Morphology and properties of (Ba, Sr, Ca) titanates synthesized by microwave-assisted hydrothermal method

Ba1-xCaxTiO3, Ba1-xSrxTiO3 and Sr1-xCaxTiO3 (x = 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1) nanoparticles were synthesized using the microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. Samples were prepared for 40 minutes at 140°C under a pressure of 3 MPa using an adapted domestic microwave oven. The samples were characterized by X-Ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and Raman, photoluminescence (PL) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopies. XRD data show that ceramic powders have crystalline phases associated with a short-range structural disorder. This structural disorder is confirmed by Raman spectral bands indicating multi-phonon processes and the presence of defects or impurities. Such defects account for a broad band in the photoluminescence spectrum in the green light (460 nm) region for all samples. Gap energy variation, obtained from UV-Vis spectra, suggest a non-uniform band structure of these titanates in accordance with the PL results. The morphology of each sample is changed with doping and varies from a spherical to cubic appearance for energy minimization.

Digestibilidade do amido e disponibilidade de ca e p em alimentos energéticos extrusados para a tilápia do nilo (Oreochromis niloticus)

Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) of starch and calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) apparent availability were evaluated in five cereal grain products and byproducts (corn, wheat meal, rice grain, rice bran and sorghum) for Nile tilapia. Chromic oxide was used as an external digestibility marker. The highest Ca and P apparent availability, respectively, were obtained for rice grain (43.03 and 64.79%), sorghum (39.89 and 58.09%) and corn (22.18 and 19.48%), while rice bran (-31.49 and 3.25%) and wheat meal (5.80 and 1.18%) showed the lowest values. Starch digestibility varied between 99.45 and 95.59% among the evaluated ingredients. This high ADC of starch observed in this study confirms that Nile tilapia is able to efficiently digest and utilize complex carbohydrates.

Relação K:Ca:Mg na solução nutritiva para produção de minitomate cultivado em substrato

The study was conducted to evaluate six K:Ca:Mg ratios for production of two cultivars of mini tomato grown in substrate, in a greenhouse, during two growing seasons. The experimental design was randomized blocks with four replications and twelve treatments using both cultivars of mini tomato (Sweet Million and Sweet Grape) and six K:Ca:Mg ratios (4:3:1, 6:3:1, 6:4.5:1, 2.7:3:1, 2.7:2:1, 4:2:1) in nutrient solutions. In both experiments, nutrient solutions with the highest concentrations of Mg, (75 mg L-1) and the lowest concentrations of Ca, (150 mg L-1) led to the highest concentrations of those nutrients in plant dry matter. The Sweet Million cultivar had higher yield (1.69 kg plant-1 and 1.52 kg plant-1), number of fruits per plant (227 and 236), and water use efficiency (29.1 kg m-3 and 25.3 kg m-3). However, the Sweet Grape cultivar had fruits of higher mean weight (9.0 g and 8.8 g) and macronutrient content in the leaves. In both crop cycles, the different K:Ca:Mg ratios affected only the macronutrient contents of the mini tomato plants grown in substrate, with no effect on yield and water use efficiency. The first crop cycle showed the highest N, K, Ca and S content.

Availability of nutrients, productive properties, and quality of sunflower ( L.) seeds in acid soils amended with different molar ratios between Ca and Mg

Liming is indispensable in acid soils for amending acidity; however, the technique may alter the cation balance in soil and, consequently, may limit the availability and uptake of nutrients. We aimed to evaluate different molar ratios between calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) on the availability of soil nutrients and their influence on the productive properties of sunflower and seed quality. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse under two types of contrasting soils and six molar combinations of CaCO3and MgCO3 in amendment of soil acidity to raise base saturation to 70%. After incubation, soil analysis was undertaken to verify the ratios obtained and nutrient availability. Morphological and production variables were analyzed at the end of the experiment, as well as accumulation of nutrients in the achenes and their physiological quality. In spite of equal base saturation between the types of soil, there were differences in the available contents of these cations. The increase in the Ca contents limited the Mg contents to the critical level of the sunflower. This result had a negative influence on the production properties of sunflower and physiological quality. In contrast, there was a compensation of the crop with greater accumulation of nutrients in the achenes under lower yield.