Minas Gerais Research Articles

Mining disaster in Brumadinho (Brazil): Social vulnerability from the perspective of the fisherman community

On January 25, 2019, the state of Minas Gerais (MG) in Brazil witnessed yet another disaster involving the collapse of a mining tailings dam. The disaster occurred in the municipality of Brumadinho, belonging to VALE S.A. One of the activities most affected by the disaster was fishing, which suffered from the immediate death of fish, limitations on the use of water resources and uncertainty about the quality of fish for consumption. In addition, this environmental disaster may have caused socio-environmental and economic impacts, severely damaging the region's riverside community and professional artisanal fishermen. This study was carried out with the fishing community and sought to assess their social vulnerability. In order to characterize the activity and identify possible damage, semi-structured interviews were conducted in May 2022. To analyze the qualitative data, the “RAPFISH” method was adapted, considering the following dimensions: 1- social, 2- perception of environmental risk and health, 3- economic, 4- management and technology, and 5- professional organization and governance. The results showed that the fishing communities have managed to maintain and improve their conditions in some of the dimensions considered, but still present situations of social vulnerability. They indicated that fishing is fundamental to family livelihoods and continues to be practiced regardless of the community's perception of risk. However, raising awareness about fish quality, marketing and consumption after the disaster requires more information and monitoring. Our approach was able to show that, among the five components, the social, environmental and economic dimensions are priorities for planning future actions.

Technical–Economic Analysis of Renewable Hydrogen Production from Solar Photovoltaic and Hydro Synergy in a Pilot Plant in Brazil

Renewable hydrogen obtained from renewable energy sources, especially when produced through water electrolysis, is gaining attention as a promising energy vector to deal with the challenges of climate change and the intermittent nature of renewable energy sources. In this context, this work analyzes a pilot plant that uses this technology, installed in the Itumbiara Hydropower Plant located between the states of Goiás and Minas Gerais, Brazil, from technical and economic perspectives. The plant utilizes an alkaline electrolyzer synergistically powered by solar photovoltaic and hydro sources. Cost data for 2019, when the equipment was purchased, and 2020–2023, when the plant began continuous operation, are considered. The economic analysis includes annualized capital, maintenance, and variable costs, which determines the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH). The results obtained for the pilot plant’s LCOH were USD 13.00 per kilogram of H2, with an efficiency loss of 2.65% for the two-year period. Sensitivity analysis identified the capacity factor (CF) as the main determinant of the LCOH. Even though the analysis specifically applies to the Itumbiara Hydropower Plant, the CF can be extrapolated to larger plants as it directly influences hydrogen production regardless of plant size or capacity.

Exploring the impact of urban pollution on ciliate diversity along the Sapucaí River (Minas Gerais, Brazil) via DNA metabarcoding.

Protists are diverse single-celled eukaryotes found in various habitats. They exhibit a wide range of forms and functions, representing a significant portion of the eukaryotic tree of life, which also includes animals, plants, and fungi. Due to their high sensitivity to environmental changes, these organisms are widely used as biological indicators of organic pollution. We investigated the molecular diversity of ciliate protists at seven strategic points along the Sapucaí River (Itajubá, Minas Gerais State, Brazil), to assess the impact of urban pollution on the richness, abundance, and diversity indexes of these communities. For each sampling point, values of physicochemical parameters were also recorded. DNA sequences were obtained by high-throughput sequencing (HTS) and analyzed using the V4 18S-rRNA molecular marker, employing the DNA metabarcoding method. We recorded 125 ciliate taxonomic units (OTUs), with nearly 80% corresponding to the classes Spirotrichea, Oligohymenophorea, and Litostomatea. At the genus level, 54 OTUs (43.2%) were identified, spanning 28 genera. The composition of ciliates varied significantly along the river's course, from upstream to downstream of Itajubá city. Samples collected from the urban area displayed the lowest richness and diversity, corroborating the influence of the pollution gradient on these communities. The physicochemical parameters showed little variation among the samples and were not linked to the observed changes in ciliate communities, revealing that these organisms are strongly affected by environmental changes and respond more sensitively to these disturbances than physicochemical parameters, emphasizing their potential as bioindicators.

Use of pseudomonas fluorecens isolated from the Serra de Ouro Branco State Park/Minas Gerais - Brazil in the biodegradation of residual automotive lubricating oils

About 2% of the oil consumed worldwide is related to the production of automotive and industrial lubricating oils. The pollution derived from these oils in aquatic and terrestrial environments is responsible for several ecological and social problems due to their toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic properties. Thus, studies related to bioremediation are of importance, and the use of biological treatments, such as biodegradation, is a viable and effective alternative for the treatment of these compounds. The present study aimed to evaluate the biodegradation performance of residual automotive lubricating oils using the lipases Pseudomonas fluorecens obtained in bioprospecting carried out in the Serra do Ouro Branco State Park, Minas Gerais. Through the colorimetric method using the redox indicator 2.6-dichlorophenol-indophenol (DCPIP), the biodegradability of residual oils was monitored. The results obtained demonstrated the potential of the selected bacteria, since they degraded approximately 61.74 to 83.8 % of the waste studied.

O PAPEL DO AGENTE COMUNITÁRIO DE SAÚDE NA MELHORIA DOS DADOS EPIDEMIOLÓGICOS COMO REDUÇÃO DE ÓBITOS SENSÍVEIS À ATENÇÃO BÁSICA

Introduction: The Community Health Agent (CHA) is responsible for working in the prevention and promotion of health by informing the Family Health Strategy (FHS) team of the population’s needs. Objective: To analyze the responsibilities of CHAs in the care of patients with certain conditions sensitive to primary healthcare, such as Diabetes Mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN), and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the municipality of São João Del Rei/MG (SJDR) in the year 2020. Methodology: A quantitative study was conducted using data from the Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System (DATASUS), gathering the number of deaths from certain preventable causes due to the performance of Primary Health Care (PHC), alongside a literature review. Results: The municipality of SJDR reported deaths from causes sensitive to PHC interventions, such as DM, HTN, and AMI in 2020. When compared to the state of Minas Gerais, the municipality had nearly twice the number of deaths from HTN and AMI, highlighting the need for patient engagement with PHC, as the high mortality rates from these causes negatively impacted the state’s data. Conclusion: It is concluded that the municipality of SJDR had higher mortality rates from DM, HTN, and AMI compared to the state of Minas Gerais in 2020. These data suggest the need for more effective and targeted interventions to prevent the worsening of these conditions, with the role of CHAs becoming crucial in this contexto.

Multispectral Imaging as a Preservation and Valuation Tool at the Minas Gerais Public Archive, Brazil: A Case Study on an 18th-century Illuminated Manuscript

Multispectral Imaging as a Preservation and Valuation Tool at the Minas Gerais Public Archive, Brazil: A Case Study on an 18th-century Illuminated Manuscript

Eplingiella sanoi sp. nov. (Hyptidinae-Lamiaceae): supports the urgent need for campos rupestres conservation in the Serra do Espinhaço Septentrional, Minas Gerais state, Brazil

A new species of Lamiaceae, Eplingiella sanoi, from the campo rupestre of an ecotone zone between the Cerrado and the Caatinga domains is described and illustrated. The new species expands the distribution of the genus to Southeast Brazil, previously restricted to Northeast Brazil. Eplingiella sanoi is compared to the three other species of the genus, especially E. cuniloides, the morphologically closest related species. We present an identification key for all the species of the genus, an occurrence map for Eplingiella sanoi, E. cuniloides and E. brightoniae and a formal conservation assessment for the new species. Eplingiella sanoi is endemic to the region between Pico da Formosa and Pico do Sucuruiú (Minas Gerais state, Serra do Espinhaço), an area under threat due to a planned wind farm installation. Recognizing this species emphasizes the imperative for more taxonomic studies and conservation of Serra do Espinhaço.

A novel approach to triazole fungicides risk characterization: Bridging human biomonitoring and computational toxicology

Brazil stands as the world's leading coffee producer, where the extensive use of pesticides is economically critical yet poses health and environmental risks due to their non-selective mechanisms of action. Specifically, triazole fungicides are widely used in agriculture to manage fungal diseases and are known to disrupt mammalian CYP450 and liver microsomal enzymes. This research establishes a framework for risk characterization of human exposure to triazole fungicides by internal-dose biomonitoring, biochemical marker measurements, and integration of high-throughput screening (HTS) data via computational toxicology workflows from the Integrated Chemical Environment (ICE). Volunteers from the southern region of Minas Gerais, Brazil, were divided into two groups: farmworkers and spouses occupationally and environmentally exposed to pesticides from rural areas (n = 140) and individuals from the urban area to serve as a comparison group (n = 50). Three triazole fungicides, cyproconazole, epoxiconazole, and triadimenol, were detected in the urine samples of both men and women in the rural group. Androstenedione and testosterone hormones were significantly reduced in the farmworker group (Mann-Whitney test, p < 0.0001). The data show a significant inverse association of testosterone with cholesterol, LDL, VLDL, triglycerides, and glucose and a direct association with HDL (Spearman's correlation, p < 0.05). In the ICE workflow, active in vitro HTS assays were identified for the three measured triazoles and three other active ingredients from the pesticide formulations. The curated HTS data confirm bioactivities predominantly related to steroid hormone metabolism, cellular stress processes, and CYP450 enzymes impacted by fungicide exposure at occupationally and environmentally relevant concentrations based on the in vitro to in vivo extrapolation models. These results characterize the potentially significant human health risk, particularly from the high frequency and intensity of exposure to epoxiconazole. This study showcases the critical role of biomonitoring and utility of computational tools in evaluating pesticide exposure and minimizing the risk.

INFLUÊNCIA DOS PROGRAMAS DE EXCELÊNCIA NA UTILIZAÇÃO EFICAZ DOS SISTEMAS DE CONTABILIDADE GERENCIAL: UM ESTUDO DE CASO

Objective: To analyze how Excellence Programs in the food industry influence the Management Control and Accounting System (SCCG) of a Food Distributor in Northern Minas Gerais. Relevance/originality: Managerial accounting has evolved due to technological advancements and the new needs of managers, making organizations more competitive. An Excellence Program is a tool that seeks the continuous improvement of an organization’s internal processes. Methodology/approach: Qualitative research using content analysis. Internal company documents were studied, semi-structured interviews were conducted with employees, and the observation method was used. Three excellence manuals from suppliers, one internal excellence manual from the Distributor, and interviews with eight employees from different sectors were analyzed. Main results: The Excellence Program proved to be crucial for the distributor, providing a holistic view of the processes for senior management, directors, and managers. It facilitated daily control and organization, encompassing control, organization, strategy, and training. Theoretical/methodological contributions: The research highlights the importance of an Excellence Program as a management tool, assisting in the adoption of better accounting practices and more informed decision-making. Social/management contributions: The study reinforces the relevance of Excellence Programs for improving the quality of financial information, making it more accurate, clear, and reliable, which is essential for effective organizational management.

Future climate suitability of Hemileia vastatrix in arabica coffee under CMIP6 scenarios.

Coffee (Coffea arabica L.) is one of the most important commodities today, with a high economic value worldwide. Coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix Berk. et Br.) has been showing a high impact on Brazilian coffee trees among the various diseases that attack coffee. The climate has a great influence on the development of diseases, especially when fungi are the causal agents. This study aimed to carry out the zoning of climate favorability for coffee leaf rust in the traditional and main coffee-producing regions of Brazil. The study was conducted in 13 locations in the states of Paraná, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Goiás and Bahia. Air temperature and daily precipitation data for the current scenario were collected using the WorldClim version 2.1 platform for the last climatological normal and future climate change data. The ideal climate conditions for coffee leaf rust consist of a mean air temperature ranging from 21 to 25 °C and precipitation >30 mm per month. The Coupled Model Intercomparison Projects scenarios associated with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports consisted of the Shared Socio-Economic Pathways SSP-1 2.6, SSP-2 4.5, SSP-3 7.0 and SSP-5 8.5, the latter being considered one of the most catastrophic. All steps to carry out the suitability zoning were performed in a tool using the QGIS geographic information system software. Zoning for coffee leaf rust had three classes: favorable, relatively favorable and unfavorable. Currently, the largest coffee-producing region in Brazil has 49.1% of its analyzed area classified as favorable, 39.2% as relatively favorable and 11.7% as unfavorable. In the current scenario, Patrocínio and Três Pontas are locations with high coffee production in which the favorable class is predominant. The state of Minas Gerais has an annual mean of 55.3% of its entire territory apt for the disease, with the highest occurrence between September and March. Climate change has a negative impact on the development of coffee leaf rust, mainly in the long term, as in the period of 2081-2100, in which the SSP-5 8.5 scenario led to a decrease in the favorable and unfavorable areas and an increase in the relatively favorable areas of 9.8%, 18.6% and 71.5% for the Brazilian territory, respectively. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

The Emergence of New Sporothrix brasiliensis Genotypes in Current Epidemic of Sporotrichosis in Southeastern Brazil.

Zoonotic sporotrichosis caused by Sporothrix brasiliensis has become the main subcutaneous mycosis in Brazil. Minas Gerais (MG) is located in southeast Brazil and since 2015 has experienced an epidemic of zoonotic sporotrichosis. This study aimed to reconstruct the epidemiological scenario of sporotrichosis from S. brasiliensis in recent epizooty in the Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte (MRBH), MG. A total of 95 Sporothrix spp. isolates (Sporothirx brasiliensis n = 74, S. schenckii n = 11 and S. globosa n = 10) were subjected to Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) genotyping and mating-type analysis to determine genetic diversity and population structure. Of these, 46 S. brasiliensis isolates were recovered from animals (cats n = 41 and dogs n = 5) from MRBH. Our study describes the high interspecific differentiation power of AFLP-based genotyping between the main phylogenetic Sporothrix groups. S. brasiliensis presents high genetic variability and pronounced population structure with geographically focused outbreaks in Brazil. The genetic groups include older genotypes from the prolonged epidemic in Southeast (Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo), South (Rio Grande do Sul), Northeast (Pernambuco) and new genotypes from the MRBH. Furthermore, we provide evidence of heterothallism mating strategy in pathogenic Sporothrix species. Genotypes originating in Rio de Janeiro and Pernambuco carry the predominant MAT1-2 idiomorph as opposed to genotypes from Rio Grande do Sul, which have the MAT1-1 idiomorph. We observed an overwhelming occurrence of MAT1-1 among MRBH isolates. Our study provides clear evidence of the predominance of a genetic group profile circulating in animals in Minas Gerais, independent of that disseminated from Rio de Janeiro. Our data can help us understand the genetic population processes that drive the evolution of this fungus in Minas Gerais and contribute to future mitigation actions for this ongoing epidemic.

Major recent failures in Brazilian mine waste containment facilities, current cases of maximum emergency level and imminent risk of rupture, and a brief sustainability analysis.

Wasteisthe materials left over after the processing of ores. Significant disasters involving waste disposal structures have occurred in Brazil in recent years and caused severe damage by contaminating soil, rivers and coastal areas, destroying native fauna and flora, interrupting the water supply and compromising its potability, putting the population's health, livelihoods and economy at risk, as well as causing 289 irreparable human deaths. Regulatory laws have become stricter, and since 2019, after the tailings dam tragedies occurred in 2015 and 2019 in Mariana and Brumadinho, in Minas Gerais, the operation of upstream-raised tailings dams has been prohibitedin Brazil. In 2022, a waste slide from a sterile pile at the Pau Branco Mine in Nova Lima promoted a dike overflow. There was the death of five people whose car was buried by a landslide on a hillside. New strategies and technologies, such as reprocessing and recycling, can be tested to ascertain whether they can help improve practices in tailings management. Indeed, mining companies' corporate responsibility and sustainability practices need to be evaluated toverify whether they better match expectations. On the other hand, more specific and detailed regulations and resolutions are required to ensure the safe monitoring and management of sterile waste piles. This paper presents a review of the facts, a discussion of the literature (mainly on recent tailings dam disasters), the current situation of mining-containingwaste structures in Brazil, a brief sustainability analysisand perspectives aimed at preventing/minimising catastrophes in the future.

The influence of supervised and unsupervised methods in the analysis of low density stream sediments in the regional prospecting of pegmatites in the state of Espírito Santo, Araçuaí Orogen - Eastern Pegmatite Province of Brazil

The state of Espírito Santo is located in Brazil southeastern and it is geologically inserted in the Eastern Brazilian Pegmatite Province in the Araçuaí Orogen. This province is one of the most important pegmatite provinces in the world, known mainly for the occurrence of gem-quality minerals and high grade lithium deposits. Although Espírito Santo has a geological framework with many granite intrusions similar to those hosting mineralized pegmatites in Minas Gerais, it hasn't been acknowledged as a potential pegmatitic area. There are reports of mineralization of beryl (aquamarine), topaz, amethyst, and chrysoberyl in the state's mineral history. I this research we use regional stream sediment geochemical data of the Espirito Santo State, to create prospective geochemical maps to map gemological pegmatites. To do so, primary descriptive statistical analyses as well as Pearson and Spearman correlations and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were used to select elements associated with pegmatites. The geochemical prospectivity mapping was carried out by supervised and unsupervised approaches. The supervised method was based on integration of the elements by C-A fractal models, used to define the geochemical thresholds, and fuzzy logic methodology to integrate weighted geochemical maps. The unsupervised approach, however, was based on interpolation of the representative principal component scores. All models were validated using the Prediction Area plot (P-A plot). The results of our research showed that unsupervised methodology overperformed the other weighted supervised models, with a prediction rate of 78.14 % and prospectivity of 0.87. The final results also show a pegmatite prospectivity map for the Espirito Santo state, that indicates a great exploration potential for gemological minerals.)

Discussion on a Fire Risk Index based on Minas Gerais’ cultural heritage fire safety regulation

The Global Risk Analysis method, introduced by Gouveia (2006) and incorporated into Technical Instruction No. 35 of the Minas Gerais Fire Department, has undergone updates over the years. This study analyzed the different versions of the GRA method to identify changes, their impacts on results, and current limitations. A trend of reduced risk and increased safety was observed, suggesting an overestimation of the safety coefficient and inadequate building protection. It is recommended to improve the scope, balance of attributes, and documentation of the method to keep it current and reliable.

Comparative Analysis of Coffea Arabica Honeys from Two Locations in Minas Gerais

Objetivo: Realizar análises físico-químicas, contagem de pólen, avaliação da atividade antioxidante e quantificação de cafeína em méis provenientes da floração de Coffea arabica, provenientes de duas localidades distintas: M1 (Santana da Vargem) e M2 (Felício dos Santos). Metodologia: Para as análises foram realizados os testes de identificação botânica, reação de fiehe, teste de lund, teste enzimático de diástase, teste de corante, teste de presença de dextrinas, classificação de cores, determinação de acidez, determinação de umidade, determinação de hidroximetilfurfural (HMF), determinação de açúcares redutores, determinação de sólidos insolúveis , determinação do teor de cinzas, sacarose aparente, polifenóis totais, análise da atividade antioxidante e quantificação de cafeína. Resultados: Foi possível observar que somente o teor de HMF da amostra M2 está acima do permitido, as demais análises se encontram dentro dos limites estabelecidos pela instrução normativa nº 11 de 10/20/2000, além de altos teores de polifenóis, e dosagem de cafeína semelhante para ambos os méis. Conclusão: As diferenças observadas entre os os méis provavelmente estão relacionados ao clima e à região em que foram produzidos. Quanto à atividade antioxidante, o melhor resultado foi encontrado para M1; entretanto, níveis mais elevados de polifenóis e cafeína foram encontrados em M2.

Evaluation of drainage hydro credit implementation in the Vargem Grande stream basin in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil

The urbanization process generally increases impermeable surfaces, reduces rain infiltration, increases the volume of surface runoff and the frequency of urban flooding. The Vargem Grande stream basin, object of this study, has a waterproofing of 64.94% of its area of about 18 km². The channel on Vicente Guimarães avenue where the basin's outflow is located has a drainage system that quickly directs the runoff to the bottom of the valley, where some flooding has already been observed. This article will assess the need to implement the Drainage Hydro credit, with the objective of reducing the growth of the waterproofing rate in the studied basin, from the damping of hydrographic peaks or the increase of permeable areas on the ground. Hydrographs were simulated with additions to every 10% of the current impermeable area until it equals to the area of the hydrographic basin. Hydrographs were also simulated with reductions to every 10% of the current impermeable area until they return to their natural flow conditions. From the obtained results, it could be verified that the implementation of this measure is a valuable strategy for the amortization of the hydrograph peaks, reducing the drained volumes.

Validação do analisador i-STAT® cartucho CG8+ para análise hemogasométrica

The aim of this study was to compare values arterial blood gas values obtained by laboratory technical reference with values obtained by the i-STAT® CG8+ analyzer, in order to confirm their validity and thus extrapolate its applicability in academic research in the context of physical activity. Were collected 22 samples of blood from the radial artery of the non-dominant arm of patients admitted to the ITU of the Hospital São João Batista, located in Viçosa, Minas Gerais, in the period from February to March 2013. Were compared between the reference method Ciba Corning Gas System 278 and i-STAT® CG8+ portable analyzer the result of the following variables: pH; PO2 and PCO2 expressed in mmHg; HCO3, and TCO2 BE (base excess) expressed in mmol / L; sO2 and expressed as a percentage of saturation. The student t test, correlation test, and Bland-Altman analysis were used. For all blood parameters monitored in the comparison of mean values between the two methods, no significant difference was found for any of the variables. There was a significant correlation (p&lt;0.0001) and strong, with all correlation coefficients (r) above 0.93, between the two methods for all variables. The Bland-Altman analysis showed that there was agreement between the two methods, with over 90% of the sample between the limits of agreement for all variables. The i-STAT® CG8+ analyzer presented acceptable validity in the resting situation by reference to the Ciba Corning 278 Gas System device, and its use is an excellent strategy for research in the area of sport and health sciences that require fast results in the resting situation and that ensure the effectiveness of decision making.

Genetic characterization and distinctiveness of forage cactus accessions in Northern Minas Gerais, Brazil

Forage cactus is a vital alternative food source for livestock in arid and semiarid regions. This study aimed to estimate the genetic dissimilarity among forage cactus genotypes grown in the semiarid region of northern Minas Gerais, Brazil. The study evaluated forage cactus accessions through morphological characteristics over different periods and molecular marker data. Key morphological traits assessed included cladode length, width, thickness, and the number of cladodes per plant. The experiments were conducted at the Agricultural Research Company of Minas Gerais (EPAMIG Norte) using a completely randomized experimental design with five replications in a split-plot arrangement. The design consisted of 21 forage cactus accessions in the plots and 7 evaluation times in the subplots. Morphological dissimilarities were compared individually (Scott-Knott test; p&lt;0.05) and jointly (Euclidean distance). Molecular genotyping involved DNA extraction from young cladodes using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) oligonucleotides. Dissimilarity based on molecular markers was estimated using the Jaccard index. Separate dendrograms were generated for each analysis (morphological and molecular) using the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA), and a tanglegram was created to illustrate the relationships between the two dendrograms. Significant differences were found in cladode length and width and in the fresh and dry weight of plants. The molecular analysis differentiated genotypes at the species and genus levels, even among those that appeared morphologically similar. Comparing morphological and molecular data revealed both divergences and similarities, providing valuable insights into the diversity and structure within the groups.

PRODUCTION AND QUALITY OF Physalis peruviana FRUIT APPLYING DIFFERENT DOSES OF SIMPLE SUPERPHOSPHATE IN THE SOUTHERN REGION OF MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL

The present study aimed to investigate and determine the most relevant fertilization levels of Simple Superphosphate to increase fruit production and improve fruit quality for fresh consumption. The experiment was conducted at the EPAMIG Experimental Field in Lambarí, Minas Gerais, from September 2021 to November 2022. Five fertilization levels were tested: 150 grams/plot, 300 grams/plot, 600 grams/plot, and 1200 grams/plot, along with a control group (no fertilization). A significant increase in fruit production was observed at the higher dose (1200 grams/plot) compared to the control, representing a 54.06% increase in fruit production. Additionally, the total fresh biomass production increased by 19.43%, the number of primary and secondary branches per plant increased by 48.99%, the branch length increased by 4.26%, and the canopy diameter increased by 6.83% when compared to the control. All these characteristics were significantly different at the 95% confidence level according to the Scott-Knott test. We concluded that 300 grams/plot was the best fertilization dose to achieve higher production and acceptable quality.

Two new and unusual species of Tibelloides Mello-Leitão, 1939 (Araneae: Philodromidae)

Tibelloides Mello-Leitão, 1939 currently comprises four species of Neotropical grass-dwelling spiders. Herein, we describe and illustrate Tibelloides castelo sp. nov. with few records from Brazil (Minas Gerais, Piauí, Rio de Janeiro), and Tibelloides juatuba sp. nov., with records from Brazil (Minas Gerais, Pará, Paraná, Rondônia) and Paraguay (San Pedro). These two new species differ from the previously described ones by having body and legs conspicuously longer and thinner, male pedipalp without retrolateral marginal conductor, and female genitalia with compound copulatory ducts tubular and elongated.