Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are highly damaging pests responsible for heavy losses in worldwide productivity in a significant number of important plant crops. Common pest man- agement strategies rely on the use of synthetic chemical nematicides, which have led to serious concerns regarding their impacts on human health and the environment. Plant natural products, or phytochemicals, can provide a good sourc...
Owing to its applications in both food and pharmaceutical industries honey is regarded as a functional product. This study evaluated 32 Portuguese monofloral honeys and their activity was compared with manuka honey 850 + . The antimicrobial activity was determined against Gram-positive and negative bacteria, and yeast. Antioxidant activity, wound healing ability, and cell viability were studied in the human ker...
Owing to its applications in both food and pharmaceutical industries honey is regarded as a functional product. This study evaluated 32 Portuguese monofloral honeys and their activity was compared with manuka honey 850 +. The antimicrobial activity was determined against Gram-positive and negative bacteria, and yeast. Antioxidant activity, wound healing ability, and cell viability were studied in the human kera...
Cryptomeria japonica's wood production in Azores generates large amounts of underutilized biomass residues, such as immature female cones (Az–CJIFC), that can be used to produce essential oils (EOs). Hydrodistillation (HD) can be used both to obtain and to fractionate EOs. In this study, EOs from Az–CJIFC, grinded (GR) and non-grinded (NGr) fresh samples, were obtained via HD over 4 h, yielding 1.0 % and 0.5 %,...
“Maçã de Alcobaça” is a type of apple from the West coast of Portugal with Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). This study evaluated the influence of the orchard’s fertilization and post-harvest storage time on the quality of “Maçã de Alcobaça”, ‘Gala’ cultivar. Five orchards were studied for four years, using three fertilization treatments [Standard, twice Standard (2xStandard) and twice Standard including...
Corymbia citriodora is a eucalypt tree of significant economic value due to its essential oils (EOs), rich in citronellal, citronellol, and other oxygenated monoterpenes with diverse biological activities. Its EOs show potential for the formulation of biopesticides with a lower impact on the environment and human health. This study evaluated the in vitro nematicidal activity of C. citriodora EOs, obtained from ...
Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is one of the world’s most common agricultural crop for human consumption and considered an excellent source of essential nutrients and vitamins. The productivity of this crop is threatened by several plant-parasitic nematodes, among which the root-lesion nematode Pratylenchus penetrans is considered to have a significant impact. This organism is extremely difficult to eradicate and c...
The root lesion nematode, Pratylenchus penetrans, is a serious threat to agricultural crops worldwide, being extremely difficult to control with common pest management practices. New EU commission policies on the development of plant protection products restrict the application of synthetic nematicides. Aiming at the development of a sustainable and environment friendly approach for nematode control, 20 oxygen-...
The root-lesion nematode (RLN), Pratylenchus penetrans, is one of the most severe plant parasitic nematodes (PPN), responsible for productivity losses in a significant number of plant hosts. The chemical control of these PPNs relies on fumigants and non-fumigants compounds, which offer a systemic protection. Such control methods are costly and hazardous to the environment and to humans. Compounds naturally prod...
Moroccan honey with Bupleurum spinosum (Apiaceae/Umbelliferae) as the main pollen source is locally known as Zantaz honey. In the present work, the volatiles from 18 honeys of this type, were isolated by hydrodistillation and analysed by Gas Chromatography (GC) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), for volatiles quantification and identification. The percentage composition of the volatiles and polle...