AC Sensor Readout Systems
Systems for reading sensors that operate with alternating current signals.
Air Pumping System
System that uses pumps to circulate air through channels, often used to transport gases or volatile compounds to sensors.
AmyABC
Enzyme secretion system of the fungus Aspergillus oryzae, used as a strategy to export recombinant proteins, including antimicrobial peptides.
Anticancer agents
Substances that have the ability to prevent, inhibit, or combat the development of cancer.
Antioxidants
Substances capable of neutralizing free radicals, which are unstable molecules.
Autoclaved
Refers to something sterilized in an autoclave, an equipment that uses pressurized steam to eliminate all microorganisms.
Bioinputs
Biological products derived from microorganisms, plant extracts, and other natural materials that help in agricultural and livestock production. They perform functions such as pest control, fertilization, growth stimulation, and strengthening of plants and animals, promoting more sustainable cultivation. The term is predominantly used in Brazil to describe biologically based alternatives to conventional agricultural inputs.
Biological cycle
Set of developmental stages of an organism.
Cardioprotective agents
Substances that help protect the heart against damage, either by preventing cardiovascular diseases or reducing harm under cardiac stress conditions.
Cellular automaton
A computational model that represents complex biological processes using a grid of cells that evolve according to mathematical rules.
Cepea
Center for Advanced Studies in Applied Economics, linked to the University of São Paulo.
Circular economy
Economic model that seeks to reduce waste and maximize resource use.
Citrus Belt
Orange-producing region in the state of São Paulo and the Triângulo/Southwest of Minas Gerais, responsible for 80% of Brazil’s production.
Computational plant pathology
Research field that applies mathematical and computational tools to understand plant diseases.
Cytoplasmic content
Refers to everything within the cytoplasm of a cell, excluding the nucleus.
DBTL
Design-Build-Test-Learn engineering cycle used to design, construct, test, and learn from experiments.
DC Sensor Readout Systems
Circuits or electronic devices that capture and interpret signals from sensors that generate direct current.
Electrical circuits
Closed path through which electric current can flow.
Enzyme
Protein that acts as a catalyst in the organism, accelerating chemical reactions without being consumed in the process.
FAO
United Nations agency created to combat hunger, improve nutrition, and support sustainable agriculture worldwide.
Firmware
Special type of software embedded directly in the hardware, responsible for controlling its basic functions.
Food security
Regular and permanent access to food of sufficient quality and quantity.
Greening (Huanglongbing, HLB)
Pre-harvest disease that affects citrus orchards, caused by the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter spp.
Green mold
Post-harvest disease that affects harvested oranges, caused by the fungus Penicillium digitatum.
Harvest
Agricultural harvesting period in a given year.
Hardware
Physical components of a computer.
IDE (Interdigitated Electrodes)
Microelectrode structures where multiple finger-like electrodes interlock, used to detect changes in capacitance and resistance caused by VOCs.
Imazalil
Chemical fungicide used to control fungi in plants and agricultural products, especially citrus fruits and other post-harvest fruits.
LDL cholesterol
Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, known as “bad” cholesterol.
Layer-by-Layer (LbL) films
Ultrathin structures formed by sequential deposition of alternating layers of molecules or particles.
Machine Learning (ML)
Computational method used to train algorithms on sensor data (VOC patterns) for disease classification (healthy vs. infected plants).
Microbial biofactories
Microorganisms engineered to produce molecules of interest on a large scale.
Microfluidics
Study of fluids at the microscopic scale.
Modular architecture
A model design structured into independent but interconnected modules (infection, host response, therapy), enabling flexibility and adaptation.
MQ Sensors
Metal-oxide semiconductor gas sensors (MQ-3, MQ-135, MQ-136, MQ-137) that detect specific groups of gases by changing electrical resistance.
Nanostructured Polymer Films
Thin films built at nanoscale dimensions, giving sensors enhanced selectivity and sensitivity to VOCs.
Oxidative stress
Condition that occurs when there is an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species and the organism’s antioxidant defense capacity.
pH
Measure that indicates the degree of acidity, neutrality, or alkalinity of a solution.
PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane)
Silicone-based material used in microfluidics for making channels that direct VOC airflow over the sensors.
Phytopathology
Area of biology that studies plant diseases, including their causes, mechanisms, symptoms, spread, and control methods.
Polymer-Based Sensor Array
Group of interdigitated electrodes coated with nanostructured polymers to detect subtle chemical variations in VOC emissions.
Post-harvest
Period following harvest, encompassing the handling, transportation, storage, and preservation of fruits until their commercialization or consumption.
Pre-harvest
Period preceding harvest, involving all practices and conditions that affect the growth, development, and quality of fruits.
Production chain
Set of stages and processes involved in the production of a service or product.
qPCR (Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction)
Gold standard molecular method for detecting pathogens, highly accurate but slow, expensive, and lab-dependent.
Recommended daily intake (RDI)
Refers to the amount of a nutrient that should be consumed daily to meet the nutritional needs of most healthy individuals in a population, according to scientific and regulatory guidelines.
R0 (Baseline Resistance)
Calibration value representing the resistance of an MQ sensor in clean air, used to normalize future readings.
Root system
The set of roots of a plant, essential for water and nutrient absorption, as well as anchoring the plant in the soil.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Yeast used in bread and beer production, also a biotechnological platform.
Sniffer
A nanotechnology- and ML-based hardware device developed to detect citrus greening by analyzing VOC emission patterns from citrus leaves.
Software
Logical components of a computer, composed of programs, applications, and systems that instruct the hardware how to operate.
Specificity
Measure of a diagnostic tool’s ability to correctly identify true negatives (healthy plants).
Sour rot
Post-harvest disease that affects harvested oranges, caused by the fungus Geotrichum candidum.
Thiabendazole
Fungicide and parasiticide used in agriculture as well as in veterinary and human medicine.
Trunk injection
Method of delivering therapeutic compounds directly into a tree’s vascular system.
Ultraviolet radiation
Type of electromagnetic radiation emitted mainly by the Sun, with a wavelength shorter than visible light and higher energy.
Virtual laboratory
Computational environment designed to simulate biological processes, enabling hypothesis testing before wet-lab experiments.
Volatile organic compound (VOC)
Substances that readily evaporate at room temperature, releasing vapors into the air.
Vector
Living organism that transmits disease-causing agents.