Leaching of nitrate and ammonium from cover crop straws as affected by rainfall

Nitrogen (N) mineralization dynamics in no-till systems is affected, among other factors, by N amount and quality in the mulch and by climatic conditions. Leaching of NO3-N and NH4-N from six plant species used as soil cover crops in tropical environments were evaluated when the straw was submitted to rainfall after chemical desiccation. Millet (Pennisetum glaucum), guinea sorghum (Sorghum vulgare), black oat (Avena strigosa), triticale (Triticum secale), Indian hemp (Crotalaria juncea), and brachiaria (Brachiaria decumbens) were grown in a greenhouse, in Botucatu-SP, Brazil. Forty-five days after emergence, the plants were cut at the root collar, oven-dried, and submitted to simulated rainfalls of 4.4, 8.7, 17.04, 34.9, and 69.8 mm, considering an amount of straw equivalent to 8 t ha(-1) of dry matter. The amounts of N-NO3- extracted from the straw by rainwater were very small. However, accumulated rainfall around 70 mm caused ammonium leaching ranging from 2.5 to 9.5kg ha(-1), depending on the species. Plant residues of triticale and black oat (grasses) and Indian hemp (legume) showed high N leaching intensity with the first rains after chemical desiccation. The amount of N leached from straw was highly correlated with N tissue content.

Evaluation of Rhodocyclus gelatinosus biomass for broiler pigmentation

We evaluated the influence of dietry inclusion of corn gluten meal, apocartenoic acid ethyl ester (APO-EE), canthaxanthin, and Rhodocylus gelatinosus R-1 biomass on broiler carcass color. These oxycarotenoid sources were used as pigment supplements to a basal ration containing yellow corn as the sole source of xnathophylls. Objective color values of L (lightness),C (chroma), and h (hue) were measured on skin and meat surfaces of broiler carcasses. on both surfaces, R. gelatinosus R-1 biomass oxycarotenoids enhanced the chroma values (color saturation), as compared to yellow corn xanthophylls, and tended to provide yellowness to broiler carcasses, whereas the APO-EE and canthaxanthin tended to provide redness. At the concentrations studied, R. gelatinosus R-1 biomass oxycarotenoids were less effective than APO-EE and canthaxanthin in enhancing color saturation. Lightness, chroma, and blue values did not differ significantly between males and females. However, skin showed significantly higher color saturation than meat in breast and thigh portions of the carcass.

Estimating the aboveground biomass and wood volume of savanna woodlands in Brazil's Pantanal wetlands based on allometric correlations

The quantity and distribution of vegetal biomass are important aspects to consider in ecosystem studies. However, little information is available about Brazil's Pantanal woodland savannas. This work involved the development of regression equations of the aerial biomass and wood volume of native tree species in a region of woodland savanna on Rio Negro farm in the Pantanal of Nhecolandia, Brazil. Samples were taken from 10 trees of each of five species: Protium heptaphyllum (Aub1.) Marchand, Magonia pubescens A. St.-Hil., Diptychandra aurantiaca Tul., Terminalia argentea Mart. and Zucc. and Licania minutiflora (Sagot) Fritsch and from a miscellaneous group of I I different species. Linear and nonlinear regression analyses were developed relating the diameter at breast height to the dry weight of wood, branches and leaves, wood volume and total aerial biomass. All the regressions showed a significance of P < 0.05 and an R-2 close to or above 0.8. The biomass curve predicted by linear regression analysis of the studied species was similar to the nonlinear regression, with the exception of L. minutiflora and the miscellaneous group. The breast height diameter proved a good choice for estimating biomass and wood volume. The estimated wood volume and biomass of the Pantanal woodland savanna is crucial information for understanding the carbon cycle and for ensuring the region's conservation and sustainable use. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cultivation of Rubrivivax gelatinosus in fish industry effluent for depollution and biomass production

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

Nanocellulose from Curava Fibers and their Nanocomposites

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

Municipal solid waste compost amendment in agricultural soil: changes in soil microbial biomass

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Tannery sludge compost amendment rates on soil microbial biomass of two different soils

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Use of levoglucosan, potassium, and water-soluble organic carbon to characterize the origins of biomass-burning aerosols

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

Wet deposition of major ions in a rural area impacted by biomass burning emissions

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

Utilisation of bacterial (Rubrivivax gelatinosus) biomass for egg yolk pigmentation

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

Effect of different tannery sludge compost amendment rates on growth, biomass accumulation and yield responses of Capsicum plants

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Soil microbial biomass and organic matter fractions during transition from conventional to organic farming systems

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)