ABSTRACT Technological advances have demonstrated the need for intellectual property rights, and patent granting is one of its most widespread forms. This includes the protection of inoculant formulations for agriculture, in which Brazil is a leader. This study aimed to analyze the number of patents for formulations of biological inoculants for agriculture in Brazil and the microorganisms used. An advanced search was performed in the National Institute of Industrial Property database, using the title and abstract fields. The indexers included […]

ABSTRACT Soils of the Quadrilátero Ferrífero are rich in mineral resources, especially gold and iron. Soil management and mining activities greatly impact soil biology. However, studies addressed to the diversity of microorganisms and their ecological role in the recovery of these areas are scarce. This study aimed to assess the yeast occurrence in soils with natural vegetation (Atlantic Forest, neotropical savanna, and iron outcrop) and areas with anthropogenic modifications (Eucalyptus stand and rehabilitated area) in the Quadrilátero Ferrífero region. We […]

Phosphate solubilization by bacteria and fungi grown in broth media (glucose-yeast extract/GYE) supplied with phosphate (Ca-P, Al-P and Fe-P) and carbon sources (cellulose, starch, sucrose, glucose, fructose and xylose) was evaluated under laboratory conditions. Growth, halo diameter, colony diameter and halo/colony ratio varied according to the microorganisms and phosphate or carbon sources. From 57 isolates, 56 were able to solubilize Ca-P with differing halo diameters, five succeeded to solubilize Al-P at different ranges and none was able to solubilize Fe-P. […]

Mining and metallurgical activities are responsible for pollution of extensive soil areas around the world, with their effects not being well known under Brazilian conditions. Total and water soluble contents of heavy metals and microbial density and activity were evaluated, in this 1996 study using samples from seven sites located in a dumping site of a zinc industry in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Additionally, a non-contaminated site was used as reference. All contaminated sites presented high total and […]