Ixodes ricinus is the main vector of Lyme borreliosis and Tick-borne encephalitis in Europe. Repellents provide a practical means of protection against tick bites and can therefore reduce transmission of tick-borne diseases. In laboratory tests, pieces of cloth treated with MyggA Natural® (a commercial insect repellent) or with the essential oils of Corymbia citriodora (30%), Lavandula angustifolia (1 and 30%), Pelargonium graveolens (1 and 30%), Hyptis suaveolens (10%), Salvadora persica, Pistacia atlantica, Juniperus phoenicea (20%) and methyl jasmonate (MJ) (0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0% and 5.0%) showed strong repellent activity against I. ricinus nymphs. In a tick-infested woodland in east-central Sweden, we tested by randomized, standardised methodology the potential anti-tick repellent activity of MyggA Natural® (roll-on), two concentrations of MyggA Natural® spray, RB86 (a commercially available insect repellent for horses), the essential oil of C. citriodora and three concentrations of MJ. Each substance was dissolved in acetone and applied separately to 1 m2 cloths which were then pulled over vegetation. Nymphal tick numbers on the cloths were recorded at 10-m intervals and differed significantly between treated cloths and the untreated control and also between collectors. Volatile compounds from fresh and dried leaves of H. suaveolens and the essential oils of H. suaveolens (from Laos and Guinea Bissau) and S. persica, P. atlantica and J. phoenicea (from Libya) were collected by solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) and the constituents were identified by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Two main sesquiterpene hydrocarbons in the H. suaveolens oil were β-caryophyllene and humulene. These were modified by oxidation and sulphidation to obtain effective tick repellent compounds with lower volatility. In all three oils from Libyan plants the main monoterpene hydrocarbons were α-pinene, sabinene, β-pinene, myrcene, α-phellandrene, 4-carene, β-phellandrene and γ-terpinene. The selected plant species contained numerous volatiles known to have insecticidal, acaricidal, and/or insect repellent properties.

¡iAbstract¡j Vagal sensory neurons play an important role in the neural control of airway and other visceral organs. Regional distribution of vagal sensory neurons in the vagal ganglia that correspond to different viscera is uncertain. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was applied to the right thoracic vagus nerve and recurrent laryngeal nerve to be retrogradely transported to the neurons in vagal nodose and jugular ganglia. Labeling of neuronal cell bodies was visualized with diaminobenzidine reaction. Ricinus communis agglutinin-60 (RCA-60) was injected into the right thoracic vagus nerve and transported retrogradely to cause destruction of the ribosome in the vagal ganglia neuron cell bodies. The magnitude of neurogenic plasma extravasation induced by capsaicin was measured by the area density of the India ink-labeled leaky blood vessels in the trachea and bronchi. The present study demonstrated that there was no distinct localization of HRP- labeled neurons, except at the level of pharyngeal nerve that was connected to the middle of the nodose ganglion. There were approximately 42.2 % of labeled neurons in the nodose ganglion and 30.5 % in the jugular ganglion 3 days after application of HRP in the thoracic vagus nerve. After application of HRP to the recurrent laryngeal nerve, 13.3 % of labeled neurons was found in the nodose ganglion and 8.3 % in the jugular ganglion. One to two weeks after RCA injection into the thoracic vagus nerve, many cell bodies of neurons had a striking degenerative alteration and the cytoplasmic density was markedly reduced. Nissl¡¦s bodies obviously disappeared and vacuoles were the usual feature. Application of RCA-60 also inhibited the neurogenic plasma extravasation in the right bronchial tree that were reduced by 71- 89 %. It is suggested that RCA- 60 selectively destroyed the vagal sensory neurons that innervated the ipsilateral branchial tree. It is concluded that vagal nodose and jugular ganglia supplied different number of sensory neurons to the vagal branches and regulated the physiological function of the visceral organs.

This study is focused on characterization of fibrinogen-related proteins (FREPs) from the tick Ixodes ricinus using molecular methods - PCR, cloning, qRT-PCR, RNA interference via dsRNA synthesis and injection, and also pathogen (Borrelia sp.) transmission on animal model.

Submitted by Nathália Faria da Silva (nathaliafsilva.ufv@gmail.com) on 2017-06-07T16:38:56Z No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 882711 bytes, checksum: affab1d91be9f598c6cb58b86af99ab6 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-07T16:38:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 882711 bytes, checksum: affab1d91be9f598c6cb58b86af99ab6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2000-12-07 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Para avaliar clínica, radiológica e histologicamente o efeito do polímero derivado do óleo de mamona (PDOM), como substituto ósseo na reparação de defeitos ósseos provocados na diáfise proximal da tíbia de cães, foi realizado um estudo experimental, utilizando-se 20 cães, clinicamente sadios. Os animais foram separados em dois grupos de dez cada, onde um grupo recebeu tratamento com PDOM e o outro grupo não recebeu tratamento, sendo utilizado como controle. Após protocolo anestésico rotineiro, o procedimento cirúrgico constou de incisão de pele e subcutâneo na face medial no terço proximal da tíbia esquerda, até a exposição da região óssea desejada. Retirou-se um fragmento ósseo, com cerca de 10 x 5 mm de tamanho, nos dois grupos, sendo a falha óssea provocada preenchida em um grupo com PDOM e os tecidos suturados de maneira convencional. Os animais foram submetidos a exame clínico diário e a avaliação radiográfica logo após a cirurgia e nos dias 8, 30, 60, 120 e 180 de pós- operatório. Nos mesmos dias eram feitas as coletas de material para análise histopatológica, utilizando-se dois animais de cada grupo. À palpação, percebeu- se aumento de volume na região trabalhada, em ambos os grupos, nos três primeiros dias e recuperação funcional perfeita do membro após 72 h de pós- operatório. Os resultados obtidos ao exame radiográfico revelaram, logo após a cirurgia, radiotransparência do defeito ósseo, se comparado ao osso normal, em ambos os grupos. As radiografias subseqüentes revelaram evolução da opacidade mais intensa no grupo controle, que aos 60 dias já se assemelhava ao osso normal. No grupo em que se usou PDOM, a radiotransparência perdurou até os 180 dias. Não foi observado qualquer processo que caracterizasse, radiograficamente, reação de rejeição nos animais tratados com o PDOM, também não se observou reparação do defeito ósseo ao final do experimento neste grupo, ao contrário do grupo controle. Ao exame histológico, observou-se no grupo tratado a não-integração do PDOM. Aos oito dias, a falha mostrou-se parcialmente preenchida com tecido de granulação. Aos 30 e 60 dias, o tecido observado na falha era predominantemente fibroelástico e já se observava a presença de fina cápsula de tecido conjuntivo. Aos 120 e 180 dias, a falha ainda estava presente e com pouco crescimento ósseo. Já no grupo controle, a reparação óssea se deu a partir dos 30 dias de pós-operatório. Durante o experimento, não se observou reação do tipo corpo estranho, bem como o preenchimento completo do defeito ósseo nos animais tratados com o PDOM, tanto radiográfica como histologicamente, à diferença do grupo controle, onde houve reparação total. / In order to perform a clinic, radiologic and histological evaluation of the effect from the polymer derived from castor bean oil (PDOM) as bone substitute in repairing the bony defects provoked in the proximal diaphase of dogs'tibia, an experimental study was carried out with 20 clinically healthy dogs. The animals were separated into two groups consisting of ten dogs in each one, and a group was treated with PDOM and the other one which did not receive any treatment was used as control. After routine anesthetic protocol, the surgical procedure consisted of subcutaneous and skin incision in the medium face at the third proximal of the left tibia until exposure of the wanted bony area. A bone fragment with about 10 x 5 size mm size was taken from these two groups, whereas the bone lack was filled in the PDOM group and the tissues were sutured in conventional way. Just after surgery and at 8, 30, 60, 120 and 180 postoperative days the animals were submitted to daily clinical exam and to radiographic evaluation. In the same days the material collections were xiiiperformed for histological analysis, by using two animals of each group. At palpation, an increase of volume was noticed in the worked area in both groups at the first three days, as well as a perfect functional recovery of the member at 72 h post-surgery. Soon after surgery the results obtained from radiographic exam revealed radiotransparence of the bony defect, when compared to the normal bone, in both groups. The subsequent x-rays revealed an evolution of the most intense opacity in the control group, which at 60 days was already similar to the normal bone. In the group where PDOM was used, the radiotransparence persisted until 180 days. Any process was observed that could radiographically characterize a rejection reaction in the PDOM-treated animals, and no repair in the bony defect was observed in this group at the end of the experiment, unlike the control group. At the histological exam, a no-integration of PDOM was observed in the treated group. At eight days, the bone lack was shown partially filled by granulation tissue. At 30 and 60 days, the tissue observed in the bone lack was predominantly fibroelastic and the presence of a fine capsule of conjunctive tissue was already observed. At 120 and 180 days, the bone lack was still present and showed little bone growth. In the control group, the bone repair occurred at 30 days post-surgery. During the experiment no reaction of the strange-body type was observed, neither a complete filling of the bony defect in these animals radiographic and histologically treated with PDOM, so showing a difference from the control group which showed a total repair.

LIMA NETO, Milton Costa. Mamona e pinhão-manso apresentam mecanismos contrastantes na eficiência fotossintética em condições de estresses abióticos. 2012. 126 f. Tese (Doutorado em bioquímica)- Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza-CE, 2012. / Submitted by Elineudson Ribeiro (elineudsonr@gmail.com) on 2016-07-20T18:42:52Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2012_tese_mclimaneto.pdf: 1909340 bytes, checksum: ca06ec399e8a2713cf1fe5925ef900d2 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by José Jairo Viana de Sousa (jairo@ufc.br) on 2016-07-26T19:42:10Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2012_tese_mclimaneto.pdf: 1909340 bytes, checksum: ca06ec399e8a2713cf1fe5925ef900d2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-26T19:42:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2012_tese_mclimaneto.pdf: 1909340 bytes, checksum: ca06ec399e8a2713cf1fe5925ef900d2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Plants of Jatropha curcas and Ricinus communis have been exploited for agronomic production of biofuels, especially in hot and dry regions of semiarid at northeastern Brazil. These species are native to tropical and evolved in response to adverse abiotic conditions such as high temperature, drought, salinity and light. In this work, we start with the main hypothesis that saplings of Jatropha curcas and Ricinus communis have analogous mechanisms of acclimation of photosynthesis and photoprotection in response to abiotic stress conditions. For this, the main objectives of this work were to analyze, describe and discuss responses of photosynthesis and important photoprotection mechanisms such as dissipation of excess energy as heat, photorespiration, alternative electron sinks and antioxidant metabolism in young plants of physic nut and castor bean subjected to abiotic stress conditions. This work was divided into four chapters. The chapter I is a review of the literature and state of art of the main topics covered throughout the study. Chapter II, in the form of paper, aimed to meet and discuss the main responses of gas exchange and photochemistry of these two species in response to changes in environmental conditions such as increased lighting, internal CO2 concentration, vapor pressure deficit, leaf temperature and over a typical day in terms of a semiarid region. It has been clearly demonstrated in this experiment that R. communis plants, when well hydrated, have a higher photosynthetic efficiency given mainly by its high transpiration rate and stomatal conductance compared to young plants of J. curcas. However, in dry condition, by watering suspension or high DPV, J. curcas young plants are more efficient in CO2assimilation compared with R. communis. The data showed that the two species have different responses of photosynthesis under optimal or stressful conditions during the early growth stages. Chapter III aimed to demonstrate the differences in the main responses of these two species under drought conditions and its relation to stress tolerance between the two studied species. It has been shown that both species showed stomatal and metabolic limitations of photosynthesis under drought conditions. And that these two species showed different responses in terms of excess energy dissipation and alternative electron sinks of CTE to alleviate the chloroplast ROS production, preventing photo-oxidation. In addition, it has been shown that castor bean plants are more sensitive to drought than J. curcas. Moreover, the NPQ is an important mechanism for drought tolerance of J. curcas whereas R. communis for not having a so efficient NPQ need to invest in other alternative electron sinks to dissipate the excess energy. In the fourth and final chapter, we evaluated the responses of photosynthesis of J. curcas and R. commnuis young plants exposed to salt stress. The salt treatment increased membrane damage only in leaves of J. curcas. The content of organic compatible osmolytes increased in both species exposed to salinity. Castor bean plants had mainly stomatal limitations of photosynthesis due to fall in Ci and by the maintaining in Rubisco activity. However, J. curcas plants exposed to salinity showed stomatal and metabolic restrictions on photosynthesis, demonstrated by the increase in Ci and a drop in Rubisco activity. Castor bean plants exposed to salinity showed higher nitrate assimilation and photorespiration, compared with J. curcas plants under salt stress condition. However, J. curcas had higher dissipation and excess energy as heat (NPQ). In conclusion, our data suggest that both species employ different mechanisms to dissipate excess energy in the CTE of the chloroplast, preventing photoinhibition and photo-oxidative damage. / Plantas de pinhão-manso (Jatropha curcas) e de mamona (Ricinus communis) têm sido exploradas agronomicamente para fins de produção de biocombustíveis, principalmente em regiões secas e quentes do semiárido do nordeste brasileiro. Estas espécies são nativas de regiões tropicais e evoluíram em resposta às condições abióticas adversas como alta temperatura e luz, seca e salinidade. Neste trabalho, partimos da principal hipótese de que plantas jovens de Jatropha curcas e de Ricinus communis possuem respostas análogas de aclimatação da fotossíntese e nos mecanismos de fotoproteção em resposta às condições de estresses abióticos. Para isso, os principais objetivos deste trabalho foram conhecer, analisar, descrever e discutir as principais respostas da fotossíntese e os principais mecanismos de fotoproteção, como a dissipação de excesso de energia na forma de calor, fotorrespiração, drenos alternativos de elétrons e o metabolismo antioxidativo em plantas jovens de pinhãomanso e mamona submetidas à condições de estresses abióticos. Este trabalho foi divido em quatro capítulos. O capitulo I trata de uma revisão de literatura e estado da arte dos principais tópicos abordados ao longo do estudo. O capítulo II, na forma de artigo, teve como objetivo principal conhecer e discutir as principais respostas das trocas gasosas e fotoquímica dessas duas espécies em resposta a variações nas condições ambientais como o aumento de luz, concentração interna de CO2, déficit de pressão de vapor (DPV), temperatura foliar e ao longo de um dia típico em condições de uma região semiárida. Foi claramente demonstrado nesse estudo que plantas de R. communis, quando bem hidratadas, possuem uma maior eficiência fotossintética, dada principalmente pela sua alta taxa de transpiração e condutância estomática em comparação a plantas jovens de J. curcas. No entanto, em condição de seca, seja por suspenção de rega ou alto déficit de pressão de vapor, plantas jovens de J. curcas se mostraram mais eficientes na assimilação de CO2 quando comparadas com R. communis. Os dados demonstraram ainda que as duas espécies estudadas possuem diferentes respostas aclimatativas da fotossíntese sob condições estressantes ou ótimas durante a fase inicial de crescimento. O capítulo III teve como objetivo demonstrar as diferenças nas principais respostas aclimatativas dessas duas espécies em condição de seca e sua relação com a tolerância a esse estresse entre as duas espécies estudadas. Foi demonstrado que ambas as espécies apresentaram limitações estomáticas e metabólicas da fotossíntese em condição de seca, e que essas duas espécies apresentam diferentes respostas em termos de dissipação de excesso de energia e drenos alternativos de elétrons para aliviar a produção de espécies reativas do oxigênio no cloroplasto, prevenindo a foto-oxidação. As plantas de mamona são mais sensíveis à seca do que plantas jovens de pinhão manso. Além disso, o quenching não fotoquímico (NPQ) é um importante mecanismo para a tolerância à seca de J. curcas enquanto que R. communis por não possuir um NPQ tão eficiente necessita investir em outros drenos alternativos de elétrons para dissipar o excesso de energia. No quarto e último capítulo, foram avaliadas as respostas aclimatativas da fotossíntese de plantas jovens de pinhão manso e de mamona submetidas ao estresse salino. O tratamento salino imposto aumentou o dano de membrana apenas em folhas de pinhão-manso. O conteúdo de osmólitos orgânicos compatíveis aumentou em ambas as espécies expostas à salinidade. Plantas de mamona apresentaram, principalmente, restrições estomáticas da fotossíntese, devido à redução na pressão parcial interna de CO2 (Ci) e por não apresentar redução na atividade de Rubisco. No entanto, plantas de pinhão-manso expostas à salinidade apresentaram restrições estomáticas e metabólicas na fotossíntese, demonstrado pelo aumento do Ci e restrição na atividade de Rubisco. Plantas de mamona expostas à salinidade apresentaram maior assimilação de nitrato e maior fotorrespiração, comparada com plantas de pinhão-manso sob condição de estresse salino. No entanto, o pinhão-manso apresentou maior dissipação e excesso de energia na forma de calor (NPQ). Como conclusão, nossos dados sugerem que as duas espécies estudadas empregam diferentes mecanismos para dissipar o excesso de energia na cadeia transportadora de elétrons (CTE) do cloroplasto, prevenindo a fotoinibição e danos foto-oxidativos.

ML (MD-2-related lipid-recognition) domain containing proteins are recognized as immune-related molecules. They do not belong among well-studied proteins in ticks although their occurence is quite often. Generally, ML proteins are involved in innate immunity processes, lipid binding and transport. Usually, expression of tick ML domain containing proteins is induced by blood feeding. Two members of the ML protein family, ML-domain containing protein and Der-p2 allergen-like protein were isolated from Ixodes ricinus and characterized for the first time.

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne infection in the Western world with an annual incidence usually in excess of 100 cases per 100 000 people in temperate areas of the United States and Europe. Same as other infectious diseases, Lyme borreliosis wreaks havoc on the host they have invaded. B. burgdorferi, the causative agent of this disease, circulates among wildlife vertebrate hosts and Ixodes tick vectors but may sometimes infect humans. Its natural enzootic cycle usually occurs as follows: The larval/nymphal stage tick feeds on an infected host. During this engorgement, the spirochetes reach the tick gut and stay confined to it. After the tick molts into the next developmental stage, it finds a second host. The new bloodmeal triggers the spirochetes to multiply within the gut and traverse the gut endothelium in a highly organized manner. They finally disseminate through the hemocoel up to the tick salivary glands and into the new host. We studied whether B. burgdorferi is capable of reaching the tick salivary glands during the first infective feeding period in uninfected ticks.

Scavenger receptors are a large family of structurally diverse molecules that have been implicated in a range of biological functions. In this work, a newly identified multi-domain scavenger receptor-serine protease IrSRP-1 from the tick Ixodes ricinus is characterized. IrSRP-1 is related to the serine protease Sp22D from the mosquito Anopheles gambiae. IrSRP-1 is expressed mainly in the tick gut but also in hemocytes, Malpighian tubules, tracheas and ovaries of fully fed females. This was confirmed with Western blots and immunohistological labeling with antibodies raised against recombinantly expressed IrSRP-1 trypsine-like domain. According to acquired qRT-PCR profiles relative expression of IrSRP-1 is strongly up-regulated during female feeding and remains unchanged in ticks experimentally injected with various microbes. Functional characterization by RNA interference revealed that lowering IrSRP1 expression leads to a higher mortality rate during tick female feeding.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:31:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2004-02-17Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:42:19Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 perassi_ft_dr_arafo.pdf: 1359711 bytes, checksum: 5f73dc91cb35dc454e307277967ce97c (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Seguindo critérios da ISO/FDI e ADA/ANSI, avaliou-se a resposta tecidual ao cimento EndoREZ®, um cimento experimental derivado do polímero de mamona (Poliquil®), Endofill® e Sealapex®. Tubos de polietileno contendo os cimentos e o grupo controle, foram implantados em duas lojas cirúrgicas preparadas no tecido subcutâneo dorsal de 26 camundongos Mus muscullus albinus machos. Após 7 e 50 dias os animais foram mortos e removidos cirurgicamente os fragmentos teciduais, os quais foram fixados por 96 horas em solução de formol tamponado e processado através das técnicas histológicas de rotina. Seções de 6mm de espessura foram coradas com Hematoxilina e Eosina e Tricrômico de Mallory, e avaliadas com o emprego de microscópio óptico comum (Carl Zeiss – Jenaval). As análises mostraram, discreto ou moderado infiltrado inflamatório dos materiais testados durante os dois períodos, com exceção do cimento experimental derivado do polímero de mamona, o qual apresentou ótimo comportamento biológico mostrando seu potencial para o desenvolvimento de um novo material obturador de canais radiculares. / According to ISO/FDI and ADA/ANSI criteria, it was evaluated tissue responses of EndoREZ, Castor Oil Polymer Sealer, Endofill and Sealapex. Polyethylene tubes containing the cements and control group, were implanted into two surgical pockets prepared in the dorsal subcutaneous tissue of 26 rats. After 7 and 50 days, the implants were surgically removed, fixed for 96 hours in buffered formalin and processed using routine histological techniques. Sections of 6 mm were stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin and evaluated under light microscopy. Analysis revealed mild and moderate inflammatory infiltrate for all materials in both periods, exception to Castor Oil Polymer Sealer that presented better biological behavior.

Submitted by SEBASTIÃO SOARES DE OLIVEIRA NETO null (neto.soliver@gmail.com) on 2017-08-14T19:21:28Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Oliveira Neto, S. S. - Dissertação.pdf: 1803281 bytes, checksum: e617e725a28292660d7b2535bb1546b1 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Monique Sasaki (sayumi_sasaki@hotmail.com) on 2017-08-22T16:48:24Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 oliveiraneto_ss_me_bot.pdf: 1803281 bytes, checksum: e617e725a28292660d7b2535bb1546b1 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-22T16:48:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 oliveiraneto_ss_me_bot.pdf: 1803281 bytes, checksum: e617e725a28292660d7b2535bb1546b1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-07-04 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / A mamoneira (Ricinus communis L.) é uma oleaginosa da família das Euforbiáceas que disseminou-se por varias regiões do mundo devido a sua fácil propagação e adaptação. O principal produto negociado no mercado internacional é o óleo de rícino e o Brasil é o segundo maior fornecedor desse produto. O melhoramento vegetal visando à obtenção de novas cultivares e híbridos de mamoneira é primordial para o sucesso econômico da cultura, pois, o plantio de materiais mais produtivos, resistentes à doenças e que permitem o uso de mecanização traz maior retorno econômico para os produtores. O objetivo do presente estudo foi realizar a caracterização agromorfológica, avaliar a divergência genética e a reação ao mofo cinzento de 58 acessos de mamoneira coletados em diferentes regiões do Brasil. Realizou-se a criação de um banco de sementes de mamoneiras selvagens através de coletas em diversas regiões do Estado de São Paulo, Sul de Minas Gerais e na capital do Rio Grande do Norte. As sementes foram levadas para o Departamento de Produtividade e Melhoramento Vegetal da Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas (FCA) em Botucatu – SP para beneficiamento e realização de testes preliminares (vigor, germinação e teor de óleo). Os acessos pré-selecionados foram semeados e caracterizados através de 31 descritores morfológicos. Foram coletados racemos desses materiais para testar a reação e a resistência ao mofo cinzento da mamoneira no Laboratório de Entomologia e Fitopatologia da Embrapa Meio Ambiente em Jaguariúna-SP conforme metodologia específica. Os dados obtidos nas avaliações foram submetidos à análise de variância, análise de similaridade pelo método hierárquico do vizinho mais próximo e análise de componentes principais. A maior porcentagem de germinação (98,67%) foi obtida pelos acessos BTC5, SAP1 e SBS2. Foram selecionados como fonte de resistência ao mofo cinzento da mamoneira, os acessos SM2, SAP4, SM1, SBS2, SJC2, BOIT1, CBJ1, BOF2, BTC5 e CJ4. O acesso BOC1 foi considerado o mais divergente. Os acessos SM2, SM1, SBS2, CJ4, BTC4, CJ3, CJ1, CBJ1, CJ6, SAP2, SAP1 e SAP4 possuem características agromorfológicas de interesse comercial e são promissores para constituírem uma coleção de germoplasma em programas de melhoramento genético da mamoneira. / Castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) is an an Euphorbiaceae family oilseed that has spread to various regions of the world due to its easy propagation and adaptation. Brazil is the second largest castor oil supplier, the main product traded in the international market. Plant breeding to generate cultivars and hybrids more productive, resistant to diseases, allowing the use of mechanization of castor bean can drive this crop for the economic success, generating producer's profit. Our aim was to perform the agro-morphological characterization, evaluate genetic divergence and gray mold reaction of 58 accessions of castor bean collected in different regions of Brazil. A wild castor bean seed bank was created through collections in several São Paulo State regions, South of Minas Gerais and in the capital of Rio Grande do Norte. Processing and preliminary tests (vigor, germination and oil content) were performed at the Department of Productivity and Plant Breeding from Faculty of Agronomic Sciences (FCA) in Botucatu, SP, Brazil. Preselected accessions were sown and characterized by 31 morphological descriptors. Castor bean racemes were tested to gray mold reaction and resistance in the Laboratory of Entomology and Phytopathology, Embrapa Meio Ambiente in Jaguariúna-SP, Brazil. Variance analysis, similarity by the nearest neighbor hierarchical method and principal components analysis was performed on all data obtained. BTC5, SAP1 and SBS2 showed the highest germination percentage (98.67%). SM2, SAP4, SM1, SBS2, SJC2, BOIT1, CBJ1, BOF2, BTC5 and CJ4 were selected as the resistance source of the castor bean gray mold while BOC1 was the most divergent. SM2, SM1, SBS2, CJ4, BJC4, CJ3, CJ1, CBJ1, CJ6, SAP2, SAP1 and SAP4 have agro-morphological characteristics of commercial interest and they are promising to constitute a germplasm collection in castor bean breeding programs.