Impactos e mitigação do antropismo no núcleo de desertificação de Irauçuba, CE.

2015

Soil chemical attributes and leaf nutrients of Pacovan banana under two cover crops.

Banana is one of the most consumed fruits in the world, which is grown in most tropical countries. The objective of this work was to evaluate the main attributes of soil fertility in a banana crop under two cover crops and two root development locations. The work was conducted in Curaçá, BA, Brazil, between October 2011 and May 2013, using a randomized block design in split plot with five repetitions. Two cover crops were assessed in the plots, the cover 1 consisting of Pueraria phaseoloid es, and the cover 2 consisting of a crop mix with Sorghum bicolor, Ricinus commun is L., Canavalia ensiform is, Mucuna aterrima and Zea mays, and two soil sampling locations in the subplots, between plants in the banana rows (location 1) and between the banana rows (location 2). There were significant and independent effects for the cover crop and sampling location factors for the variables organic matter, Ca and P, and significant effects for the interaction between cover crops and sampling locations for the variables potassium, magnesium and total exchangeable bases. The cover crop mix and the between-row location presented the highest organic matter content. Potassium was the nutrient with the highest negative variation from the initial content and its leaf content was below the reference value, however not reducing the crop yield. The banana crop associated with crop cover using the crop mix provided greater availability of nutrients in the soil compared to the coverage with tropical kudzu.

Evaluation of the reaction of watermelon parent and F1 plants to Meloidogyne enterolobii.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of progenies from Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus (cultivated watermelons) when crossed with progenies from C. lanatus var. citroides (fodder watermelon with a historic of resistance to the nematode Meloidogyne enterolobii). The parents and their F1s were evaluated for resistance to this nematode. In the initial stages of eleven treatments, watermelon seedlings plantlets were transplanted to plastic bags of six kilograms once the first leaves developed. Ten inoculated plants with 5,200 eggs in the soil near the stem of the plant and four non-inoculated ones were used in each treatment, in a complete block design. Sixty-two days after sowing, the following characteristics were evaluated: the length of the aerial part of the plant (LAP, in m), fresh mass of the aerial part (FMAP, in g), root fresh mass (RFM, in g), egg number (EN) and reproduction factor (RF). A comparison between the averages of inoculated and non-inoculated plants was performed using Scott-Knott test at 5% and the diallelic analysis was performed using the GENES program. The morphological characteristics did not allow for the identification of the parent plants or the F1s with respect to nematode resistance, but the variables EN and RF were useful for such identification. The analyses of the general and specific combining abilities indicate highly significant effects with respect to this resistance, showing additive gene effects as well as dominance and epistatic gene effects, allowing for identification of parents and F1s that can be used in watermelon breeding programs to improve resistance to the M. enterolobii.

Aplicação de modelo agrometeorológico espectral no perímetro irrigado da bacia do São Francisco, utilizando imagens RAPIDEYE.

O objetivo do trabalho foi aplicar o modelo SAFER (Simple Algorithm For Evapotranspiration Retrieving) com a finalidade de analisar os parâmetros biofísicos na área do Perímetro Irrigado de Jaíba, na Bacia do São Francisco. Foram obtidos dados meteorológicos e imagens do satélite RapidEye (resolução de 5m), referente aos dias 26 de junho de 2013 e 29 de abril de 2014. Os valores médios diários do Índice de Vegetação por Diferença Normalizada (NDVI) foram 0,29±0,16 e 0,43±0,18, para 2013 e 2014, respectivamente. Na imagem de 2013 foram observados valores superiores de temperatura da superfície (Ts) (303,08±2,26 K) aos observados em 2014 (296,14±2,32 K). A evapotranspiração (ET) média diária de toda a cena de 2013 foi 0,43±0,96 mm e valor máximo de 6,11. Em 2014, os valores de ET médios diários foram de 2,19±2,01mm. Conforme estudos anteriores, a caatinga converte a maior parte da energia disponível em calor sensível (H), enquanto as culturas irrigadas apresentam altos valores de ET. Com imagens de alta resolução espacial, sem a banda termal, foi possível obter os parâmetros biofísicos da superfície possibilitando o monitoramento em nível de pivô central e talhões de culturas irrigadas, auxiliando o uso racional da água em tempos de deficiência hídrica.

Balanço hídrico em larga escala com imagens landsat 8 em agros-ecossistemas do submédio São Francisco.

Doze imagens Landsat 8 foram usadas em conjunto com uma rede de onze de estações agrometeorológicas para a modelagem em larga escala de indicadores do balanço hídrico nos agrosecossistemas da bacia hidrográfica do Submédio São Francisco, compostos por vegetação natural e culturas irrigadas. O algoritmo SAFER foi usado para a obtenção da evapotranspiração (ET), a qual foi usada em conjunto com dados de precipitação (P) interpolados. Para a classificação da vegetação e caracterização dos indicadores, o algoritmo SUREAL foi aplicado na determinação da resistência da superfície (rs) sendo valores limites de rs usados na separação em culturas agrícolas e espécies da Caatinga. Nas condições naturais mais úmidas do início do ano, as taxas de evapotranspiração na vegetação natural foram em torno de 30% daquelas para culturas irrigadas, enquanto que nas mais secas estas ficaram em torno de 6%. Considerando-se todo o ano, as culturas irrigadas consumiram cinco vezes mais água que as espécies da Caatinga, uma quantidade extra de 870 mm ano-1. Maiores cautelas com relação ao manejo de irrigação devem ser tomadas no período climaticamente mais seco do ano, devido ao aumento da retirada da água do Rio São Francisco, criando maiores possibilidades de conflitos entre os setores agrícolas e outros usuários da água.

Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker, 1857) (Mollusca, Bivalvia, Mytilidae): first record in the São Francisco River basin, Brazil.

Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker, 1857) is a small mytilid native to Southeast Asia. It was introduced in South America in early 1990 and has dispersed from Argentina to central Brazil, and until 2014 has been restricted mainly to the Paraná and Uruguay river basins. The present note reports the occurrence of Limnoperna fortunei for the first time in the São Francisco River basin in northeastern Brazil. The establishment of L. fortunei in these regions will require close attention from the government and also by society.

Spondias tuberosa trees grown in tropical, wet environments are more susceptible to drought than those grown in arid environments.

In this study, we investigated the different responses of Spondias tuberosa (umbu) trees, which grow in two different ecological life zones in northeast Brazil: tropical wet and tropical arid ecosystems. We evaluated the responses of plants grown under humid and dry conditions by measuring the photosynthesis, water status, fluorescence parameters, carbon isotopes and antioxidant system activity. The higher net photosynthesis values were recorded contemporaneously with the lower VPD values. The highest internal-to-ambient CO2 concentration and the absence of typical changes in the fluorescence parameters suggested an onset of a nonstomatal limitation in the photosynthesis. Our results showed that umbu plants can adjust their antioxidant activity during the dry season as a defensive strategy against the deleterious effects of water stress. This evidence is supported by the observed modifications in the pigment concentrations, increased accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde, high levels of electrolyte leakage, increased antioxidant activity, and decreased carbon isotope discrimination in the umbu trees during the dry season. Supported by multivariate analysis of variance, significantly effect of interaction between categorical months of collect and location predicts a strong ?dry season effect? on our dataset. Taken together, our data show that umbu trees grown in a wet tropical environment are more susceptible to drought, as compared with their tropical arid counterparts.

Carbon in humic fractions of organic matter in soil treated with organic composts under mango cultivation.

Soil organic matter (SOM) plays a key role in maintaining the productivity of tropical soils, providing energy and substrate for the biological activity and modifying the physical and chemical characteristics that ensure the maintenance of soil quality and the sustainability of ecosystems. This study assessed the medium-term effect (six years) of the application of five organic composts, produced by combining different agro-industrial residues, on accumulation and chemical characteristics of soil organic matter. Treatments were applied in a long-term experiment of organic management of mango (OMM) initiated in 2005 with a randomized block design with four replications. Two external areas, one with conventional mango cultivation (CMM) and the other a fragment of regenerating Caatinga vegetation (RCF), were used as reference areas. Soil samples were collected in the three management systems from the 0.00-0.05, 0.05-0.10, and 0.10-0.20 m layers, and the total organic carbon content and chemical fractions of organic matter were evaluated by determining the C contents of humin and humic and fulvic acids. Organic compost application significantly increased the contents of total C and C in humic substances in the experimental plots, mainly in the surface layer. However, compost 3 (50 % coconut bagasse, 40 % goat manure, 10 % castor bean residues) significantly increased the level of the non-humic fraction, probably due to the higher contents of recalcitrant material in the initial composition. The highest increases from application of the composts were in the humin, followed by the fulvic fraction. Compost application increased the proportion of higher molecular weight components, indicating higher stability of the organic matter.

Planting times and spacing of carrot crops in the São Francisco Valley, Pernambuco state, Brazil.

Climate variations over the year and plant density tend to strongly affect the agronomic performance of carrot crops. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the performance of the cultivar Brasilia in crops under mild (winter) and high (summer) temperatures. An experiment was conducted from May 2011 to February 2012, using a randomized block design and treatments arranged in split plot, with three replications. The plots consisted of planting seasons (winter and summer) and the subplots of plant spacing (4, 6, 8 and 10 cm). The height of plants presented a linear decrease, from 53.4 to 51.0 cm, with an increase in spacing in summer planting, while in winter the greatest height (50.7 cm) was obtained with spacing of 8.0 cm between plants. The lowest commercial yields were found in summer crops and with the widest spacing between plants. The smallest spacing between plants (4 cm) had yields of 45.9 Mg ha -1in summer and of 63.1 Mg ha-1 in winter crops. The winter planting had higher fresh root weight (89.9 g root - 1 ) compared to the summer (81.4 g root - 1 ), reaching higher weight with increasing plant spacing. Higher yields are achieved with plant spacing of 4 cm during winter. The carrot can be grown throughout the year in the Submiddle of the São Francisco Valley.

Humified fraction of organic matter due to plant mixture cultivation.

The aim of this study was to assess the organic matter changes in quantity and quality, particularly of the humic fraction in the surface layer (0?20 cm), of a Typic Plinthustalf soil under different management of plant mixtures used as green manure for mango (Mangifera indica L.) crops. The plant mixtures, which were seeded between rows of mango trees, were formed by two groups of leguminous and non -leguminous plants. Prior to sowing, seeds were combined in different proportions and compositions constituting the following treatments: 100% non-leguminous species (NL); 100% leguminous species (L); 75% L and 25% NL; 50% L and 50% NL; 25% L and 75% NL; and 100% spontaneous vegetation, considered a control. The plant mixtures that grew between rows of mango trees caused changes in the chemical composition of the soil organic matter, especially for the treatments 50% L and 50% NL and 25% L and 75% NL, which increased the content of humic substances in the soil organic matter. However, the treatment 25% L and 75% NL was best at minimising loss of total organic carbon from the soil. The humic acids studied have mostly aliphatic characteristics, showing large amounts of carboxylic and nitrogen groups and indicating that most of the organic carbon was formed by humic substances, with fulvic acid dominating among the alkali soluble fractions.

Soil management systems for sustainable melon cropping in the Submedian of the São Francisco Valley.

Changes in soils management systems, including the application of green manure, are able to increase crop productivity. The aim of this study was to propose a soil management system with the use of green manure to improve the nutritional status and melon productivity in the submedian of the São Francisco Valley. The experiment was installed in Typic Plinthustalf and conducted in split plot. There were two soil tillage systems, tillage (T) and no tillage (NT), and three types of green manure (two vegetal cocktails: VC1- 75% legumes (L) + 25% non-legumes (NL); VC2- 25% L+ 75% NL and spontaneous vegetation (SV)). The experimental design was a randomised block with four replications. Fourteen species of legumes, grasses and oilseeds were used for the composition of the plant cocktails. We evaluated production of the dry shoot and root biomass and carbon and nutrient accumulation by green manures and melon plant. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and the treatment means were compared by Tukey´s test (P<0.05). Shoot biomass production and carbon and nutrient accumulation were higher in plant mixtures compared to spontaneous vegetation. The root system of the plant cocktails added larger quantities of biomass and nutrients to the soil to a depth of 0.60 m when compared to the spontaneous vegetation. The cultivation of plant cocktails with soil tillage, regardless of their composition, is a viable alternative for adding biomass and nutrients to the soil in melon crops in semi-arid conditions, providing productivity increases.

Diversidade de espécies das famílias fabaceae e poaceae em São João do Cariri (PB), Independência (CE) e Sertânia (PE).

A presença de grande número de espécies da família Fabaceae faz a Caatinga um diversificado ambiente pastoril que tem sido enriquecido com a presença de espécies naturalizadas da família Poaceae, garantindo maior oferta de forragem em época de escassez. O objetivo desse estudo foi identificar os gêneros e espécies dessas duas famílias botânicas.

Análise das propriedades dos agroecossistemas como indicadores do processo de transição agroecológica no semiárido cearense.

2015

Propagação de Rhaphiodon echinus Schauer (Lamiaceae) para fins ornamentais.

Conhecida popularmente como beton, Rhaphiodon echinus é uma espécie endêmica da Caatinga de potencial ornamental. Este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a sua propagação tendo em vista o manejo da espécie para cultivo e produção de mudas para fins ornamentais. Na avaliação da propagação assexuada, 25 estacas com 30 cm de comprimento e 1 cm de diâmetro foram coletadas, plantadas em vasos e observadas diariamente. Para avaliar o processo germinativo, analisou-se seis repetições de 50 sementes. Na propagação vegetativa, do total de estacas analisadas 13 enraizaram (52%) e a presença de inflorescências foi observada a partir do 13º dia após o plantio. A antese floral ocorreu por volta das 8h e o número de flores abertas por inflorescência variou de um a 30. No experimento de germinação, somente dez germinaram (3,3%). O processo germinativo ocorreu de forma irregular. Foram observadas sementes germinadas após 10 dias do início do experimento, até 96 dias após a semeadura. A multiplicação de R. echinus por estaquia é indicada para a produção de mudas com fins ornamentais. O florescimento das estacas poucos dias após o plantio pode ser considerado como uma característica importante para plantas com esse potencial, produzindo efeito visual já nas mudas de pequeno porte.

Comportamento germinativo e desenvolvimento de plântulas de Evolvulus cordatus Moric. (Convolvulaceae).

Conhecida popularmente por azul rasteira, Evolvulus cordatus é uma espécie endêmica do Brasil e apresenta potencial ornamental. Este estudo teve por objetivo caracterizar a germinação de sementes e o desenvolvimento de plântulas dessa espécie, visando à produção de mudas. Para o teste de germinação, utilizou-se 300 sementes coletadas na Embrapa Semiárido e na Serra da Santa, que foram separadas por coloração, totalizando 200 sementes amarelas e 100 de coloração preta, de cada procedência. As sementes foram mantidas em germinador com temperatura de 25 oC. Após o aparecimento dos cotilédones, as plântulas foram transplantadas para recipientes descartáveis e acompanhadas para verificar o tempo da emissão de folhas, flores e frutos. Os resultados desses testes mostraram que as sementes de coloração preta não germinaram, independente do local de coleta. Em relação às de coloração amarela, a porcentagem de germinação variou de 4% e 31%, para as sementes procedentes da Embrapa Semiárido e da Serra da Santa, respectivamente. A emissão do primeiro par de folhas foi registrada, em média, 17,13 ± 6,62 dias após o transplantio das plântulas. As sementes de coloração amarela apresentaram-se viáveis e são indicadas para a produção de mudas, embora tenham apresentado comportamento germinativo desuniforme.