Paulo de Tarso Alvim Carneiro, Brazilian agronomist and plant physiologist (Ubá, Minas Gerais State 23 February 1919 – Ilhéus, Bahia State 18 February 2011)

ACHIEVEMENTS

Internationally known as world authority in production physiology of coffee and cacao plants.  

Showed the importance of zinc in cacao production

Showed that is possible discover a condition of moisture deficiency in the plant from measurements of the degree of opening of stomata (1956)

First to demonstrate that many tropical plants require a cycle of dehydration-hydration in order to flowering or renew the foliage. Described the phenomenon in Moisture stress as a requirement for flowering of coffee. Science 32(3423):354, 1960. 

The phenomenon above described he termed hydroperiodism in Tree growth periodicity in tropical climates. In Formation of wood in forest trees. Ed. M.H. Zimmermann. 479-95. Academic Press, New York. 1964. 

The above chapter became a classical work on tropical ecophysiology 

With W.A. Araujo first experimentally demonstrated that formation of cerrado fields is related to edaphic factors and mineral defficiencies (1952)

Invented Alvim porometer, the first portable porometer suited for studying stomatal opening in field conditions.  

A new type of porometer for measuring stomatal opening and its use in irrigation studies. Symposium on Methodology of Eco-Physiology:325-9, 1962. 

Invented phytophysiometer 

A new dendrometer for monitoring cambium activity and changes in the internal water status of plants. Turrialba 25:445-7, 1975. 

Developed a “transpirograph”

Um aparelho simples para registrar a transpiração das plantas. Lilloa 19 (1949)

Perfected traditional infiltration method to evaluate the opening index of stomata.

Developed a procedure to conserve the germinative power in cacao seeds

Un procedimiento simple para conservar el poder germinativo de las semillas de cacao. Agronomia 25(92):43-8, 1958

Studied the action of gibberelic acid on fructification, flowering and production of coffee plants and verified the beneficial effects

Estimulo de la floración y fructificación del cafeto por aspersiones con acido giberelico. Turrialba 8(2):64-72, 1958

HONORS   

Houssay Prize, Organization of Americann States (OAS) 1995

GENERA 

Alvimiantha  Grey-Wilson 1978 (Rhamnaceae)

Mycoalvimia Singer 1981 (Fungi)

Alvimia Calderón ex Soderstrom & Londoño 1988 (Poaceae)