Ministry of Agriculture

About: Ministry of Agriculture is a government organization based out in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Biology & Chemistry. The organization has 1153 authors who have published 1189 publications receiving 14442 citations.

MPS Model-Based Software Acquisition Process Improvement in Brazil

Abstract: This paper describes an initiative to improve software acquisition process in Brazil. This initiative was conducted in the context of the MPS.BR Program, a nationwide effort to develop and disseminate the MPS Model both in large organizations and small and medium-size enterprises (SME). The MPS Model was developed aiming to represent Brazilian software industry needs and is constituted of three main components: the MPS Reference Model; the MPS Assessment Method; and the MPS Business Model. One of the MPS Model processes is the Acquisition process for software and related services. This paper presents the main achievements of the MPS.BR Program but it is focused on the Acquisition Process described in the MPS Acquisition Guide (a stand-alone guide that constitutes one of the base elements of the MPS Model). This work also presents the customization of the MPS Acquisition process for specific purposes in the context of the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (MAPA), including process instantiation of the customized acquisition process, aiming to improve quality of basic projects in the Information Technology Area and to assure contracting of services and products which satisfy the MAPA needs.

First report of Diaporthe phaseolorum var. caulivora infecting soybean plants in Brazil.

Abstract: In March 2006, diseased soybean plants (Glycine max) were found in the municipalities of Passo Fundo and Coxilha, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, showing withered, brown leaves and light to reddish-brown discoloration and necrosis (canker) of the lower half of the stem. Cultural characteristics in potato dextrose agar showed identical patterns to those described for Diaporthe phaseolorum var. caulivora (Dpc). The rDNA-ITS sequence data from the Brazilian strain CH 40/06 (GenBank accession number EU622854) were compared to homologous sequences from the NCBI GenBank database, and a high similarity with Dpc strains was verified. A phylogenetic reconstruction was performed to compare EU622854 with other related sequences and grouped with Dpc. This group was highly supported by the bootstrap test (99%). Morphology of the Brazilian specimen was also similar to that described in the literature for Dpc, but the ascospores were slightly narrower than the American original material of Dpc. In field surveys performed in the 2006/07 crop season, Dpc was also found in five additional municipalities in RS.

Propagation of avian metapneumovirus subtypes A and B using chicken embryo related and other cell systems.

Abstract: Primary isolation of avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) is carried out using tracheal organ culture (TOC) or chicken embryonated eggs with subsequent adaptation in chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) or Vero cultures. This study was conducted to evaluate six different cell lines and two avian culture systems for the propagation of aMPV subtypes A and B. The chicken embryo related (CER) cells were used successfully for primary isolation. In addition to Vero and baby hamster kidney (BHK-21) cells, CER cells were also shown to be the most appropriate for propagation of aMPV considering high titres. Propagation of A and B subtypes in CEF and TOC remained efficient after the primary isolation and several passages of viruses in the CER cell line. The growth curves were created using CER, Vero and BHK-21 cell lines. Compared with growth, both yielded higher titres in CER cells during the first 30 h after infection, but no significant difference was observed in the results obtained from CER and Vero cells. This data show that CER cells are adequate for aMPV subtypes A and B propagation, giving similar results to Vero cells.

Desempenho agronômico e recomendações para cultivo de quinoa (brs syetetuba) no cerrado

Abstract: Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), native to the South American Andes, has been adapted for cultivation in Brazil, via progeny selection. Originating from the Q4 population, from Ecuadorian valleys, Q4.5 has shown outstanding performance. During the trials, it was standardized for agronomic traits and named BRS Syetetuba. In the summer and winter, it reached 2.3 t ha-1 and 7.5 t ha-1, respectively for grain and biomass yield, in 120 days, from emergence to maturity. These results were higher than those reached by the BRS Piabiru and Kancolla check cultivars. The grains are saponin-free and have a mean weight of 2.9 g 1000-1. The results reveal that the BRS Syetetuba meets the desirable characteristics for commercial yield in Brazil. KEY-WORDS: Chenopodium quinoa; grain weight; biomass; plant height.