The management of cover plant residues for cotton cropped in a no-tillage system

The cutting of plant residue in no-tillage systems under certain environmental conditions becomes necessary to adequately establish and grow crops. This study aims to assess the effect on the yield of different methods of managing millet plant residue in cotton plantations. The study was conducted during the agricultural years 2006/07 and 2007/08, and the treatments included no-mechanical-treatment tillage and the use of a rotary shredder, crimper-roller, and mechanical disintegrator for millet plants before sowing the cotton. Evaluations were performed for the residue fragmentation, emergence speed, percent of soil cover during the cycle and yield of the cotton crop. The emergence speed was faster in the management with the rotary shredder. In 2006/07, the no-tillage treatment showed a rate of loss for soil cover that was 46 percent greater than the disintegrator treatment. The rotary shredder and the disintegrator yielded greater soil coverage during the cultivation cycle, and the yield was highly correlated with the soil cover at 75 days after emergence. The management of the millet residue affected the cotton plants for the two-year study period.

Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in cotton: vertical distribution of egg masses, effects of adult density and plant age on oviposition behavior

O trabalho teve por objetivo determinar, em casa-de-vegetação, a densidade adequada de adultos, a idade ideal das plantas e a distribuição vertical de ovos nas diferentes partes da planta, visando à realização de estudos de resistência e à melhoria das práticas de manejo de Spodoptera frugiperda em algodoeiro. Os experimentos de oviposição de S. frugiperda em relação à densidade de adultos, relação entre plantas de algodoeiro e oviposição de S. frugiperda e não preferência para oviposição de S. frugiperda em variedades de algodoeiro foram realizados com plantas da variedade de algodoeiro BRS Ita 90. A não preferência (antixenose) para oviposição foi acompanhada nas variedades FiberMax 966, FiberMax 977, DeltaOpal, DeltaPenta, Acala 90, Coodetec 408, Coodetec 409, Coodetec 410, BRS Cedro, BRS Ipê, BRS Aroeira, IPR 96, IPR 20, BRS Araçá, IAC 24 e BRS Ita 90. Concluiu-se que S. frugiperda prefere ovipositar em plantas com cerca de 60 dias de idade, na superfície inferior das folhas situadas no terço superior dos testes de plantas sob condições de estufa. Uma densidade de, pelo menos, três pares de adultos S. frugiperda por planta foi suficiente para realizar testes de não preferência para oviposição em casa de vegetação. As variedades Coodetec 408, BRS Aroeira, BRS Araçá, BRS Ita 90 e DeltaPenta apresentaram resistência do tipo não preferência para oviposição de S. frugiperda. Em regiões com altas infestações de S. frugiperda, seria prudente para o cultivo utilizar a variedade de algodão BRS Ita 90.

Hábito alimentar e morfologia do aparelho digestivo de espécies de Carabidae (Insecta: Coleoptera) associados a plantas herbáceas e ao algodoeiro colorido

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Entomologia Agrícola) - FCAV

Efeitos de cultivares de algodoeiro que expressam as proteínas Cry1Ac e Cry1F nos parâmetros biológicos de Chrysodeixis includens (Walker, 1857) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Entomologia Agrícola) - FCAV

Efeito do nível e da época de desfolha artificial sobre os componentes de produtividade de cultivares de algodoeiro

The periodic substitution of cotton cultivars for the farms can modify the levels of economic damages and control of pests, compromising the success in pest control. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of simulated defoliation levels in cotton cultivars actually used. The assay was carried out in experimental area of the Polo Apta Centro Norte, in Pindorama, Sao Paulo state. There were evaluated four defoliations levels (0%, 36.8%, 62.1% e 100%), done at a unique operation, in tree times (30, 60 and 90 days after plant emergence) and four cotton cultivars (IAC-25, DeltaOpal, Fibermax 966 and Fibermax 993). The defoliation was done with a scissor simulating the caterpillar damage. Evaluations included the number of open bolls, weight of one boll and 100 seeds, fiber percentage and productivity (kg ha(-1)). The defoliation negatively affected all components of agronomic traits, with the exception of percentage of fiber. The most damaging levels were 62.1 and 100% removal of the leaf blade. The period of higher susceptibility to defoliation occurs from 30 to 60 days after plant emergence.

Carbohydrate production and transport in cotton cultivars grown under boron deficiency

An adequate supply of boron (B) is required for the optimal growth and development of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) plants, but the low phloem mobility of B limits the possibilities of correcting B deficiency. There are indications that different cotton cultivars could have different responses to B deficiency. The differences in responses of cotton cultivars to B regarding photoassimilate production and transport were studied in a greenhouse experiment with nutrient solution. Treatments consisted of three cotton cultivars (FMT 701, DP 604BG and FMX 993) and five concentrations of B (0.0, 2.5, 5.0, 10.0 and 20.0 mu mol L-1). Sampling began at the phenological stage B1 (first square) and continued for four weeks. The leaf area and the number of reproductive branches and structures decreased due to B deficiency. A higher level of abortion of reproductive structures was observed under B deficiency. Boron deficiency increased the internal CO2 concentration but decreased the transpiration rate, stomatal conductance and photosynthesis. Despite the decrease in photosynthesis, nonstructural carbohydrates accumulated in the leaves due to decreased export to bolls in B-deficient plants. The response to B deficiency is similar among cotton cultivars, which shows that the variability for this trait is low even for cultivars with different genetic backgrounds.

Sensitivity of cotton cultivars to soil compaction

Cotton is one of the most sensitive crops to soil compaction, but there may be genetic variability for this trait. The objective of this study was to evaluate cotton cultivars sensitivity to soil compaction. Soil columns were built with three pvc rings with internal diameter of 10 cm and filled with an alfisol. The heights of the top and bottom rings were 15 cm, and the intermediate ring, in which the soil was compacted, was 3.5 cm high. The levels of compression used in the subsurface were characterized by penetration resistances of 0.41, 0.93, 1.41 and 1.92 MPa. The cultivars 701 FMT, FMT 705, FMT 707, FMX 951 LL and FMX 966 LL were grown up to 23 days after plant emergence, when the dry matter of shoots and roots, root length density and root diameter were determined. The cotton cultivars have variability in their sensitivity to resistance to penetration. The cultivar 707 FMT is more sensitive to soil compaction, while the FMT 701 is more tolerant. Penetration resistance of around 0.92 to 1.06 MPa reduce 50% cotton root growth, but resistance to penetration of 1.92 MPa did not totally prevent growth.

Absence of detection of xanthomonas axonopodis pv. malvacearum in cotton seeds used in the Northeast Region of Mato Grosso do Sul in a three-based crop season study

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Boron uptake and translocation in some cotton cultivars

Boron (B) is the most deficient micronutrient in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). It is generally accepted that B is immobile in cotton phloem, but some cultivars could remobilize the nutrient. In order to further understand B uptake and mobility in various cotton cultivars two experiments were conducted.In experiment-1, cotton cultivars were grown in B-10 enriched or natural abundance nutrient solutions for 4 weeks and transferred to nutrient solutions ranging from deficient to sufficient in B. In experiment-2 B-10 enriched boric acid was applied to cotton leaves and B mobilization was determined.In deficient plants, B previously supplied to roots was remobilized from older to younger plant tissues, but the amount was insufficient to maintain growth. Boron deficiency symptoms appeared and progressed with time. Boron applied to leaves was taken up and remobilized within 24 h. Boron mobilization was higher to plant parts above the treated region.Boron uptake and mobilization was similar among cotton cultivars. Boron applied to cotton leaves shows a preferential translocation to younger tissues. Foliar sprays of B to cotton may be used to cope with a temporary deficiency, but to achieve full growth and development B must be available to cotton throughout the plant cycle.

Parâmetros biológicos da lagarta falsa-medideira em cultivares de algodoeiro com as proteínas Cry1Ac e Cry1F

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Diversidade e abundância de artrópodes predadores associados a diferentes cultivares de algodoeiro

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Trocas gasosas e eficiência fotoquímica de cultivares de algodoeiro herbáceo sob aplicação de silício foliar

The objective of this study was to evaluate gas exchange and photochemical efficiency of cotton cultivars under leaf application of silicon. Therefore, the experiment was conducted in a completely randomized in a factorial 3 x 5, three cotton cultivars ('BRS Topazio', 'BRS Safira' and 'BRS Rubi'), five silicon concentrations (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 mg L-1) and four replications. Gas exchange and photochemical efficiency were determined by measuring the rate of CO2 assimilation, transpiration, stomatal conductance, internal CO2 concentration, instantaneous efficiency in water use, instantaneous carboxylation efficiency, initial fluorescence, maximum quantum efficiency of the variable and photosystem II (PSII). The data variables were subjected to analysis of variance and regression test comparison of means. There were significant differences in gas exchange and photochemical efficiency in response to concentrations of silicon. There were also significant differences among cotton cultivars evaluated. In cultivar 'BRS Top zio', the application of silicon increased CO2 assimilation rate and quantum efficiency of PSII. In 'BRS Safira' silicon reduced the rate of assimilation and internal CO2 concentration. In 'BRS Rubi' element increased the fluorescence of chlorophyll 'a' and quantum efficiency of photosystem II, and reduced the rate of assimilation and internal CO2 concentration and stomatal conductance. Silicate fertilization provided 'BRS Topazio' to express better photosynthetic rate in relation to 'BRS Safira' and 'BRS Rubi'. No damage occurred in PSII when 'BRS Top zio', 'BRS Safira' and 'BRS Rubi' cultivars received silicon as supplementary nutrition.

Effects on soil chemical attributes and cotton yield from ammonium sulfate and cover crops

Fertilizer use in no-till systems must be aligned with a correct interpretation of soil chemical attributes and crop demands. The objectives of this work were evaluate the effects of pre-sowing application of ammonium sulfate (AS) and of cover crops on the yields and soil chemical attributes of no-till cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. r. latifolium Hutch) over two harvesting years. The experiment was arranged in randomized complete block design, with the plots in strips, and the variables were three cover crops (Raphanus sativus L., Avena strigosa L. and Avena sativa L.) and four AS doses (0, 150, 300, and 450 kg ha-1) applied over millet dry biomass. The cotton in the experimental plots was manually harvested on April 25, 2007 and April 24, 2008. The soil samples were collected between cotton rows in all plots on May 5, 2007 and May 12, 2008, at depths of 0.0-0.05, 0.05-0.10, and 0.10-0.20 m for soil fertility analyses. The increasing doses of AS induced lower soil pH, and calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) levels in the superficial soil layer, as well as higher exchangeable aluminum (Al) and sulfur (S) levels until a depth of 0.20 m. Seed cotton yields increased with increasing AS doses.

Cotton yield and fiber quality affected by row spacing and shading at different growth stages

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Cotton leaf gas exchange responses to irradiance and leaf aging

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)