Aspectos nutricionais do baru (Dipteryx alata Vog.) em casa de vegetação e em campo

With the objective of evaluating the response of baru (Dipteryx alata Vog.) to nutrient limitation and to the different levels of fertilization, seven experiments were conducted. Experiment 1: Nutritional limitation in greenhouse. We employed 12 treatments in a completely randomized design with eight replicates. Experiment 2: Levels of liming and P in greenhouse. The experimental design was completely randomized in a factorial scheme with four levels of liming (V23.2% (natural soil), V45%, V65% and V85%) and four doses of P (0, 100, 300 and 500 mg kg -1 of P). Experiment 3: Doses of N in greenhouse. We used seven treatments (0, 75, 150, 225, 300, 375 and 450 mg kg -1 of N) in a completely randomized design. Experiment 4: Doses of K in greenhouse. We used seven treatments (0, 75, 150, 225, 300, 375 and 450 mg kg -1 ) in a completely randomized design. Experiment 5: Levels of liming under field conditions. We used four treatments (V6.7% (natural soil), V35%, V55% and V75%) in a randomized blocks design. Experiment 6: doses of P under field conditions. We used five treatments (0, 23.67, 53.34, 106.67 and 213.36 kg ha -1 of P 2O5) in a randomized blocks design. Experiment 7: Doses of N under field conditions. We used five treatments (0, 30, 60, 120 and 240 kg ha -1 of N) in Latin square. In greenhouse, the evaluations were conducted at eight months (for experiments 1 and 2) and 12 months (for experiments 3 and 4) after seeding, when the measurements of height and root collar diameter of the seedlings. Subsequently, the plants were harvested and separated into shoot and root system, for weighing and evaluating dry biomass gain. In the field, the evaluations were conducted at six, 12, 18, 24 and 30 months (for experiments 5 and 6) and at six, 12 and 18 months (for experiment 7). In these experiments, we evaluated the survival of the seedlings, height of the plants and diameter of the stem at soil height. The data obtained were submitted to analysis of variance, mean tests and regression analysis. In conclusion, during the phase of seedling formation, the species is little demanding in S and B, negatively responds to liming, positively responds to phosphate fertilization and does not respond to nitrogen and potassium fertilization. In the field, in general, the species does not respond to the application of P or to liming, and is negatively influenced by the application of elevated doses of nitrogen.

Compartimentos de K, Ca e Mg em solos e sua relação com o crescimento inicial, fisiologia e produtividade do eucalipto

Forestry has grown in a continuous and accelerated manner in Brazil, constituting a strategic activity for the generation of employment, income and tributes, favoring social and economic development of Brazilian agribusiness. The objectives of this study were: (1) evaluate the contents of K, Ca and Mg in the reserve compartments, non-interchangeable, interchangeable, available and the speed of its release, its correlations and its effects over productivity (annual average increment – AAI) of eucalyptus plantations, in forest sites cultivated in soils of the state of Rio Grande do Sul; (2) evaluate the initial growth, nutrition and physiological aspects of eucalyptus plants, cultivated with and without the addition of mineral sources of potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (MG), in soils obtained from forest sites in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. In the first study, contents of K, Ca and Mg were evaluated in sulfuric digestion extract, boiling nitric acid, ammonium chloride, Mehlich-1 (only K), potassium chloride (Ca and Mg), as well as the release speed of these nutrients in the soil. In the second study, growth variables, nutritional aspects, photosynthetic rate (A) and transpiration rate of the plants (E) grown in distinct soils were evaluated under controlled conditions. The contents of K, Ca and Mg varied between compartments and depths in the studied soil classes, with the highest proportions found in the reserve compartment, indicating the importance of this compartment for the supplement of these nutrients at average and long terms. The great majority of K, Ca and Mg compartments presented significant correlations between each other, showing the dependence between them and the importance of evaluating the contents of these nutrients in the different compartments to adapt the nutritional management of the plants to each soil class, and to obtain continuous productions, minimizing the negative effects to the environment. Plants cultivated in soils that present larger reserves, availability and K, Ca and Mg release kinetics, presented similar height (H), stem diameter (SD) and shoot dry mass (SDM), with or without fertilization with K, Ca and Mg. The plants presented higher leaf content and accumulation of K in all soils fertilized with K, Ca and Mg.

Biofortificação com zinco, selênio e ferro, e biodisponibilidade de ferro em cultivares de feijoeiro-comum

The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), a staple food in nutritional diet of Brazilians and populations in developing countries, is a nutritionally rich legume with potential for biofortification. Approximately one third of the world population suffers from nutritional deficiencies, being necessary to increase the nutrient content in vegetables, especially iron (Fe), selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn), which are important micronutrients for plants and human health. In this context, three studies were carried out aiming to evaluate the potential of common bean cultivars to biofortification with Fe, Se and Zn, and verify the interaction between these minerals and iron bioavailability, in order to contribute to increased nutritional quality of grains, reducing the micronutrients deficiency and improving human health. In the first study, experiments were conducted in a greenhouse, with ten common bean cultivars in nutrient solution under different treatments with Fe, Se and Zn. The plant growth and the mineral content of the beans were evaluated in addition to verify the influence of polyphenol and phytate levels on Fe bioavailability in grains fortified with Zn and Se. The evaluated beans cultivars have proved promising for simultaneous biofortification with these nutrients without greatly affecting Fe bioavailability. In the second study, the aim was evaluate the interaction between Fe, Se and Zn in cultivars consumed in Brazil or in USA. Gene expression and root microscopy analysis were performed in order to understand the positive effect of Zn supply on the Fe uptake by roots. The expression of genes related to the transport and uptake of Fe and Zn did not clearly explain the influence of Zn in Fe nutrition. The roots microscopy and the evaluation of nutrient solutions used showed that, in the presence of Zn, there was Fe accumulation in epidermis of the roots and not in the vascular system, prone to be precipitated when it goes through the root membrane. In the latest study, a field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of Zn fertilization via soil and foliar, in the content and accumulation of Fe and Zn in grains and in the yield of common bean cultivars, in addition to verify the amount of these micronutrients supplied by biofortified beans. The fertilization with Zn did not affect the yield, but provided high levels of this nutrient in grains of the cultivars analyzed, representing 27% of the recommended daily intake of Zn. The higher Fe content in beans, obtained when there was no application of foliar Zn, supplies 56% of the daily requirement of Fe.