Water use of Juniperus virginiana trees encroached into mesic prairies in Oklahoma, USA

Juniperus virginiana (eastern redcedar) is encroaching into mesic prairies of the southern Great Plains, USA, and is altering the hydrologic cycle. We used the thermal dissipation technique to quantify daily water use of J. virginiana into a mesic prairie by measuring 19 trees of different sizes from different density stands located in north-central Oklahoma during 2011. We took the additional step to calibrate our measurements by comparing thermal dissipation technique estimates to volumetric water use for a subset of trees. Except for days with maximum air temperature below -3 degrees C, J. virginiana trees used water year round, reached a peak in late May, and exhibited reduced water use in summer when soil water availability was low. Overall daily average water use was 24 l (+/- 21.81 s.d.) per tree. Trees in low density stands used more water than trees with similar diameters from denser stands. However, there was no difference in water use between trees in different density stands when expressed on a canopy area basis. Approximately 50% of variation in water use that remained after accounting for the factors site, tree, and day was explained using a physiologically-based model that included daily potential evapotranspiration, maximum vapour pressure deficit, maximum temperature, solar radiation, and soil water storage between 0 and 10 cm. Our model suggested that a J. virginiana woodland with a closed canopy is capable of transpiring almost all precipitation reaching the soil in years with normal precipitation, indicating the potential for encroachment to reduce water yield for streamflow and groundwater recharge. Copyright (C) 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effect of ultrasonic ecxitation on the ultimate tensili strength of glass ionomer cements after different water storage times

The application of ultrasound waves with a conventional dental ultrasonic scaler on glass ionomer cements surface accelerated initial setting reaction and improved the mechanical properties. Objective: This study evaluated the ultimate tensile strength of glass ionomer cements after ultrasonic excitation and different water storage times. Material and method: Twelve specimens of each material (Fuji IX GP, Ketac Molar Easymix and Vitremer) were prepared, and six of each received a 30-second ultrasound application during initial setting of the cements. After storage of the 24 hours or 30 days, the specimens were sectioned into stick to microtensile testing and the mean ultimate tensile strength values were submitted to Welch’s ANOVA and Tamhane’s test. Result: The results showed that the Vitremer presented the highest mean tensile strength. The chemically set Fuji IX GP presented significantly higher mean tensile strength after 30 days than after 24 hours of storage (p < 0.05). At 24 hours, the ultrasonically set Fuji IX GP presented significantly higher mean tensile strength than their counterparts set under standard conditions (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Treatment with ultrasound increased the tensile strength of Fuji IX GP in the early period of maturation.

Influence of soil water potential in the action of herbicides on goosegrass (Eleusine indica (L) Gaertn)

Currently, the use of herbicides is essential in a practical and common in agricultural areas, but efficiency of these herbicides can be compromised when applied on plants that thrive in water deficit conditions, due to low uptake and translocation of the product. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the efficiency of control ACCase inhibiting herbicides applied post-emergence in plants of Eleusine indica under different soil water contents. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse and the experimental design was completely randomized design with four replications, consisting of a 9x4 factorial, with the combination of three soil water potentials (-0.03, -0.07 and -1.5 MPa) three herbicides (fluazifop-p -butyl, haloxyfop-methyl and sethoxydim + oil) and four doses (0, 25, 50, and 100 % of the recommended dose). Herbicide application was made in plants in vegetative stage 2-3 tillers. The soil water potential was initiated in the development stage of two leaves, and the water was supplemented until the soil reaches the potential of -0.01 MPa, when it came to minimum pre-determined for each water management. The physiological parameters evaluated were: photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration leaf temperature and plant dry mass. The visual assessments of phytotoxicity were performed at 7 and 14 days after application. The herbicides behaved in different ways according to the used water management. In severe water stress conditions (soil moisture at 8%) only fluazifop-p-butyl herbicide achieved satisfactory control (> 90%) in E. indica plants.

Climate and acute/subacute paracoccidioidomycosis in a hyper-endemic area in Brazil

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

First Description of a Cluster of Acute/Subacute Paracoccidioidomycosis Cases and Its Association with a Climatic Anomaly

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

Manejo da irrigação (tensiometria e balanço hídrico climatológico) para a cultura do feijoeiro em sistemas de cultivo direto e convencional

Dois métodos de manejo de irrigação, por tensiometria e pelo balanço hídrico climatológico simplificado baseado no tanque Classe A, foram aplicados e avaliados os resultados no balanço de água no solo, na evapotranspiração e na produtividade de grãos da cultura do feijoeiro, cultivar IAC-Carioca, conduzida na estação seca com irrigação por pivô central, após uma cultura de milho (estação úmida), no primeiro ano de cultivo, nos sistemas de plantio direto e convencional em uma área de Latossolo Vermelho. Concluiu-se que ambos os métodos são possíveis de serem adotados por irrigantes ou técnicos com níveis médios de tecnologia e conhecimento, embora com a tensiometria seja possível um melhor entendimento das reais condições hídricas do solo na região do sistema radicular da cultura. Não foram verificadas diferenças importantes de armazenamento de água no solo e de produtividade de grãos entre os sistemas de plantio nesse primeiro ano; o manejo por tensiometria resultou em maiores variações na água disponível consumida do que o do balanço hídrico climatológico simplificado e resultou, em relação a esse, economia de 15% na água de irrigação aplicada, sem afetar a produtividade de grãos.

Efeitos de sistemas de preparo do solo no potencial matricial de um Latossolo Vermelho (Oxisol)

The present work aimed to investigate which was the soil tillage system that better fits for conditions of intensive agriculture, on the region of Selviria-MS. The main objective of this paper was to study the conservation and availability of water in the soil profile. In order to evaluate the soil matric potential in field conditions, readings were accomplished, using tensiometers with a mercury gauger. Matric potential was measured at 0.10 m depth, during the vegetative period of Triticum aestivum L. and at four depths 0.10; 0.20; 0.30 e 0.40 m during the vegetative period of Phaseolus vulgaris L. The study areas were located in the municipal district of Selviria, MS, Brazil. The used experimental set-up was entirely random designed, with treatments disposed in strips; three treatments and four repetitions were used. In the different treatments, soil matric potential was determined. Result allow to conclude that the water matric potential was highest for no-tillage and minimum tillage; however, it was also shown that these two tillage systems, allowed to conserve more water in the soil, when compared to the conventional tillage. In the last cycle of the Phaseolus vulgaris L. crop, no-tillage presented smaller storage of water in the soil, compared to the minimum tillage.

Influência de manejo de irrigação sobre aspectos da ecofisiologia e produção da videira CV. Syrah

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Manejo do solo e da irrigação na cultura do feijoeiro sob pivô central

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Armazenamento de água no solo em sequências de culturas de verão e inverno sob semeadura direta

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Restauração ecológica de um solo decapitado sob intervenção antrópica há 17 anos

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

Simple agrometeorological models for estimating Guineagrass yield in Southeast Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Modelos agrometeorológicos estatísticos de previsão de produtividade e qualidade para cana-de-açúcar

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Produção Vegetal) - FCAV

Variation of soil and water volumes in riparian jungle soils of Brazil

The objective of this work is to study the relation between humidity, density, porosity and shrinkage of the floodplain soil and riparian vegetation and their ability to store water. For this purpose, two locations for every type of soils were evaluated. Both were placed at the Agronomy University (Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas) in São Manuel, State of São Paulo, Brazil. The floodplain soil was vegetated with Southern Cattail (Typha domingensis). In both places, soil samples were collected from several depths: 0, 30, 60 and 100 cm. Results show that lower soil density values (0.15 g/cm3) with organic texture and high porosities values (up to 86.2%) were found in samples with the highest organic material content in the floodplain soil. For this field experiment, flood plains soils (characterised as basin gley soils) presented high volumetric instability with a retratibility of 67.49% and higher water storage capacities compared to riparian stands soils (characterised as fluvic neosoils).

Least limiting water range in soil under crop rotations and chiseling

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