The extent and nature of physio-chemical changes that take place in detached leaves after harvest and during storage have been reviewed and discussed by Osborne (1962) and Rogers (1955). These changes include loss of moisture (Wittwer et al., 1962), chlorophyll degredation (Person et al., 1957), Protein loss (Thimann and Manmahan, 1960), and result in subsequent appearance of the visual manifestations of senescence of plant tissues. As lettuce, like most leafy vegetables, deteriorates rapidly and steadily after harvest. Loss of quality is inevitable and can only be minimized by rapid handling and with the best possible storage conditions (Pratt et al., 1954). In recent years, abundant work has been done to delay senescence by the use of various chemicals. Among the investigated chemicals, kinetin (6-furfurylarninopurine) and its related c ompounds show some promise. Van Overbeek et al. (1941) reported a potent new growthpromoting factor (kinetin) in coconut milk. This chemical is active in causing many of the growth reactions of c oconut milk at exceedingly small dosages. Subsequently several arninopurine compounds were synthesized. One of which is SD 4901 (Verdan), N6-benzyladenine, an experimental senescence inhibitor, was developed by Shell Development Company, Modesto, California in 1960. Many reports showed that this chemical is capable of delaying senescence of plant tissues on the basis of restoring protein molecules and respiration inhibition. On the other hand, others have shown stimulation of respiration and delaying of senescence. Paucity of scientific literature on the stability of those chemicals on leafy vegetables gave impetus to a study of the comparative influence of pre- and post-harvest applications of 6-furfurylaminopurine and N6-benzyladenine as related to successive harvest times. Such studies may have considerable economic bearing upon storing and shipping leafy vegetables to distant markets. This thesis presents effects of different concentrations (5, 10, and 20 ppm.) of pre- and post-harvest applications of 6-furfurylaminopurine and N6-benzyladenine as related to three successive harvest times (at one week intervals) on chlorophyll content, moisture content, total nitrogen, insoluble and soluble nitrogen, oxygen uptake, 0 and co2 production during storage (at 40 Fo and 85 percent RH) of "Great Lakes" variety of lettuce.

Peppers are a rich source of diverse bioactive compounds with potential health-promoting properties. The levels of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity can be affected by analytical methods, pre-harvest factors, and the quality of peppers. In order to understand the nutrient composition and antioxidant activity in peppers, determination of factors influencing the contents of bioactive compounds is important. The overall objectives were to determine the efficient conditions of sample preparation and the impact of pre-harvest factors affecting bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. Optimal extraction procedures were developed, and HPLC methods were validated for bioactive compounds in peppers. The highest flavonoids were extracted in ethanol, while myricetin was extracted using N-N-dimethylformamide. Optimized conditions for flavonoids were obtained during 3 h of extraction time and hydrolysis in M HCl for 60 min at 95 degrees C. Capsaicinoids and ascorbic acid were simultaneously separated and extracted using a solvent mixture consisting of 3% metaphosphoric acid: ethanol (2:8) after 30 min of sonication. To determine the relationship between bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities in pepper extracts from different solvent properties, bioactive compounds were analyzed, and the antioxidant activities were assayed by 2,2,-Diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH), reducing power, and degradation of deoxyribose. Hexane extracts had the highest levels of capsaicinoids and carotenoids, while methanol extracts had the highest levels of flavonoids. Strong DPPH scavenging activity and reducing power were found in lipophilic extracts, while hydrophilic extracts were appropriate for inhibition of deoxyribose degradation. Variation in content of ascorbic acid, capsaicinoids, and flavonoids was evaluated at immature and mature stages of pepper cultivars in different locations over two years. Mature peppers contained the highest levels of capsaicinoids and ascorbic acid. Flavonoids were variable at different maturity stages. Interactions between pre-harvest factors and bioactive compounds were highly significant. This study demonstrated the efficient sample preparation methods and simultaneous separation of bioactive compounds, which reduces analysis time and leads to reduced cost. The antioxidant properties were strongly associated with the concentration of bioactive compounds based on selective pepper extracts. The pepper quality can be improved by using appropriate pre-harvest conditions that increase the levels of bioactive compounds in peppers.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Agronomy / Guihua Bai / Guorong Zhang / Wheat yield and quality is influenced by many abiotic and biotic environmental factors. Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) occurs when physiologically matured spikes are exposed to wet field conditions before harvest, which results in seed germination and causes significant losses in yield and end-use quality. Wheat stripe rust is one of the most important biotic factors reducing grain yield and quality. To investigate the genetic basis of the resistance to PHS and stripe rust in hard white winter wheat cultivars Danby and Tiger and develop molecular markers for marker- assisted breeding, a double haploid (DH) population, derived from those two cultivars, was genotyped with simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers and simple nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. This DH population was assessed for resistance to PHS and stripe rust in both greenhouse and field experiments. For PHS, one major resistant quantitative trait locus (QTL) was consistently detected on the short arm of chromosome 3A in all three experiments conducted and explained 21.6% to 41.0% of the phenotypic variation (PVE). This QTL is corresponding to a previously cloned gene, TaPHS1. A SNP in the promoter of TaPHS1 co- segregated with PHS resistance in this mapping population. Meanwhile, two other QTLs, Qphs.hwwg-3B.1 and Qphs.hwwg-5A.1, were consistently detected on the chromosome arms 3BS and 5AL in two experiments. These two QTLs showed significant additive effects with TaPHS1 in improving PHS resistance. For stripe rust, three major QTLs were consistently detected in four out of six environments for infection type (IT) or disease severity (DS). Two of them, QYr.hwwg-2AS1 and QYr.hwwg-4BL1, contributed by the Danby allele explained up to 28.4% of PVE for IT and 60.5% of PVE for DS. The third QTL, QYr.hwwg-3BS1, contributed by the Tiger allele, had PVE values up to 14.7% for IT and 22.9% for DS. QYr.hwwg-2AS1 and QYr.hwwg- 4BL1 are likely the same resistance genes reported previously on chromosome arms 2AS and 4BL. However, QYr.hwwg-3BS1 might be different from the reported gene cluster near the distal end of 3BS where Yr57, Yr4, Yr30 and Sr2 were located. Significant additive effects on reducing IT and DS were observed among these three major QTLs. In order to pyramid multiple QTLs in breeding, user-friendly Kompetitive allele specific PCR (KASP) markers were successfully developed for several QTLs identified in this study. The QTLs and their interactions found in this study together with those novel flanking KASP markers developed will be useful not only for understanding genetic mechanisms of PHS and stripe rust resistance but also for marker- assisted breeding to improve wheat resistance to PHS and stripe rust by gene pyramiding.

Prior research has shown pathogen prevalence on-farms is not uniformly distributed, instead pathogen prevalence is highly dependent on environmental factors and management practices. A study was performed to determine environmental factors (e.g., landscape features, meteorological events) and management practices (e.g., date of last irrigation, pesticide application) that may impact the prevalence of Salmonella spp. and Listeria spp. at the sub-field level (0.2 ha grids) on an Eastern Shore of Virginia farm. Virginia Tech's Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center (ESAREC) farm was used due to the liability of testing for pathogens in commercial produce fields; however, production practices used at the ESAREC farm are similar, if not the same, to production practices used on commercial farms. Fifteen drag swab, one water, and up to five fecal samples were collected every two weeks per sampling occurrence from August to December 2016 (thus up to 21 samples may be collected during one sampling occurrence. Samples were collected from randomized field plots that were picked during each sampling occurrence. Salmonella spp. and Listeria spp. were isolated and confirmed using modified versions of the Food and Drug Administration's Bacteriological Analytical Manual. Environmental factors were retrieved by remotely-sensed data for the sample location or date. Management practices were recorded by an observational survey for each sample occurrence. Two hundred and seventy-four samples (210 drag swab, 50 fecal, and 14 water samples) were collected during the late summer, fall, and winter. Listeria spp. and Salmonella spp. was detected in 8.3% (23/274) and 1.8% (5/274) of samples, respectively. Neither pathogen was detected in any of the fourteen water samples tested. Findings from this study will support the development of mitigation strategies to reduce pathogen contamination on-farm, with emphasis at the sub-field level. For instance, mitigation strategies include growers electing to not harvest near edges of fields or directly after precipitation events to minimize contamination events. Additionally, management practices were found to be associated with pathogen prevalence; therefore, management practices should be carefully tailored for each unique farm landscape. / Master of Science in Life Sciences

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Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-08T16:44:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PGPV12MA106.pdf: 786014 bytes, checksum: 29f2cbccbbfdab9f338f83517f807b63 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-10-10 / The use of substances that induce senescence of common bean plant has become a common practice among Santa Catarina state farmers. Allied to this, is also frequent use by farmers owners seeds for the crop establishment. The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of plant senescence inducer of common bean and its impact on yield and seed physiological quality. Were used eight common bean genotypes (four landrace genotypes and four commercial cultivars) were studied using inducers of senescence (ethephon, paraquat, flumioxazin and prohexadione-Ca) plus a control (no application). The research was conducted in 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 growing seasons in Lages-SC. The field experiment was a randomized block design with three replications. Were evaluated: field emergence, maturaty speed, seed moisture content, yield and weight of 100 seeds. Were performed in the laboratory, using a completely randomized design with four replications germination tests first and second counts, accelerated aging, cold test and electrical conductivity. The genotypic diferences was observed on plant maturity degree, yield components and seed physiological quality under plant substance inducer was treated at R8-R9 stages of bean plants. The ethephon, flumioxazin and paraquat promoted plant senescence in about ten day after the application, but paraquat are more speedly desiccant. However, paraquat andflumioxazin negatively affected seed physiological quality (genotypes IPR88-Uirapuru, SCS Guará, IPR Tangará, BAF50 and BAF55). The SCS Guará rippening faster compared than other genotypes. The seed yield were changed between cultivars and plant inductors. The BRS Campeiro and IPR88-Uirapuru had higher field emergence and higher seed yield. The flumioxazin and paraquat resulted in a high abnormal and dead seeds content in the standard germination test, these also affect seed germination after accelerated aging, however, maintained the integrity of cell membranes in seeds tested using electrical conductivity. The prohexadione-Ca plant treatement negatively affected the seed germination content when evaluated after low temperaturesby cold test. The 2011/2012 growing season was better for common bean crop, resulting in greater seed yield and.physiological seed quality In conclusion, the use plant senescence inducer substances affect yield and seed physiological, in a dependent manner of genotype and the product / O uso de substâncias indutoras de senescência da planta do feijão, objetivando uniformizar a maturação para antecipar e mecanizar a colheita vem se tornando uma prática comum entre os agricultores no estado de Santa Catarina. Aliado a isso, também é frequente a utilização, pelos agricultores, de sementes próprias, sem o conhecimento do estado fisiológico e sanitário para implantação da lavoura. O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar a influência da aplicação de indutores de senescênciada planta do feijoeiro e, seu impacto sobre o rendimento e qualidade fisiológica das sementes. Foram utilizados oito genótipos de feijão (quatro genótipos crioulos e quatro cultivares comerciais) nas quais foram aplicados os indutores de senescência (etefom, paraquat, flumioxazina e prohexadione-Ca) e mais um tratamento testemunha (sem aplicação). A pesquisa foi conduzida nos anos agrícolas de 2010/2011 e 2011/2012, em Lages-SC. O delineamento experimental em campo foi de blocos ao acaso com três repetições. Foram avaliados: emergência em campo, grau de maturidade, teor de água das sementes, produtividade e massa de 100 sementes. Foram realizados em laboratório, usando o delineamento inteiramente casualizado com quatro repetições os testes de germinação primeira e segunda contagem, envelhecimento acelerado, teste de frio e condutividade elétrica. Ao analisar o grau de maturação da planta, os componentes do rendimento e a qualidade fisiológica das sementes se observou que os genótipos se comportam de maneira distinta quando submetidos à aplicação de substâncias indutoras de senescência da planta aplicados entres os estádios R8-R9 das plantas de feijoeiro. Os produtos etefom, flumioxazina e paraquat promoveram aceleração na senescência da planta atingindo maior intensidade no décimo dia após a aplicação destes, sendo o paraquat mais eficiente na dessecação. Entretanto, paraquat, assim como a aplicação da substância flumioxazina afetaram negativamente a qualidade fisiológica das sementes (genótipos, IPR88-Uirapuru, SCS Guará, IPR Tangará, BAF50 e BAF55). O genótipo SCS Guará senesceu mais rapidamente. Para o caractere produtividade houve variação entre cultivares e indutores nas diferentes safras. As cultivares BRS Campeiro e IPR88-Uirapuru apresentaram maior emergência em campo e maior produtividade de sementes. A aplicação de flumioxazina e paraquat resultou em percentual elevado de sementes anormais e mortas no teste de germinação, estes, também afetaram negativamente a germinação após o envelhecimento acelerado, no entanto, mantiveram a integridade das membranas celulares nas sementes avaliadas pelo teste de condutividade elétrica. O tratamento prohexadione-Ca afetou negativamente a germinação de sementes submetidas a baixas temperaturas através do teste de frio. O ano agrícola de 2011/2012 foi melhor para o cultivo do feijoeiro, resultando em maior qualidade fisiológica das sementes e produtividade. Em conclusão, a aplicação de substâncias indutoras de senescência afetam a produtividade e qualidade de sementes de feijão, de maneira dependente do produto e do genótipo

L'industrie viti-vinicole est affectée par la présence d’Ochratoxine A (OTA) dans ses produits en raison de la contamination des raisins par des souches fongiques d'Aspergillus section Nigri, notamment A. carbonarius. Le vin et le jus de raisin sont considérés comme les deuxièmes contributeurs en Europe à l'ingestion par les consommateurs de cette mycotoxine ayant des effets néphrotoxiques, neurotoxiques et tératogènes. L'objectif principal de ce travail est de proposer des méthodes alternatives aux traitements phytosanitaires chimiques pour prévenir la contamination en OTA dans les raisins et le vin, dans le respect de l'environnement et de la santé des producteurs et consommateurs. Différents traitements ont été comparés en station expérimentale après contamination artificielle du cépage Mourvèdre par une souche d’A. carbonarius fortement productrice d’OTA (CP-OTA) isolée de raisin : un fongicide chimique (Scala®) servant de témoin conventionnel et 3 traitements alternatifs, un extrait de plante agissant comme éliciteur (Stifénia®), et Saccharomyces cerevisiae et Trichoderma atroviride utilisés comme agents biologiques antagonistes. Deux parcelles non traitées ont servi de témoins non traités, l'une a été artificiellement contaminée. Une réduction significative de la teneur en OTA dans les jus (de 38 à 42 %) a été observée pour les traitements avec le fongicide chimique, la levure en tant qu’agent biologique et l’éliciteur Stifenia permettant une amélioration notable de la qualité sanitaire des jus et une réduction en dessus de la norme à 2 g/Kg. Les dénombrements microbiologiques et la Q-PCR utilisant des amorces spécifiques d’A. carbonarius ont montré les plus fortes réductions de son occurrence dans les jus de raisin et les rafles après traitement avec l’éliciteur. L’analyse des résultats de PCR-DGGE a permis de bien de discriminer les différents traitements par rapport à des modifications d’écosystèmes. Des espèces des genres Penicillium et Fusarium non productrices d’OTA ont été isolée des baies traitées par le Stifénia® alors qu’elles n’ont pas été mises en évidence sur les autres parcelles. Les deux traitements biologiques et le traitement par éliciteur ont considérablement augmenté l'épaisseur des peaux de baies (quantités de cire et de cuticule et épaisseur de la peau de la baie). Ceci pourrait être due à des mécanismes de résistance des baies de raisin à certains agents pathogènes et pourraient expliquer simultanément la réduction d’OTA ainsi que l'amélioration de la qualité globale du jus de raisin, qui présentent notamment des teneurs en polyphénols augmentées. Le trans-6-nonenal et trans-2-octenal, rencontrés à plus haute concentration dans les feuilles traitées au Stifénia® lors de l’analyse des profils des composés organiques volatils (COV) des feuilles ont montré une activité antifongique sur la croissance et toxinogenèse du CP-OTA alors qu’aucune activité antifongique de la poudre Stifénia® n’a pu être mesurée. Cela pourrait expliquer en partie le mode d'action de défense de la plante suite au traitement éliciteur par production au niveau des feuilles des COV induisant des modifications métaboliques sur le CP-OTA et engendrant les teneurs d’OTA réduites dans les raisins. Suite aux modifications d’écosystème obtenus, l’autre possibilité envisagée de défense induite par le Stifénia serait la promotion de souches microbiennes antagonistes des souches fongiques mycotoxinogènes. Lors de test d’antagonisme, certaines souches des genres Penicillium et Fusarium, isolées sur parcelles traitées au Stifenia, ont eu un effet positif de réduction de la croissance et toxinogenèse du CP-OTA. C'est notamment le cas pour Penicillium adametzioides qui présente la meilleure réduction de toxinogenèse du CP-OTA. Le traitement par éliciteur présente donc de très bonnes alternatives aux traitements phytosanitaires chimiques pour lutter contre les champignons toxinogènes ainsi que des potentialités de nouveaux agents biologiques. / The grape and wine industry is affected by the presence of Ochratoxin A (OTA) in its products because of contamination of grapes by strains of Aspergillus section Nigri. Grapes and wine are considered as the second contributors in Europe to the ingestion of this mycotoxin with nephrotoxic, neurotoxic and teratogenic effects. The main objective of this work is to provide non-chemical alternative methods to control OTA contamination in grapes and wine, in respect with environment and health of producers and consumers. Different treatments were compared in experimental vineyard PECH-ROUGE of INRA and IFV, Narbonne, France on near parcels after artificial contamination of the Mourvèdre grape cultivar by A. carbonarius: (OTA producing fungus; OTA-PF) a chemical fungicide (Scala®); Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Trichoderma atroviride as antagonists; and a plant extract as elicitor (Stifénia®). Two untreated parcels served as controls, one was artificially contaminated. A significant reduction (38 - 42%) was observed in the OTA juice content by the chemical, yeast bioagent and elicitor treatments with juice safety improvement under the standard at 2 g/Kg. The microbiological enumeration and Q-PCR using universal and specific primers for A. carbonarius had shown the highest reduction of its occurrence on grapes and stems from elictor treatment. The DGGE gave an overview on their effect on the fungal ecosystem, that showed higher similarity between the non-contaminated and elicitor treatment (76%) followed by yeast one and the lowest treatment was the contaminated one. The results obtained from traditional methods of isolation showed that the elicitor treatment had a higher proportion of fungal species from Penicillium and Fusarium genera not isolated in the other treatments. The two biological treatments and one elicitor treatment significantly increased the thickness of the berry skins in general (wax, cuticle layers and skin thickness), which could be related to the enhancement of the disease resistance of the grape berries to certain pathogens and could also simultaneously explain the OTA reduction and the grape juice quality improvement whith particular increasment of polyphenol contents. Further study was conducted in order to understand the Stifénia® mode of action because the reduction effect of the black aspergilli incidence and the OTA contamination while the isolated strains still have the high ability of producing OTA. Trans-6-nonenal and trans-2-octenal, which recognized in Stifénia® treatment leaves with the highest significant concentration regarding to their concentration with the chemical treatment during volatile organic compound (VOC) analyses, have antifungal activity against the OTA-PF growth and OTA production with low concentrations. No antifungal activity of the Stifénia® powder against the OTA-PF mycelial growth or toxigenesis were measured. That may partially explain the mode of action of plant defence by producing leaf VOCs that induce positive changes on the OTA-PF and its OTA contents in grapes. Due to ecosystem changes observed, an other potential effect of the induced defense with Stifénia treatment could be to promote fungal strains with antagonistic effect on A. carbonarius. In vitro antagonistic test was performed with Stifénia® non-Aspergillus isolates from Penicillium and Fusarium genera. Certain strains had a positive effect on mycelial growth reduction on OTA-PF and have also an effect on OTA production of OTA-PF. Penicillium adametzioides showed the highest reduction of toxigenesis of OPT-PF. This could be accomplished by applying as the elicitor one of the tested fungi with an antagonistic effect on OTA production, such as P. adametzioides. The Elicitor treatment therefore offers very good alternatives to chemical treatments to fight against toxigenic fungi directly or by giving new potential biological agents.

Introdução: A queima da cana de açúcar para a colheita ocorre para facilitar o trabalho de corte, reduzir o volume de resíduos, controlar pragas, evaporar e concentrar o açúcar na haste e eliminar animais perigosos do canavial. A queima da cana de açúcar e seus efeitos à saúde humana são o objeto de diversas pesquisas na área da saúde pública brasileira e mundial. Objetivos: Estudar, por diferentes métodos, a relação entre as queimadas de cana de açúcar e a incidência de doenças respiratórias na mesorregião de Presidente Prudente. Verificar a evolução das queimadas e da produção de cana de açúcar na região, no período de 2008 a 2011. Metodologia: Revisão bibliográfica. Composição de banco de dados geográficos com as variáveis em estudo. Análise dos dados. Elaboração de mapas temáticos e gráficos das variáveis. Cálculo do índice de Moran local das variáveis de estudo. Análise de estatística espacial com os dados de focos de queimadas, hectares de cana de açúcar colhidos com queima prévia e internações. Elaboração de mapas temáticos para comparação e análise. Descrição dos resultados. Resultados: A revisão bibliográfica, entre outras coisas, mostrou diferentes impactos à saúde devido a queima de cana de açúcar. A produção de cana de açúcar aumentou na região de estudo nos últimos anos, consequentemente aumentando a quantidade de queimadas em oposição ao previsto na legislação. Os aglomerados espaciais onde há a colheita com queima prévia coincidiram com os de maior incidência para doenças respiratórias. Identificou se uma área, na porção norte do território estudado de maior vulnerabilidade à poluição atmosférica e, consequentemente, com maior incidência de internações. Conclusões: No período de 2008 a 2011 ocorreu aumento no número de hectares colhidos com queima prévia, associado ao aumento da produção de cana de açúcar. Este efeito não se repetiu nas internações por doenças respiratórias para as faixas etárias selecionadas. Novas pesquisas são necessárias para uma melhor correlação entre o aumento da utilização da queima como método de colheita e as internações respiratórias na região. / Introduction: The burning of sugarcane for harvest occurs to facilitate the cutting work, reduce the volume of waste, control pests, evaporate and concentrate the sugar in the stem and remove dangerous animals from a sugarcane field. The burning of sugar cane and its effects on human health are the subject of several studies in the area of the brazilian and global public health. Objectives: To study, by different methods, the relationship between the burning of sugarcane and the incidence of respiratory illnesses in the middle region of Presidente Prudente. Checking the progress of fires and sugar cane production in the region, from 2008 to 2011. Methods: Literature review. Geographic database composition with the study variables. Data analysis. Preparation of thematic maps and charts of the variables. Calculation of the local Moran index of the study variables. Spatial statistics analysis with data from outbreaks of fires, hectares of sugar cane harvested with previous burning and hospitalizations. Preparation of thematic maps for comparison and analysis. Description of the results. Results: The literature review, among other things, showed different health impacts due to burning of sugar cane. The production of sugar cane increased in the study region in 9 recent years, thus increasing the amount of fires in opposition to the law. The clusters where there is the harvest with previous burning coincided with the highest incidence of respiratory diseases. Identified if an area in the northern portion of the territory studied most vulnerable to air pollution and consequently a higher incidence of hospitalizations. Conclusions: In the period 2008-2011 there was an increase in the number of acres harvested with previous burning, associated with increased production of sugar cane. This effect was not repeated in admissions for respiratory diseases for selected age groups. Further research is needed to better correlation between the increased use of burning as harvesting method and respiratory hospitalizations in the region.

Introdução: A queima da cana de açúcar para a colheita ocorre para facilitar o trabalho de corte, reduzir o volume de resíduos, controlar pragas, evaporar e concentrar o açúcar na haste e eliminar animais perigosos do canavial. A queima da cana de açúcar e seus efeitos à saúde humana são o objeto de diversas pesquisas na área da saúde pública brasileira e mundial. Objetivos: Estudar, por diferentes métodos, a relação entre as queimadas de cana de açúcar e a incidência de doenças respiratórias na mesorregião de Presidente Prudente. Verificar a evolução das queimadas e da produção de cana de açúcar na região, no período de 2008 a 2011. Metodologia: Revisão bibliográfica. Composição de banco de dados geográficos com as variáveis em estudo. Análise dos dados. Elaboração de mapas temáticos e gráficos das variáveis. Cálculo do índice de Moran local das variáveis de estudo. Análise de estatística espacial com os dados de focos de queimadas, hectares de cana de açúcar colhidos com queima prévia e internações. Elaboração de mapas temáticos para comparação e análise. Descrição dos resultados. Resultados: A revisão bibliográfica, entre outras coisas, mostrou diferentes impactos à saúde devido a queima de cana de açúcar. A produção de cana de açúcar aumentou na região de estudo nos últimos anos, consequentemente aumentando a quantidade de queimadas em oposição ao previsto na legislação. Os aglomerados espaciais onde há a colheita com queima prévia coincidiram com os de maior incidência para doenças respiratórias. Identificou se uma área, na porção norte do território estudado de maior vulnerabilidade à poluição atmosférica e, consequentemente, com maior incidência de internações. Conclusões: No período de 2008 a 2011 ocorreu aumento no número de hectares colhidos com queima prévia, associado ao aumento da produção de cana de açúcar. Este efeito não se repetiu nas internações por doenças respiratórias para as faixas etárias selecionadas. Novas pesquisas são necessárias para uma melhor correlação entre o aumento da utilização da queima como método de colheita e as internações respiratórias na região. / Introduction: The burning of sugarcane for harvest occurs to facilitate the cutting work, reduce the volume of waste, control pests, evaporate and concentrate the sugar in the stem and remove dangerous animals from a sugarcane field. The burning of sugar cane and its effects on human health are the subject of several studies in the area of the brazilian and global public health. Objectives: To study, by different methods, the relationship between the burning of sugarcane and the incidence of respiratory illnesses in the middle region of Presidente Prudente. Checking the progress of fires and sugar cane production in the region, from 2008 to 2011. Methods: Literature review. Geographic database composition with the study variables. Data analysis. Preparation of thematic maps and charts of the variables. Calculation of the local Moran index of the study variables. Spatial statistics analysis with data from outbreaks of fires, hectares of sugar cane harvested with previous burning and hospitalizations. Preparation of thematic maps for comparison and analysis. Description of the results. Results: The literature review, among other things, showed different health impacts due to burning of sugar cane. The production of sugar cane increased in the study region in 9 recent years, thus increasing the amount of fires in opposition to the law. The clusters where there is the harvest with previous burning coincided with the highest incidence of respiratory diseases. Identified if an area in the northern portion of the territory studied most vulnerable to air pollution and consequently a higher incidence of hospitalizations. Conclusions: In the period 2008-2011 there was an increase in the number of acres harvested with previous burning, associated with increased production of sugar cane. This effect was not repeated in admissions for respiratory diseases for selected age groups. Further research is needed to better correlation between the increased use of burning as harvesting method and respiratory hospitalizations in the region.