian Northeast Region, and one consists of a new record for the country. Eleven species are here recognized as new for science. Considering the field expeditions carried out here, this work represents the first standardized study for the ant fauna of Piauí. The species list presented considerably exceeds the current number of species registered for the state so far. From the present 48 records, the number of species for Piauí raises to more than 150 with a tendency to increase with the accomplishment of future field endeavors and advances in the study of the local ants.

Lycophytes of the Chapada das Mesas National Park, Cerrado, Maranhão, Brazil

Abstract: Despite an increase in studies involving lycophytes and ferns in recent years, Maranhão is still one of the northeastern states with a poorly known flora, mainly due to low sampling. For Chapada das Mesas National Park, a protected conservation unit in the Cerrado maranhense with phytophysiognomies that favor floristic diversity, there are no floristic studies about lycophytes. This study aimed to conduct the floristic inventory and taxonomic study of lycophytes in Chapada das Mesas National Park. Three collection expeditions, of three days each, were made between March 2017 and June 2018. Three families of lycophytes represented by three genera and six species were identified in the study area. The most diverse family was Selaginellaceae with four species: Selaginella conduplicata, S. erythropus (Mart.) Spring, S. radiata (Aubl.) Baker and S. simplex Baker. The other two families, Isoëtaceae and Lycopodiaceae, had one species each, Isoëtes sp. and Palhinhaea cernua (L.) Franco & Vasc. This study also reports two new record for the Brazilian Cerrado phytogeographic domain, S. conduplicate and S. radiata, of which the first is a new record for Maranhão State. Most specimens were found in riparian forest on rocky outcrops.

Ichthyofauna of the Mata de Itamacaoca, an urban protected area from the upper Munim River basin, Northern Brazilian Cerrado

Abstract: The Munim River basin is one of the main river drainages of the Hydrological unit Maranhão, but there are few published studies which focus on ichthyological surveys and taxonomic work within this basin. The present study aims to provide a fish species inventory of the Mata da Itamacaoca, one of the few urban protected areas from the upper Munim River basin, comparing the ichthyofauna with other lists by conducted at the upper Munim River basin. A total of 42 collection expeditions were conducted, the sampling was conducted at five collecting sites distributed within the boundaries of Mata de Itamacaoca, upper Munim River basin. Diversity indices were calculated and generalised linear models (GLMs) were employed to assess differences in species richness, diversity and evenness depending on season and location in relation to the reservoir dam wall. In order to visualize fish community differences, non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) and a one-way PERMANOVA was used to understand whether factors of site, season and location to the dam wall had an effect on fish community compositions. A total of six orders, 13 families, and 23 fish species were found, and the order with the highest species richness, considering all reaches, was Characiformes followed by Cichliformes. The most abundant species was Nannostomus beckfordi, while Pimelodella parnahybae and Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus were the rarer species sampled. There were no alien invasive species collected within the study area. Species richness was significantly higher below the dam wall, but there were no other significant differences in diversity indices with regards to season or location. Fish community composition was significantly different above and below the dam wall and was significantly affected by sampling site. Season did not have an effect on fish community. This study corroborates other studies conducted in the Unidade Hidrológica Maranhão sensu Hubbert and Renno (2006), that the ichthyofaunal composition and taxonomy of species within this region face major data deficits, anthropogenic impacts, this study may be a baseline for comparing similar environments throughout the region.

Higher Effectiveness of New Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Germplasm Acquisition by Collecting Expeditions Associated with Molecular Analyses

A remarkable portion of crop genetic diversity is represented by landraces and obsolete cultivars, that have not yet been integrated into the collections of genetic resources in genebanks. Fortunately, they are still maintained by small farmers in rural areas. Their acquisition is an important goal for collecting expeditions, followed by the evaluation of their genetic background. Molecular markers are powerful tools to evaluate the effectiveness of acquisition of new genetic variants. This approach was used for common bean landraces, that were collected through expeditions in the Slovak and Ukrainian Carpathians. In this study, microsatellite markers, developed from expressed sequence tags, were used for genotyping the collected materials. The sub-population of collected landraces contained higher total and average number of different alleles in comparison to equally large sub-populations of already-maintained cultivars. The same was true for the Shannon’s information index, observed heterozygosity, and expected heterozygosity. Both sub-populations showed the presence of private alleles: Average values of 0.500 and 0.833 private alleles per genotype were detected in landraces, and cultivars, respectively. Obtained results emphasized the importance of collecting expeditions to specific regions where landraces are cultivated, even at the present time. The effectiveness of the acquisition of new genetic variability can be determined by molecular tools, as confirmed by microsatellite markers in this study.

DOCUMENTING HISTORICAL RESEARCH FOR A COLLECTION INFORMATION MODELLING. A PROPOSAL FOR A DIGITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Abstract. The paper describes part of the conceptual structure produced within the still ongoing project B.A.C.K. TO T.H.E. F.U.T.U.RE. (BIM Acquisition as Cultural Key TO Transfer Heritage of ancient Egypt For many Uses To many Users REplayed). The aim of the project was to use a semantic web infrastructure to describe archival research and tracking informations related to a hidden museum collection expedition models of Egyptian architecture partially stored in the depots of the Museo Egizio of Turin. The outcome will be an interactive web-presentation portal of high-resolution 3D models enriched by historical and archival set of content, from the digitization procedure applied to collection objects, to the digitization process of related data and information. The development of the collection documentation of the project illustrates how is crucial to declare the semantic description underlying narrative contents. Data about single collection objects were conceptually modelled using generalizable formulas already known by CIDOC-CRM community. The description of provenance of knowledge related to the historical investigation process was modelled using CRMinf extension, exploring the possibility of making beliefs based on the available documentation and validating the results of the assumptions made during the research.

Minimizing Taxonomic and Natural Product Redundancy in Microbial Libraries Using MALDI-TOF MS and the Bioinformatics Pipeline IDBac.

Libraries of microorganisms have been a cornerstone of drug discovery efforts since the mid-1950s, but strain duplication in some libraries has resulted in unwanted natural product redundancy. In the current study, we implemented a workflow that minimizes both the natural product overlap and the total number of bacterial isolates in a library. Using a collection expedition to Iceland as an example, we purified every distinct bacterial colony off isolation plates derived from 86 environmental samples. We employed our mass spectrometry (MS)-based IDBac workflow on these isolates to form groups of taxa based on protein MS fingerprints (3-15 kDa) and further distinguished taxa subgroups based on their degree of overlap within corresponding natural product spectra (0.2-2 kDa). This informed the decision to create a library of 301 isolates spanning 54 genera. This process required only 25 h of data acquisition and 2 h of analysis. In a separate experiment, we reduced the size of an existing library based on the degree of metabolic overlap observed in natural product MS spectra of bacterial colonies (from 833 to 233 isolates, a 72.0% size reduction). Overall, our pipeline allows for a significant reduction in costs associated with library generation and minimizes natural product redundancy entering into downstream biological screening efforts.

New plant distribution records to Indian states and addition to the flora of Myanmar

Plant genetic resource collection expedition across various parts of India and herbarium study of Amaranthus and Luffa genera at Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Kolkata and Coimbatore revealed the distribution of 18 plant taxa new to various Indian states/union territory, viz., Arunachal Pradesh (7), Andaman & Nicobar Islands (5), Jammu & Kashmir (3), Andhra Pradesh (2), Manipur (1), and Tamil Nadu (1). Out of these, 14 taxa have importance as wild relatives of 12 crop species. In addition, herbarium studies at the BSI, Kolkata revealed the natural distribution of a cucurbitaceous species – Siraitia siamensis in Myanmar, which remained unnoticed and unreported so far. Locality of herbarium/ germplasm collection, habitat and other field observations have been highlighted here.

The Composition of the Upcoming Holy Fools in Tiers

In the XVI century, Kargopol, due to its geographical location, became a major, actively developing commercial land and exchange center. It attracted hunters, fishermen, merchants, and seafarers. Artisanry, farming, and culture began to develop. Masters invited from Veliky Novgorod shared their artistic secrets, and soon Kargopol saw the construction of temples (the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ /1552–1562/ can still be seen today), with Novgorod-Kargopol style icons of local saints. “Тhe Selected Saints” icon from Kargopol has a tiered composition. Icons from many churches were brought to the capital’s workshops for restoration, which allowed their in-depth study. Today there are established connections between the scholars in the capital and those in the cities of the Russian North-West, the region whose art is known for its distinct development trends within the broader Russian art. A specific feature of the Northern Russian art tradition is the depiction of holy fools by local iconographers. Several collective expeditions were organized. For example, in the 1950s, a number of expeditions were carried out. As a result the museums of Kargopol, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Arkhangelsk, Vologda acquired new items, which gave way to new discoveries.

„To wszystko jest częścią podróży do samego siebie” — doświadczenia graniczne jako moment kształtujący tożsamość we współczesnych autobiografiach wspinaczy

"IT'S ALL PART OF THE JOURNEY TO YOURSELF": LIMINAL EXPERIENCES AS IDENTITY-CREATIG MOMENTS IN CONTEMPORARY CLIMBERS' AUTOBIOGRAPHIESExperiencing physical and mental boundaries has always been part of mountaineering. However, over the last 150 years we have witnessed a process in which, in climbers’ accounts, mountaineering and climbing become more and more important as liminal experiences. While in the so-called “golden age” of mountaineering 1850–1865 the authors focused on the first ascents of well-known summits and during the “heroic mountaineering” stage 1930s they described primarily traverses of increasingly difficult routes, what comes to the fore in contemporary autobiographical works of professional climbers is the representation of subjective and individual liminal experiences. In recent autobiographies climbing gains importance as an individual quest for experiences and is presented as a form of self-fulfilment: liminal experiences of climbers become moments shaping their identity. The process is reflected in the style of climbing, which has evolved from collective expeditions to radical solo climbs. Speed or free solo climbs are an example of such an individualistic approach, in which grappling with oneself gets at least as much attention as grappling with the mountain. The authors of the article explore, from the perspective of literary studies and sociology, the representation of liminal experiences as identity-shaping moments in contemporary autobiographical works by Lynn Hill Climbing Free, 2002, Catherine Destivelle Ascensions, 2003, Alex Honnold Alone on the Wall, 2015 and Andy Kirkpatrick Psychovertical, 2008.]]>

Das alles ist Teil einer Reise zu sich selbst“ — Grenzerfahrungen als identitätsstiftendes Moment in zeitgenössischen Autobiographien von Bergsteiger*innen

"IT'S ALL PART OF THE JOURNEY TO YOURSELF": LIMINAL EXPERIENCES AS IDENTITY-CREATIG MOMENTS IN CONTEMPORARY CLIMBERS' AUTOBIOGRAPHIESExperiencing physical and mental boundaries has always been part of mountaineering. However, over the last 150 years we have witnessed a process in which, in climbers’ accounts, mountaineering and climbing become more and more important as liminal experiences. While in the so-called “golden age” of mountaineering 1850–1865 the authors focused on the first ascents of well-known summits and during the “heroic mountaineering” stage 1930s they described primarily traverses of increasingly difficult routes, what comes to the fore in contemporary autobiographical works of professional climbers is the representation of subjective and individual liminal experiences. In recent autobiographies climbing gains importance as an individual quest for experiences and is presented as a form of self-fulfilment: liminal experiences of climbers become moments shaping their identity. The process is reflected in the style of climbing, which has evolved from collective expeditions to radical solo climbs. Speed or free solo climbs are an example of such an individualistic approach, in which grappling with oneself gets at least as much attention as grappling with the mountain. The authors of the article explore, from the perspective of literary studies and sociology, the representation of liminal experiences as identity-shaping moments in contemporary autobiographical works by Lynn Hill Climbing Free, 2002, Catherine Destivelle Ascensions, 2003, Alex Honnold Alone on the Wall, 2015 and Andy Kirkpatrick Psychovertical, 2008.]]>

English

Proper conditioning of leaf tissues in collection expeditions can affect the quantity and quality of DNA in the extraction process. The aim of this work was to define a method of preserving foliar tissue suitable for obtaining DNA from Brazilian Cerrado trees. Young leaves of species (Mangaba and Baru) were collected and conditioned in five different treatments during a period of six days. Genomic DNA was obtained using two alternative versions of the cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) protocol. For Mangaba, no statistical differences were verified between means of DNA values ​​obtained with diversity arrays technology (DArT) (55 ng/μL) and CTAB (48 ng/μL) methods. It was found that the amounts of DNA obtained with the methods used differed according with the conditioning type and time (F20,60 = 1.98; p = 0.022). For Baru, the mean of DNA extracted was significantly higher (F1,60 = 42.81; p < 0.01) from the CTAB method (80 ng/μL). A significant difference (p < 0.05) was also observed between DNA means of conditioning types (F4,60 = 1.1, p = 2 × 10-4), without this being detected over time. Any preservation method tested is indicated for the selection of Mangaba and Baru foliar tissue conditioning for DNA extraction in a short period (up to six days). Key words: Conservation, germplasm, native tree, DNA purification.

A potential therapeutic for chronic pain from the new zealand native stinging nettleurtica ferox(ongaonga)

Objectives Contact with Urtica ferox (ongaonga) causes an intense pain with subsequent sustained numbness. While all factors responsible for the initial painful response are known, the compound(s) responsible for the sustained numbness remain unidentified. There is a need for new therapeutics to treat chronic pain and the yet-to-be identified compounds in Urtica ferox may provide a novel topical treatment for chronic pain. Methods A collection expedition in Kahurangi National Park, New Zealand, was conducted. Urtica ferox trichomes were collected and a water extraction performed. Primary hippocampal neurons and NT2 cells were treated with extract to characterise toxicity. A small animal model was used to assess functional response to extract exposure. Results The extract of Urtica ferox induces a dose-dependent selective toxicity to neurons with morphologic characteristics of apoptosis. Evaluation of extract exposure in the small animal model suggest a direct and specific, effect on neurons. Preliminary characterisation of the active compound indicates a relatively small entity with phenolic ring structure. Conclusions Initial evaluations of the Urtica ferox extract indicate the presence of a compound(s) with promising characteristics. Specifically, a compound that selectively effects neurons that is small and water soluble. This unidentified compound will be characterised using metabolomics.

Avaliação físico-química das águas do processo de dessalinização de poços salobros e salinos em comunidades rurais do oeste potiguar

O fornecimento de água potável é o maior desafio das comunidades rurais da região semiárida do Brasil, que são caracterizadas pela escassez de recursos hídricos apropriados para consumo humano. Em uma tendência observada há alguns anos, os Governos Federal e Estadual têm buscado instalar equipamentos de dessalinização das águas salobras subterrâneas para a geração de água doce para o abastecimento de comunidades distantes dos centros urbanos. Desta forma, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade das águas oriundas do processo de dessalinização de poços em comunidades rurais do oeste potiguar e seus riscos quanto ao uso na irrigação. A pesquisa foi realizada no período de 2013 e 2014 e, inicialmente, foram identificadas as comunidades abastecidas com as unidades de captação e tratamento de água por dessalinização, através de um levantamento cadastral. Para isto, foram realizadas quatro campanhas de coletas em diferentes períodos do ano para avaliação da qualidade das águas potável do tratamento por osmose reversa, poço e rejeito salino, dentro de cada período. Foram analisados parâmetros físico-químicos das águas para fins de irrigação. As águas foram classificadas quanto ao uso na irrigação; aos riscos de problemas de infiltração no solo causados pela sodicidade da água e toxicidade em plantas. As estações de tratamento de água por osmose reversa nas comunidades rurais monitoradas produziram uma água dessalinizada com concentrações baixas de sais, com 68% do total das amostras na classe de classificação C1S1; 25% na classe C2S1 e; apenas 7% na classe C3S1. Com relação ao rejeito gerado, 93% das amostras de água de rejeito se classificaram como C3 ou C4 nos quatro períodos de coleta, ou seja, águas de alto ou extremamente alto risco de salinização.

Genetic resources of cultivated and volunteer vegetables in Serbia

Number of plant species and populations in the diet and agriculture, and knowledge about them, their cultivation and use, represent the biological, cultural and social heritage of the humankind. Due to favourable geographic, soil, and climate conditions, and large diversity of flora in Serbia, there is a rich tradition of vegetable use in the diet, cultivated and volunteer, autochthonous. More than 70 botanical vegetable species that are accepted for long-term preservation are mentioned nowadays in Serbia. Besides that, some plant species that are classified as industrial, medicinal and aromatic plants are being used as vegetables. Vegetables include legumes used as stewing vegetables. Serbia has three vegetable regions: lowlands (along the rivers Danube, Tisa and Sava), Moravian (along three Morava Rivers and their tributaries) and mountainous (Eastern, South-eastern and Western areas, Kosovo and Metohija). In these regions, genetic resources of vegetables should be looked for in cultivated and volunteering flora of different domestic and domesticated populations developed due to adaptation to the specific abiotic and biotic factors, including breeders' selection. International and national projects have been organised in the field of preserving genetic resources of vegetables in the past, as well as nowadays in Serbia. Collected samples are stored in Plant Gene Bank of Serbia and in gene banks all over the world. Significant part is located in the collections of national institutes and faculties. Samples are described with passport data, while those in collections even in more detail. However, none of this is sufficient. In the last decades in Serbia, many populations and vegetable species have threatened to disappear. Many villages are disappearing, there are few growers of vegetables, and extinction of numerous valuable genotypes is accelerated by unfavourable weather conditions. Large number of cultivars and vegetable species that were traditionally grown in our country was removed from the Serbian list of cultivars. Species and cultivars that have ceased to be cultivated on larger areas can still be found mostly in gardens. Collecting expedition of eventually remained genetic resources is insufficient; they are unsystematically organised and without clearly directed funding.