Neotropical woodlice (isopoda) colonizing leaf-litter of pioneer plants in a coal residue disposal environment

The irregular disposal of coal combustion residues has adverse impacts on terrestrial ecosystems. Pioneer plants and soil invertebrates play an important role in the recovery of these areas. The goal of this study was to investigate the colonization patterns of terrestrial isopods (Oniscidea) in leaf litter of three spontaneous pioneer plants (grass - Poaceae, shrub - Euphorbiaceae, tree - Anarcadiaceae) at sites used for fly ash or boiler slag disposal. The experiment consisted of eight blocks (four per disposal site) of 12 litter bags each (four per plant species) that were randomly removed after 6, 35, 70 or 140 days of field exposure. Three isopod species were found in the litter bags: Atlantoscia floridana (van Name, 1940) (Philosciidae; n = 116), Benthana taeniata Araujo & Buckup, 1994 (Philosciidae; n = 817) and Balloniscus sellowii (Brandt, 1833) (Balloniscidae; n = 48). The isopods colonized the three leaf-litter species equally during the exposure period. However, the pattern of leaf-litter colonization by these species suggests a conflict of objectives between high quality food and shelter availability. The occurrence of A. floridana and the abundance and fecundity of B. taeniata were influenced by the residue type, indicating that the isopods have different degrees of tolerance to the characteristics of the studied sites. Considering that terrestrial isopods are abundant detritivores and stimulate the humus-forming processes, it is suggested that they could have an indirect influence on the soil restoration of this area.

Long-term C-CO2 emissions and carbon crop residue mineralization in an oxisol under different tillage and crop rotation systems

Soil C-CO2 emissions are sensitive indicators of management system impacts on soil organic matter (SOM). The main soil C-CO2 sources at the soil-plant interface are the decomposition of crop residues, SOM turnover, and respiration of roots and soil biota. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the impacts of tillage and cropping systems on long-term soil C-CO2 emissions and their relationship with carbon (C) mineralization of crop residues. A long-term experiment was conducted in a Red Oxisol in Cruz Alta, RS, Brazil, with subtropical climate Cfa (Köppen classification), mean annual precipitation of 1,774 mm and mean annual temperature of 19.2 ºC. Treatments consisted of two tillage systems: (a) conventional tillage (CT) and (b) no tillage (NT) in combination with three cropping systems: (a) R0- monoculture system (soybean/wheat), (b) R1- winter crop rotation (soybean/wheat/soybean/black oat), and (c) R2- intensive crop rotation (soybean/ black oat/soybean/black oat + common vetch/maize/oilseed radish/wheat). The soil C-CO2 efflux was measured every 14 days for two years (48 measurements), by trapping the CO2 in an alkaline solution. The soil gravimetric moisture in the 0-0.05 m layer was determined concomitantly with the C-CO2 efflux measurements. The crop residue C mineralization was evaluated with the mesh-bag method, with sampling 14, 28, 56, 84, 112, and 140 days after the beginning of the evaluation period for C measurements. Four C conservation indexes were used to assess the relation between C-CO2 efflux and soil C stock and its compartments. The crop residue C mineralization fit an exponential model in time. For black oat, wheat and maize residues, C mineralization was higher in CT than NT, while for soybean it was similar. Soil moisture was higher in NT than CT, mainly in the second year of evaluation. There was no difference in tillage systems for annual average C-CO2 emissions, but in some individual evaluations, differences between tillage systems were noticed for C-CO2 evolution. Soil C-CO2 effluxes followed a bi-modal pattern, with peaks in October/November and February/March. The highest emission was recorded in the summer and the lowest in the winter. The C-CO2 effluxes were weakly correlated to air temperature and not correlated to soil moisture. Based on the soil C conservation indexes investigated, NT associated to intensive crop rotation was more C conserving than CT with monoculture.

Effect of swine residue rates on corn, common bean, soybean and wheat yield

Swine residue (SR) applied as nutrient source of crops such as corn, bean, soybean and wheat, besides representing an environmental-friendly way of disposing of organic waste resulting from swine production, may significantly increase grain yields, replacing mineral fertilizer. The objective was to evaluate the effect of SR rates on corn, common bean, soybean and wheat yields from 2002 to 2007, in comparison with mineral fertilizer. The experiment was carried out at the Instituto Agronômico do Paraná - IAPAR, Pato Branco, PR and consisted of increasing SR rates (0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 m³ ha-1) and one treatment with mineral fertilizer (NPK 4-30-10), using 250 kg ha-1 for bean and 300 kg ha-1 for corn, soybean and wheat. Also, in the treatment with mineral fertilizer, 60, 120 and 90 kg ha-1 N was applied as topdressing to bean, corn and wheat, respectively. There were significant increases of grain yield in all evaluated years and crops with increasing SR rates, especially in the grass species under study. Also, with increasing SR rates applied every six months, K, P, Ca and Mg were accumulated in the soil and the pH increased. The application of 60 m³ ha-1 SR increased yields and exceeded the yield obtained with the recommended mineral fertilizer, indicating this amount as adequate for these crops.

Organic matter quality and dynamics in tropical soils amended with sugar industry residue

Soil organic matter depletion caused by agricultural management systems have been identified as a critical problem in most tropical soils. The application of organic residues from agro-industrial activities can ameliorate this problem by increasing soil organic matter quality and quantity. Humic substances play an important role in soil conservation but the dynamics of their transformations is still poorly understood. This study evaluated the effect of compost application to two contrasting tropical soils (Inceptisol and Oxisol) for two years. Soil samples were incubated with compost consisting of sugarcane filter cake, a residue from the sugar industry, at 0, 40, 80, and 120 Mg ha-1. Filter cake compost changed the humic matter dynamics in both content and quality, affecting the soil mineralogical composition. It was observed that carbon mineralization was faster in the illite-containing Inceptisol, whereas humic acids were preserved for a longer period in the Oxisol. In both soils, compost application increased fulvic acid contents, favoring the formation of small hydrophilic molecules. A decrease in fluorescence intensity according to the incubation time was observed in the humic acids extracted from amended soils, revealing important chemical changes in this otherwise stable C pool.

Particulate soil organic carbon and stratification ratio increases in response to crop residue decomposition under no-till

In soils under no-tillage (NT), the continuous crop residue input to the surface layer leads to carbon (C) accumulation. This study evaluated a soil under NT in Ponta Grossa (State of Paraná, Brazil) for: 1) the decomposition of black oat (Avena strigosa Schreb.) residues, 2) relation of the biomass decomposition effect with the soil organic carbon (SOC) content, the particulate organic carbon (POC) content, and the soil carbon stratification ratio (SR) of an Inceptisol. The assessments were based on seven samplings (t0 to t6) in a period of 160 days of three transects with six sampling points each. The oat dry biomass was 5.02 Mg ha-1 at t0, however, after 160 days, only 17.8 % of the initial dry biomass was left on the soil surface. The SOC in the 0-5 cm layer varied from 27.56 (t0) to 30.07 g dm-3 (t6). The SR increased from 1.33 to 1.43 in 160 days. There was also an increase in the POC pool in this period, from 8.1 to 10.7 Mg ha-1. The increase in SOC in the 0-5 cm layer in the 160 days was mainly due to the increase of POC derived from oat residue decomposition. The linear relationship between SOC and POC showed that 21 % of SOC was due to the more labile fraction. The results indicated that the continuous input of residues could be intensified to increase the C pool and sequestration in soils under NT.

Carbon balance and crop residue management in dynamic equilibrium under a no-till system in Campos Gerais

The adoption of no-tillage systems (NT) and the maintenance of crop residues on the soil surface result in the long-term increase of carbon (C) in the system, promoting C sequestration and reducing C-CO2 emissions to the atmosphere. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the C sequestration rate and the minimum amount of crop residues required to maintain the dynamic C equilibrium (dC/dt = 0) of two soils (Typic Hapludox) with different textural classes. The experiment was arranged in a 2 x 2 x 2 randomized block factorial design. The following factors were analyzed: (a) two soil types: Typic Hapludox (Oxisol) with medium texture (LVTM) and Oxisol with clay texture (LVTA), (b) two sampling layers (0-5 and 5-20 cm), and (c) two sampling periods (P1 - October 2007; P2 - September 2008). Samples were collected from fields under a long-term (20 years) NT system with the following crop rotations: wheat/soybean/black oat + vetch/maize (LVTM) and wheat/maize/black oat + vetch/soybean (LVTA). The annual C sequestration rates were 0.83 and 0.76 Mg ha-1 for LVTM and LVTA, respectively. The estimates of the minimum amount of crop residues required to maintain a dynamic equilibrium (dC/dt = 0) were 7.13 and 6.53 Mg ha-1 year-1 for LVTM and LVTA, respectively. The C conversion rate in both studied soils was lower than that reported in other studies in the region, resulting in a greater amount of crop residues left on the soil surface.

Soluble carbon in oxisol under the effect of organic residue rates

The application of organic residues to the soil can increase soluble organic carbon (SOC) and affect the pH and electrolytic conductivity (EC) of the soil. However, the magnitude of these changes depends on the type of residue and the applied dose. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of increasing C rates contained in organic residue on the pH, EC, water-extractable total carbon (WETC), water-extractable organic carbon (WEOC), and water-extractable inorganic carbon (WEIC) in soil treated with manure (chicken, swine, and quail), sawdust, coffee husk, and sewage sludge. The levels of total C (TC- KH2PO4), organic carbon (OC- KH2PO4), and inorganic C (IC- KH2PO4) extractable by a 0.1 mol L-1 KH2PO4 solution were also quantified in soil under the effect of increasing rates of chicken and quail manures. The following rates of organic residue C were applied to a dystrophic Red Latosol (Oxisol) sample: 0, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, and 20,000 mg kg-1. The addition of organic residues to the soil increased pH, except in the case of sewage sludge, which acidified the soil. The acidity correction potential of chicken and quail manure was highest, dependent on the manure rate applied; regardless of the dose used, sawdust barely alters the soil pH. At all tested rates, the EC of the soil treated with swine manure, coffee husk, and sawdust remained below 2.0 dS m-1, which is a critical level for salinity-sensitive crops. However, the application of chicken or quail manure and sewage sludge at certain rates increased the EC to values above this threshold level. Highest levels of WETC, WEOC, and WEIC were obtained when chicken and quail manure and coffee husk were applied to the Oxisol. The quantities of SOC extracted by KH2PO4 were higher than the quantities extracted by water, demonstrating the ability of soil to adsorb C into its colloids.

EFFECT OF SOIL TILLAGE AND PLANT RESIDUE ON SURFACE ROUGHNESS OF AN OXISOL UNDER SIMULATED RAIN

Surface roughness of the soil is formed by mechanical tillage and is also influenced by the kind and amount of plant residue, among other factors. Its persistence over time mainly depends on the fundamental characteristics of rain and soil type. However, few studies have been developed to evaluate these factors in Latossolos (Oxisols). In this study, we evaluated the effect of soil tillage and of amounts of plant residue on surface roughness of an Oxisol under simulated rain. Treatments consisted of the combination of the tillage systems of no-tillage (NT), conventional tillage (CT), and minimum tillage (MT) with rates of plant residue of 0, 1, and 2 Mg ha-1 of oats (Avena strigosa Schreb) and 0, 3, and 6 Mg ha-1 of maize (Zea mays L.). Seven simulated rains were applied on each experimental plot, with intensity of 60±2 mm h-1 and duration of 1 h at weekly intervals. The values of the random roughness index ranged from 2.94 to 17.71 mm in oats, and from 5.91 to 20.37 mm in maize, showing that CT and MT are effective in increasing soil surface roughness. It was seen that soil tillage operations carried out with the chisel plow and the leveling disk harrow are more effective in increasing soil roughness than those carried out with the heavy disk harrow and leveling disk harrow. The roughness index of the soil surface decreases exponentially with the increase in the rainfall volume applied under conditions of no tillage without soil cover, conventional tillage, and minimum tillage. The oat and maize crop residue present on the soil surface is effective in maintaining the roughness of the soil surface under no-tillage.

Characterization of Ornamental Rock Residue and Potassium Liberation Via Organic Acid Application

ABSTRACT Organic acids present in organic matter and, or, exudates by microorganisms and plants can increase the liberation of potassium present in minerals. The objective of this study was to characterize the residue from ornamental rocks and evaluate the release of K from these residues after the application of organic acids. The experiment was conducted under laboratory conditions and followed a 2 × 3 × 5 factorial design with three replicates. The studied factors were: two organic acids (citric acid and malic acid), three ornamental rock residues (R1, R2 and R3) and five organic acid rates (0, 5, 10, 20 and 40 mmol L-1). After agitation, K concentrations were determined in the equilibrium solution. Successive extractions were performed (1, 5, 10, 15, 30 and 60 days after the start of the experiment). The organic acids used (citric and malic) promoted the release of up to 4.86 and 4.34 % of the total K contained in the residue, respectively, reinforcing the role of organic acids in the weathering of minerals and in providing K to the soil. The K quantities were, on average, 6.1 % higher when extracted with citric acid compared to malic acid.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) reaction to herbicide residue in a Brazilian Savannah soil

The quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) cultivation, one of the most promising in double cropping with soybeans or maize, depends on weed control. The objective of this work was to evaluate quinoa reaction to herbicide residue in a savannah soil. Six herbicide treatments, trifluralin, pendimethalin, clomazone, imazaquin, trifluralin + imazaquin and control, were applied, prior to summer cultivation of soybean, in a Dark-Red Latosol (typic Haplustox). Soybean cultivar BR 9 Savana was grown and soil samples were collected at 15, 38, 100, 145 and 206 days after treatment and stored at -5ºC. Bioassays were conducted in greenhouse, using quinoa, cultivar Q18. Imazaquin was the most harmful to quinoa seedlings, up to 206 days after application, followed by clomazone 15-38 days after application; trifluralin and pendimethalin had no residual effect. These results suggest that a broad-base screening should be conducted.

USE OF A LOW-COST TEMPLATE-FREE ZSM-5 FOR ATMOSPHERIC PETROLEUM RESIDUE PYROLYSIS

To understand the physicochemical properties and catalytic activity during the pyrolysis of atmospheric petroleum residue, a template-free ZSM-5 zeolite was synthesized using a direct method without additional seeds or an organic structure director and compared with conventionally synthesized ZSM-5. The crystallinities of the two zeolites were evaluated by XRD and FTIR and were quite similar; however, structural analyses using SEM and argon physisorption revealed that the zeolites diverged in particle diameter and in the external surface area of the micropores. The synthesis procedure without a template incorporated additional aluminum into the crystalline network, according to ICP-AES and TPD NH3 experiments. The catalytic pyrolysis performed over the template-free ZSM-5 generated results comparable to those for pyrolysis performed over the conventional ZSM-5 according to its hydrocarbon distribution. The selectivity to aromatics compounds was exactly the same for both ZSM-5 zeolites, and these values stand out compared to thermal pyrolysis. The template-free ZSM-5 produced 20% of light hydrocarbons (C4-C6), where such compounds are olefins and paraffins of great interest to the petrochemical industry. Therefore, template-free ZSM-5 is promising for industrial use due to its lowered synthesis time, low-cost and significant distribution to light hydrocarbons.

Prochloraz residue levels in ginger submitted to Sportak 450 CE" postharvest treatment

A preliminary study was conducted to determine the residue levels of prochloraz in ginger samples treated with Sportak 450 CE® (prochloraz as active ingredient) under laboratory conditions and cold-storage for 15 days at 10°C and 89% RH. Sampling was carried out at 10 and 15 days after Sportak 450 CE® dip treatment (450 and 900 µg mL-1). Pesticide residues were determined by GCECD. During the study, residue levels in ginger ranged between 3.6 and 10.6 mg Kg-1 for prochloraz.

Soil water evaporation under densities of coverage with vegetable residue

This study was conducted at the Agronomic Institute of Paraná (IAPAR) in Londrina, State of Paraná (PR), Brazil (latitude 23º18'S, longitude 51º09'W and average altitude of 585 m). The local climate, according to the classification of Köeppen, is Cfa type, i.e., humid subtropical climate, with rain in all seasons and can occur dry seasons during the winter. It was determined soil evaporation (E) under different coverage densities with residue from the wheat crop. The treatments were installed in weighting lysimeters of 2.66 m² and 1.3 m deep, which allows to determine E by the mass difference with measuring precision of 0.1mm at one hour intervals. Treatments consisted of 0; 2.5; 5 and 10 t ha-1 of wheat crop residues, placed evenly over each lysimeter. In the first cycle (September 22nd to October 20th, 2008), the reduction of E, as compared to a bare soil, was 4; 15 and 24%, while in the second cycle (December 1st to 30th, 2008), the reduction was of 15; 22 and 25%, respectively, for the treatments of 2.5; 5 and 10 t ha-1.

Designing and manufacturing of a soybean harvest residue picker

ABSTRACT Soy harvest matches seasons with shortage of dry matter supply for ruminant feeding in most Brazilian soy-growing areas. Agricultural machinery-producing companies must have market perception, observing new opportunities and developing equipment to meet costumers’ needs. This paper aims to design, build, and test a device to collect soybean crop residues from the combine cleaning mechanism, consisting mainly of vegetable straw (chaff), and the other plant parts (stems) remain being deposited onto the ground. For equipment designing, we made use of the architectural design methodology proposed in the reference model for the agricultural machinery development process. The equipment was designed and built following the proposed methodology, then installed and put into operation in a John Deere 1165 combine. After initial testing and few adjustments, the device showed satisfactory chaff-collecting performance. The equipment consists of a screw conveyor assembled transversely to the combine and a centrifugal fan assembled on the side. The collected chaff is dumped into a trailer towed by tractor.

The importance of the Thr17 residue of phospholamban as a phosphorylation site under physiological and pathological conditions

The sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA2a) is under the control of an SR protein named phospholamban (PLN). Dephosphorylated PLN inhibits SERCA2a, whereas phosphorylation of PLN at either the Ser16 site by PKA or the Thr17 site by CaMKII reverses this inhibition, thus increasing SERCA2a activity and the rate of Ca2+ uptake by the SR. This leads to an increase in the velocity of relaxation, SR Ca2+ load and myocardial contractility. In the intact heart, ß-adrenoceptor stimulation results in phosphorylation of PLN at both Ser16 and Thr17 residues. Phosphorylation of the Thr17 residue requires both stimulation of the CaMKII signaling pathways and inhibition of PP1, the major phosphatase that dephosphorylates PLN. These two prerequisites appear to be fulfilled by ß-adrenoceptor stimulation, which as a result of PKA activation, triggers the activation of CaMKII by increasing intracellular Ca2+, and inhibits PP1. Several pathological situations such as ischemia-reperfusion injury or hypercapnic acidosis provide the required conditions for the phosphorylation of the Thr17 residue of PLN, independently of the increase in PKA activity, i.e., increased intracellular Ca2+ and acidosis-induced phosphatase inhibition. Our results indicated that PLN was phosphorylated at Thr17 at the onset of reflow and immediately after hypercapnia was established, and that this phosphorylation contributes to the mechanical recovery after both the ischemic and acidic insults. Studies on transgenic mice with Thr17 mutated to Ala (PLN-T17A) are consistent with these results. Thus, phosphorylation of the Thr17 residue of PLN probably participates in a protective mechanism that favors Ca2+ handling and limits intracellular Ca2+ overload in pathological situations.