Isolation of micropropagated strawberry endophytic bacteria and assessment of their potential for plant growth promotion.

Twenty endophytic bacteria were isolated from the meristematic tissues of three varieties of strawberry cultivated in vitro, and further identified, by FAME profile, into the genera Bacillus and Sphingopyxis. The strains were also characterized according to indole acetic acid production, phosphate solubilization and potential for plant growth promotion. Results showed that 15 strains produced high levels of IAA and all 20 showed potential for solubilizing inorganic phosphate. Plant growth promotion evaluated under greenhouse conditions revealed the ability of the strains to enhance the root number, length and dry weight and also the leaf number, petiole length and dry weight of the aerial portion. Seven Bacillus spp. strains promoted root development and one strain of Sphingopyxis sp. promoted the development of plant shoots. The plant growth promotion showed to be correlated to IAA production and phosphate solubilization. The data also suggested that bacterial effects could potentially be harnessed to promote plant growth during seedling acclimatization in strawberry

Sugarcane herbicide leaching risk evaluation in Guarany Aquifer.

he region of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo State, Brazil, is located over recharge area of the Guarany aquifer, the most important source of groundwater in the South Central region of the country. This region is also the most important sugarcane producing area of the country which produces a large amount of the ethanol. This study was conducted to determine the potential risk of herbicide groundwater contamination. The leaching risk potential of herbicides to groundwater was conducted using the weather simulator ?Weather Generator? (WGEN) coupled with the model ?Chemical Movement Trough Layered Soils? (CMLS94). The following herbicides were evaluated in clayey and sandy soils (Typic Haplorthox and Typic Quartzipsamment soils) found in the region: ametryn (N-ethyl-N\'-(1- methylethyl)-6-(methylthio)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine), atrazine (6-chloro-N-ethyl-N\'-(1-methylethyl)-1,3,5-triazine- 2,4-diamine), clomazone (2-[(2-chlorophenyl)methyl]-4,4-dimethyl-3-isoxazolidinone), diuron (3,4-dichlorophenyl)- N,N-dimethylurea), halosulfuron (3-chloro-5-[(4,6-dimethoxy-2-pyrimidinyl)amino]carbonyl], hexazinone (3- cyclohexyl-6-(dimethylamino)-1-methyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4 (1H,3H)-dione), imazapic ((±)-2-[4,5-dihydro-4-methyl-4- (1-methylethyl)-5-oxo-1H-imidazol-2-yl]-5-methyl-3-pyridinecarboxylic acid), imazapyr ((±)-2-[4,5-dihydro-4-methyl- 4-(1-methylethyl)-5-oxo-1H-imidazol-2-yl]-3-pyridinecarboxylic acid), MCPA (4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)acetic acid), metribuzin (4-amino-6-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-3-(methylthio)-1,2,4-triazin-5(4H)-one), MSMA (Amonosodium salt of MAA), paraquat (1,1\'-dimethyl-4,4\'-bipyridinium ion), pendimethalin (N-(1-ethylpropyl)-3,4-dimethyl-2,6- dinitrobenzenamine), picloram (4-amino-3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinecarboxylic acid), simazine (6-chloro-N,N\'-diethyl- 1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine), sulfentrazone [N-[2,4-dichloro-5-[4-(difluoromethyl)-4,5-dihydro-3-methyl-5-oxo-1H- 1,2,4-triazol-1-yl]phenyl]methanesulfonamide], and tebuthiuron [N-[5-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl]-N,N\'- dimethylurea]. Results obtained by our simulation study have shown that the herbicides picloram, tebuthiuron, and metribuzin have the highest leaching potential, in either sandy or clayey soils, with picloram reaching the root zone of sugarcane at 0.6m in less than 150 days.