Energetic cost of digging behavior in workers of the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens (Fabricius)

Energetic cost of digging behavior in workers of the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens (Fabricius). During nest excavation, leaf-cutting ant workers undergo reduction in their body reserve, particularly carbohydrates. In order to estimate the energetic cost of digging, groups of 30 workers of the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens were sealed in a hermetic chamber for 24, 48 and 72 hours, with and without soil for digging, and had the CO2 concentration measured using respirometric chambers as well as volume of soil excavated (g). As expected, the worker groups that carried out soil excavation expelled more carbon dioxide than the groups that did not excavate. Therefore, a worker with body mass of 9.65 ± 1.50 mg dug in average 0.85 ± 0.27 g of soil for 24 hours, consuming ca. 0.58 ± 0.23 J. In this study, we calculate that the energetic cost of excavation per worker per day in the experimental set-up was ca. 0.58 J.

Rice-Straw Mulch Reduces the Green Peach Aphid, Myzus persicae (Hemiptera: Aphididae) Populations on Kale, Brassica oleracea var. acephala (Brassicaceae) Plants

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Effects of traffic control on the soil physical quality and the cultivation of sugarcane

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Performance of four tomato cultivars, with and without ground cover

The aim of the study was to evaluate the production of four tomato cultivars of determinate growth, in the field, with and without ground cover. The cultivars examined were: 'AP-533', 'AP-529', 'Hypeel 5131 and 'PS-41816', which were cultivated with a spacing of 1 m between rows and 0.4 m between plants. The experimental design utilized was that of subdivided parcels, where parcels were provided with and without a ground cover of black polyethylene, and subparcels consisted of the cultivars; eight repetitions were used. The eight central plants in the parcel were evaluated according to the following characteristics: fresh weight of fruit per plant and number of fruit per plant, separated by size. For the classification of fruit, the same plants were divided into classes based on the diameter of the fruit. The diameter size was as follows: class 1, 3 cm; class II, 4 cm; class III, 4.5 cm; and class IV, 5.5 cm. The results showed that there were no significant differences in production among the cultivars studied. Cultivars 'AP-533' and 'Hypeel 513' demonstrated greater production per plant, when ground cover was used, yielding 1474 and 1404 g/plant, respectively. When black polyethylene ground cover was not used, these cultivars produced 1258 and 1271 g of fruit per plant, respectively. The cultivars 'AP-529' and 'PS41818' showed a greater yield of fruit when cultivated without ground cover, with 1548 and 1663 g/plant, respectively. The cultivar 'Hypeel 513' had the highest percentage of fruit with the largest dimensions. An interaction was appeared between 'AP-529' and ground cover, where the production of this cultivar was lower with black polyethylene ground cover compared to bare ground. It is concluded that there are no significant differences in the cultivation of the tomato hybrids 'AP-533', 'Hypeel 513' and 'PS-41816' with and without ground cover, but that the cultivar 'AP-529' should be planted preferentially in soil without black polyethylene cover.

Soil, water and nutrient losses by interrill erosion from green cane cultivation

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

Brachiaria species affecting soil nitrification

O processo de nitrificação pode conduzir a perdas substanciais do nitrogênio aplicado por meio da lixiviação de nitrato e emissão de N2O. A regulação da nitrificação pode ser uma estratégia para melhorar a recuperação do N e aumentar sua eficiência agronômica. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a habilidade de espécies do gênero Brachiaria de inibir o processo de nitrificação no solo. O experimento foi realizado em casa de vegetação, em vasos contendo 10 dm³ de um Latossolo Vermelho. Os tratamentos foram constituídos do cultivo de três espécies forrageiras (Brachiaria brizantha, B. ruziziensis e B. decumbens) e quatro doses de N (0, 100, 200 e 300 mg/vaso), além da testemunha (sem a presença das forrageiras). Na ausência do cultivo de forrageiras, todos os níveis de adubação nitrogenada proporcionaram maior teor de N-NO3- no solo, reflexo da nitrificação. A mineralização da matéria orgânica supriu boa parte da necessidade de absorção de N pelas forrageiras estudadas, e a B. brizantha alterou a nitrificação em sua rizosfera, no entanto esse efeito não foi de magnitude suficiente para alterar o teor de N-NH4+ presente no volume total de solo do vaso.

Impact of sewage sludge on the soil bacterial communities by DNA microarray analysis

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

Production of four cultivars of iceberg lettuce, under protected cultivation, with and without black polyethylene ground cover

The aim of the work was to evaluate the performance of four cultivars of iceberg lettuce, in a greenhouse, with and without ground cover. The experimental design adopted was that of subdivided parcels, where parcels were provided with and without ground cover consisting of black polyethylene and the subparcels consisted of the cultivars. There were three repetitions per treatment and six central plants of each parcel were evaluated. Drip irrigation was utilized. The cultivars studied were: 'Laurel', 'AF-389', 'Mayara' and 'Tainá'. The seeds were planted in Styrofoam trays with 288 cells containing the substrate Plantmax Hortaliças® A. The trays were kept in a greenhouse until transplanting, 25 days after seeding. The parameters examined were: fresh weight of the aerial part per plant, longitudinal (DL) and transverse (DT) diameters of the head, height of the plant and mean number of leaves per plant. Only among the cultivars there were significant differences in transverse and longitudinal diameters of the head and height of the plant. No significant interactions were detected between ground cover and cultivars. With regard to longitudinal and transverse diameters, 'AF-839' (DL = 27.11 cm; DT = 24.53 cm) showed smaller diameters than those of 'Laurel' (DL = 31.13 cm; DT = 30.55 cm), but did not differ from the other cultivars. In regard to height of the plants, 'Laurel' (20.66 cm) had the greatest value and 'AF-839' (16.02 cm) the lowest. The cultivars did not differ with respect to mean number of leaves and fresh weight of the aerial part of the plant. It is concluded that there were no significant differences in the cultivation of the iceberg lettuce with and without ground cover. The cultivar 'Laurel' stood out with respect to longitudinal and transverse diameters and height of the plant, only differing from the 'AF-839' with regard to the diameters.

Delineation of specific management areas for coffee cultivation based on the soil-relief relationship and numerical classification

Predicting and mapping productivity areas allows crop producers to improve their planning of agricultural activities. The primary aims of this work were the identification and mapping of specific management areas allowing coffee bean quality to be predicted from soil attributes and their relationships to relief. The study area was located in the Southeast of the Minas Gerais state, Brazil. A grid containing a total of 145 uniformly spaced nodes 50 m apart was established over an area of 31. 7 ha from which samples were collected at depths of 0. 00-0. 20 m in order to determine physical and chemical attributes of the soil. These data were analysed in conjunction with plant attributes including production, proportion of beans retained by different sieves and drink quality. The results of principal component analysis (PCA) in combination with geostatistical data showed the attributes clay content and available iron to be the best choices for identifying four crop production environments. Environment A, which exhibited high clay and available iron contents, and low pH and base saturation, was that providing the highest yield (30. 4l ha-1) and best coffee beverage quality (61 sacks ha-1). Based on the results, we believe that multivariate analysis, geostatistics and the soil-relief relationships contained in the digital elevation model (DEM) can be effectively used in combination for the hybrid mapping of areas of varying suitability for coffee production. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities and soil aggregation as affected by cultivation of various crops during the sugarcane fallow period

Management systems involving crop rotation, ground cover species and reduced soil tillage can improve the soil physical and biological properties and reduce degradation. The primary purpose of this study was to assess the effect of various crops grown during the sugarcane fallow period on the production of glomalin and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in two Latosols, as well as their influence on soil aggregation. The experiment was conducted on an eutroferric Red Latosol with high-clay texture (680 g clay kg-1) and an acric Red Latosol with clayey texture (440 g kg-1 clay) in Jaboticabal (São Paulo State, Brazil). A randomized block design involving five blocks and four crops [soybean (S), soybean/fallow/soybean (SFS), soybean/millet/soybean (SMS) and soybean/sunn hemp/soybean (SHS)] was used to this end. Soil samples for analysis were collected in June 2011. No significant differences in total glomalin production were detected between the soils after the different crops. However, total external mycelium length was greater in the soils under SMS and SHS. Also, there were differences in easily extractable glomalin, total glomalin and aggregate stability, which were all greater in the eutroferric Red Latosol than in the acric Red Latosol. None of the cover crops planted in the fallow period of sugarcane improved aggregate stability in either Latosol.

Ruzigrass affecting soil-phosphorus availability

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effectiveness of ruzigrass (Urochloaruziziensis) in enhancing soil-P availability in areas fertilized with soluble or reactive rock phosphates. The area had been cropped for five years under no-till, in a system involving soybean, triticale/black-oat, and pearl millet. Previously to the five-year cultivation period, corrective phosphorus fertilization was applied once on soil surface, at 0.0 and 80 kg ha-1 P2O5, as triple superphosphate or Arad rock phosphate. After this five-year period, plots received the same corrective P fertilization as before and ruzigrass was introduced to the cropping system in the stead of the other cover crops. Soil samples were taken (0-10 cm) after ruzigrass cultivation and subjected to soil-P fractionation. Soybean was grown thereafter without P application to seed furrow. Phosphorus availability in plots with ruzigrass was compared to the ones with spontaneous vegetation for two years. Ruzigrass cultivation increased inorganic (resin-extracted) and organic (NaHCO3) soil P, as well as P concentration in soybean leaves, regardless of the P source. However, soybean yield did not increase significantly due to ruzigrass introduction to the cropping system. Soil-P availability did not differ between soluble and reactive P sources. Ruzigrass increases soil-P availability, especially where corrective P fertilization is performed.

ORGANIC RESIDUE AND PHOSPHORUS AS CONDITIONERS OF DEGRADED SOIL AND EFFECTS ON THE INITIAL GROWTH OF Dipteryx alata Vog.

In northwestern Sao Paulo State, it was established, in 1965, the hydroelectric station of Ilha Solteira (CESP) that produced extensive degraded areas, from where it was removed the soil superficial layers. For the re-establishment of the vegetation, in areas like these, it is necessary the addition of chemical inputs and organic material. Associating the presence in the area of macrophytes, to the need of recovery of degraded areas and the availability of seeds from native species of Cerrado, it was intended the development of this work, with the objective of evaluating the addition effects of organic residue and phosphorus on the material of degraded soil and on the initial growth of Dipteryx alata, arboreal species of 'cerrado'. The soil material was collected in area of degraded soil by the construction of Ilha Solteira hydroelectric station. The experiment was conducted in two environmental conditions, greenhouse and plenty of sun. The treatments consisted of four phosphorus doses (0, 100, 200 and 300 mg dm(-3) of P2O5), with or without macrophytes addition, with 16 treatments and 10 repetitions each one. The used macrophytes, collected at Jupia hydroelectric station, in Mato Grosso do Sul state, were dried, sliced, incorporated to the soil material and incubated during 60 days. The seeds of Dipteryx alata, collected around of the area, were sowed in washed sand and after 60 days introduced in the treatments. The plants were appraised monthly for height, stem diameter and leaves chlorophyll. After 210 days, the plants were collected and evaluated for fresh and dry weight of aerial part and radicular system and the soil material was evaluated for fertility and microbial activity by the carbon of liberated CO2. The organic residue, incorporated to the material of soil degraded, positively affects the soil fertility and the soil microbial activity. The applied phosphorus doses influenced the behavior of Ca, SB, H+Al and CTC, when applied in the absence of organic residue, it promoted significant and linear increments for values of potential acidity, and indicated the organic residue importance. The initial growth of the Dipteryx alata was favored by the protected cultivation, for the incorporation of organic residue and for the phosphorus addition to the soil. At the end although the material of degraded soil comes as good perspective for disposal of this residue, studies about the field conditions are necessary.

Productivity, Leaf Nutrient Content and Soil Carbon Stocked in Agroforestry and Traditional Management of Maize (Zea mays L.)

The aim of the work was to evaluate the productivity, leaf nutrient content and soil nutrient concentration in maize (Zea mays L.) grown in sequence with black oats (Avena strigosa Schreb.) under Leucaena diversifolia alley cropping agroforestry system (AFS) and traditional management system/sole crop (without trees-TS), after two years of cultivation following a randomized block design. The experiment was carried out in the Brazilian Association of Biodynamic Agriculture, in Botucatu—S?o Paulo, Brazil. Treatments were: control (C), chemical fertilizer application (F), biomass of L. diversifolia alley cropping application (B), biomass of L. diversifolia alley cropping + chemical fertilizer application (B + F). In the second year of management it was observed that black oat yield was higher in treatments B + F and F with significant difference in relation to the others treatments in both systems, followed by treatment B. Between systems, only treatment B showed significant difference, with higher yield value corresponding to AFS, reflecting the efficiency of AFS to promote soil fertility. Maize production presented the second year of cultivation an increasing trend in all treatments in both production systems. This result may be due to the cumulative effect of mineralization and maize straw and oats, along the experiment. How productivity was higher in the AFS system, could also be occurring effect of biological nitrogen fixation, water retention and reduction of extreme microclimate through the rows of L. diversifolia. Comparing the AFS and TS, it was observed that the concentration of N in leaf tissue was higher in the AFS treatments, probably due to nitrogen fixation performed through the rows of L. diversifolia, that is a nitrogen fixing tree species. After two years, carbon stocked in soil show higher values in the treatments biomass + fertilizer and biomass application, in both systems, AFS and TS.

Soil CO2 emission as related to incorporation of sugarcane crop residues and aggregate breaking after rotary tiller

O preparo do solo é um dos processos que aceleram a decomposição da matéria orgânica, transferindo carbono para atmosfera, principalmente na forma de CO2. Neste trabalho, investigou-se o efeito do preparo com enxada rotativa sobre as emissões de CO2 do solo durante 02 semanas após o preparo do solo, incluindo-se a presença de resíduos vegetais sobre a superfície. As emissões foram avaliadas por 15 dias após preparo em 3 parcelas: 1) sem preparo e sem palha superficial (SPs); 2) preparo com enxada rotativa sem a presença de palha na superfície (ERs), e 3) preparo com enxada rotativa com a presença de palha superficial (ERc). As emissões provenientes da ERc foram superiores às demais (0,777 g CO2 m-2 h-1), sendo as menores emissões registradas na parcela SPs (0,414 g CO2 m-2 h-1). As emissões totais indicaram que a diferença de C-CO2 emitida à atmosfera corresponde a 3% do total de carbono adicional presente na palha, na parcela ERc, quando comparado à parcela ERs. O aumento da emissão da parcela SPs para ERs foi acompanhado de uma modificação na distribuição do tamanho de agregados, especialmente aqueles com diâmetro médio inferior a 2 mm. O aumento da emissão da parcela ERs para ERc esteve relacionado a uma diminuição da massa de palha na superfície, com fragmentação e incorporação da mesma no interior do solo. Quando se analisa a correlação linear entre emissão de CO2 versus temperatura e umidade do solo, somente a emissão da ERc foi significativamente correlacionada (p<0,05) à umidade do solo.

Produtividade de tomate tipo cereja cultivado em ambiente protegido e em diferentes substratos

O experimento foi realizado em Jaboticabal-SP, sob ambiente protegido, objetivando avaliar quatro substratos (Rendimax-Estufa®, areia, solo coberto com filme de polietileno preto e solo descoberto) e quatro híbridos de tomateiro tipo cereja ('Mascot', 'Gisela', 'Cheri' e 'Sweet Million'), sendo os substratos comercial e areia acondicionados em sacos plásticos. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial 4 x 4, com quatro repetições. Utilizou-se irrigação por gotejamento, sendo a dotação hídrica realizada em função dos dados obtidos em um tanque Classe A. A solução nutritiva utilizada foi a recomendada por Castellane & Araújo (1995) para a cultura do tomateiro. Os frutos foram colhidos semanalmente, durante o período de 24/11/2000 a 24/01/2001, sendo avaliados o número e produtividade diária de frutos. Os cultivos em solo proporcionaram maior produção diária que no substrato comercial e em areia, para os híbridos Gisele e 'Mascot'. O híbrido 'Gisela' mostrou-se mais produtivo nos cultivos em solo, enquanto o híbrido 'Cheri', embora tenha proporcionado menores produções em peso, produziu maior número de frutos por planta. A produtividade dos tratamentos mais produtivos foi satisfatória, estando de acordo com os padrões de produção para a cultura no Brasil.