Growth analysis and biomass partitioning of Cyperus iria in response to rice planting density and nitrogen rate

Cyperus iria is a weed of rice with widespread occurrence throughout the world. Because of concerns about excessive and injudicious use of herbicides, cultural weed management approaches that are safe and economical are needed. Developing such approaches will require a better understanding of weed biology and ecology, as well as of weed response to increases in crop density and nutrition. Knowledge of the effects of nitrogen (N) fertilizer on crop-weed competitive interactions could also help in the development of integrated weed management strategies. The present study was conducted in a screenhouse to determine the effects of rice planting density (0, 5, 10, and 20 plants pot−1) and N rate (0, 50, 100, and 150 kg ha−1) on the growth of C. iria. Tiller number per plant decreased by 73–88%, leaf number by 85–94%, leaf area by 85–98%, leaf biomass by 92–99%, and inflorescence biomass by 96–99% when weed plants were grown at 20 rice plants pot−1 (i.e., 400 plants m−2) compared with weed plants grown alone. All of these parameters increased when N rates were increased. On average, weed biomass increased by 118–389% and rice biomass by 121–275% with application of 50–150 kg N ha−1, compared to control. Addition of N favored weed biomass production relative to rice biomass. Increased N rates reduced the root-to-shoot weight ratio of C. iria. Rice interference reduced weed growth and biomass and completely suppressed C. iria when no N was applied at high planting densities (i.e., 20 plants pot−1). The weed showed phenotypic plasticity in response to N application, and the addition of N increased the competitive ability of the weed over rice at densities of 5 and 10 rice plants pot−1 compared with 20 plants pot−1. The results of the present study suggest that high rice density (i.e., 400 plants m−2) can help suppress C. iria growth even at high N rates (150 kg ha−1).

Optimal Irrigation and N-fertilizer Management for Sustainable Winter Wheat Production in Khorezm, Uzbekistan

The efficiency of the nitrogen (N) application rates 0, 120, 180 and 240 kg N ha−1 in combination with low or medium water levels in the cultivation of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cv. Kupava was studied for the 2005–2006 and 2006–2007 growing seasons in the Khorezm region of Uzbekistan. The results show an impact of the initial soil Nmin (NO3-N + NH4-N) levels measured at wheat seeding on the N fertilizer rates applied. When the Nmin content in the 0–50 cm soil layer was lower than 10 mg kg−1 during wheat seeding in 2005, the N rate of 180 kg ha−1 was found to be the most effective for achieving high grain yields of high quality. With a higher Nmin content of about 30 mg kg−1 as was the case in the 2006 season, 120 kg N ha−1 was determined as being the technical and economical optimum. The temporal course of N2O emissions of winter wheat cultivation for the two water-level studies shows that emissions were strongly influenced by irrigation and N-fertilization. Extremely high emissions were measured immediately after fertilizer application events that were combined with irrigation events. Given the high impact of N-fertilizer and irrigation-water management on N2O emissions, it can be concluded that present N-management practices should be modified to mitigate emissions of N2O and to achieve higher fertilizer use efficiency.

Multi-site time-trend analysis of soil fertility management effects on crop production in sub-Saharan West Africa

Soil fertility constraints to crop production have been recognized widely as a major obstacle to food security and agro-ecosystem sustainability in sub-Saharan West Africa. As such, they have led to a multitude of research projects and policy debates on how best they should be overcome. Conclusions, based on long-term multi-site experiments, are lacking with respect to a regional assessment of phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizer effects, surface mulched crop residues, and legume rotations on total dry matter of cereals in this region. A mixed model time-trend analysis was used to investigate the effects of four nitrogen and phosphorus rates, annually applied crop residue dry matter at 500 and 2000 kg ha^-1, and cereal-legume rotation versus continuous cereal cropping on the total dry matter of cereals and legumes. The multi-factorial experiment was conducted over four years at eight locations, with annual rainfall ranging from 510 to 1300 mm, in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Togo. With the exception of phosphorus, treatment effects on legume growth were marginal. At most locations, except for typical Sudanian sites with very low base saturation and high rainfall, phosphorus effects on cereal total dry matter were much lower with rock phosphate than with soluble phosphorus, unless the rock phosphate was combined with an annual seed-placement of 4 kg ha^-1 phosphorus. Across all other treatments, nitrogen effects were negligible at 500 mm annual rainfall but at 900 mm, the highest nitrogen rate led to total dry matter increases of up to 77% and, at 1300 mm, to 183%. Mulch-induced increases in cereal total dry matter were larger with lower base saturation, reaching 45% on typical acid sandy Sahelian soils. Legume rotation effects tended to increase over time but were strongly species-dependent.

Doses e parcelamento de nitrogênio em alface

A alface é a hortaliça folhosa mais consumida no mundo. É uma rica fonte de vitaminas e sais minerais que está presente no cardápio diário de grande parte da população brasileira. O nitrogênio é o nutriente mais importante para a produção de alface. O excesso ou falta desse nutriente acarretam queda na produção e problemas de qualidade nutritiva, por excesso de nitrato. A dose recomendada de nitrogênio varia muito entre autores e órgãos oficiais. Uma parte do nitrogênio aplicado ao solo é perdida por lixiviação, contaminando os mananciais de água. Devido a isso é recomendada a sua aplicação em diversas etapas, cujo número também é variável nas recomendações. Este trabalho teve por objetivo determinar qual a dose de nitrogênio e seu modo de aplicação que proporcionam a maior produção, sem comprometer a qualidade da alface do tipo “lisa”, nas condições de clima e solo do município de Eldorado do Sul, região da Grande Porto Alegre, RS. Foram realizados dois estudos, um testando doses crescentes de nitrogênio sob a forma de uréia e o outro testando o parcelamento em diversas épocas do cultivo. Foram avaliados a produção de matéria fresca e seca, os teores de nitrogênio, amônio e nitrato no tecido seco, a extração e a eficiência do uso do fertilizante. Os resultados revelam que a dose de 200 kgha-1 foi a que proporcionou maior rendimento da cultura e que a dose de 400 kgha-1 diminui a produção. A extração de nitrogênio foi da ordem de 35,7 kgha-1 e os teores de nitrogênio, amônio e nitrato foram respectivamente de 2,45%; 651,7 mg.kg-1 e 153,6 mg.kg-1. O teor de nitrato na alface foi muito menor do que o considerado prejudicial a saúde humana. A eficiência do uso do fertilizante foi de 12,06% quando aplicado 200 kgha-1 de N em 3 épocas. A eficiência do uso do adubo foi aumentada em 26,35% com o parcelamento em 4 doses iguais de 50 kg ha-1, aplicadas no plantio e aos 15, 30 e 45 dias após, sem alterar a qualidade visual e nutricional da alface.

Efeitos do esterco de curral na fertilidade do solo, no estado nutricional e na produção da figueira

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

Matointerferência em arroz de sequeiro. I: efeitos do espaçamento e da adubação nitrogenada nas concentrações de nutrientes no arroz e nas plantas daninhas

O trabalho insere-se num estudo global sobre os efeitos do espaçamento entre sulcos de semeadura e da dose de adubação nitrogenada sobre as relações competitivas entre a cultura do arroz de sequeiro (Oryza sativa L.) e uma comunidade de plantas daninhas. Para tanto, os tratamentos foram dispostos num esquema fatorial 2x2x3, onde constituiram variáveis: duas condições de manejo da comunidade infestante - sem controle e com controle do mato durante todo o ciclo do arroz - dois espaçamentos entre sulcos de semeadura - 0,40 e 0,60 m - e três doses de nitrogênio - 2,4, e 7,2 de N/m de sulco. O experimento foi montado sobre solo Latossolo Vermelho Escuro fase arenosa e obedeceu o delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso com 4repetições. Foram realizadas duas avaliações: por ocasião do perfilhamento e por ocasião do florescimento da cultura. em comparação com as plantas daninhas, os teores de N, P, Fe, Mn e Zn foram mais elevados no arroz; os de Ca e Mg foram menos elevados e os teores de K e Cu foram inferiores aos de D. horizontalis e superiores aos de 7. hirsuta. Por ocasião do florescimento, o arroz apresentou teores mais elevados de P, Cu, Mn e Zn, enquanto que a comunidade infestante apresentou maiores teores de N, K, Ca, Mg e Fe. Os efeitos do espaçamento e da fertilização nitrogenada apresentaram aspectos distintos de acordo com o nutriente, a espécie envolvida e a época da avaliação. de um modo geral, os efeitos das plantas daninhas foram mais acentuados no espaçamento de 0,60 m.

Inoculação de sementes com bactéria diazotrófica e aplicação de nitrogênio em cobertura e foliar em milho

Considering the importance of nitrogen management and its biological fixation with diazotrophic bacteria, this study was carried out aiming to evaluate the agronomic performance of maize, in response to seed inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense and nitrogen application in side-dressing and leaf. The experiment was conducted in Selvíria, Mato Grosso of Sul State, Brazil, during the growing season 2010/2011, on a clayey Rhodic Haplustox (20° 20' S and 51° 24' W, with altitude of 340 m). Sixteen treatments were established with four replications, in randomized blocks with the combination of the factors A. brasilense (with and without inoculante), nitrogen rate (0 and 90 kg ha-1, in V5 growth stage) and urea leaf application (0, 4, 8 and 12%: application in V5 and V8 growth stage). The maize hybrid used was the DKB 390 YG®, sowed in the row spacing of 0.9 m. Parameters measured were productive and morphological components of culture and crop yield. Increase in maize yield by seed inoculation with A. brasilense was observed. The application of 90 kg ha -1 of nitrogen in side-dressing provided higher chlorophyll leaf index, stalk diameter and prolificacy, however, the yield not was increased. The application of urea leaf did not agronomic efficiency and, therefore, should not be used as the unique form of supply and alternative to nitrogen addition to crop.

Influência de doses de nitrogênio e potássio na severidade à podridão negra e na produtividade de brócolis tipo inflorescência única

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Efeito do lodo de esgoto sobre a atividade microbiana e fitopatógenos habitantes do solo

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Proteção de Plantas) - FCA

Coberturas vegetais, manejo do solo e doses de nitrogênio em cobertura na cultura do milho

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

Coberturas vegetais, manejo do solo, doses de nitrogênio e seus efeitos na nutrição mineral e nos atributos agronômicos do milho

Research has investigated the best nitrogen rate for maize under the most diverse types of soil management. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of cover crops, soil management and topdressed N rates on the dry matter production, nutritional status, plant lodging, plant height and first-ear insertion of maize. Field experiments were carried out in Selvíria, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil, in the growing seasons of 2009/2010 and 2010/2011, on a clayey Rhodic Haplustox (20º 20' S and 51º 24' W, at 340 m asl). Thirty-six treatments were established with four replications, in a randomized blocks design, to test combinations of cover crops (millet, Crotalaria juncea and millet + Crotalaria juncea), soil management (tillage with chisel plow + lightweight disking, heavy disking + lightweight disking, and no-tillage system) and N rates (0, 60, 90 e 120 kg ha-1 - urea as source). The maize hybrid DKB 350 YG® was used and topdressing N applied at stage V5 (fifth expanded leaf). Previously grown sunn hemp and millet + sunn hemp resulted in a higher shoot dry matter, P leaf content and total N, P and K uptake. In the no-tillage system, the initial and final population and shoot dry were highest, and first-ear insertion and plant height lower. The application of 120 kg ha-1 topdressed N increased the P leaf content, N and P in the entire plant, shoot dry matter, total N, P and K uptake, plant height, and the first-ear insertion of maize.

Desenvolvimento da grama Tifton 419 submetida a distintos manejos de adubação e irrigação

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Gesso agrícola melhora a qualidade fertilizante da cama de frango?

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Strategies to enhance the productivity of rainfed off-season maize.

In Brazil, off-season rainfed maize is usually affected by limited water due to irregularities in rainfall. Alternatives to mitigate these effects include ground cover to reduce evaporation losses and the use of cultivars with a deeper rooting system. We conducted a study in Goias, Brazil, to evaluate the influence of different crop management strategies to mitigate the effect of limited water in maize yield. Modeling was used to simulate scenarios that consisted of 0, 3.5 and 5.0 t ha-1 of soybean residue left on the soil surface combined with cultivar ideotypes with 0.30 m, 0.50 m 0.70 m deep rooting system grown with 60 and 340 kg ha-1of nitrogen. The results showed that maintaining residue in the soil surface in combination with the use of cultivars with deeper rooting systems favored higher yields of off-season maize. Our results also indicated that a cultivar with rooting system in the top 0.50 m of the soil fertilized with a high nitrogen rate tended to be more efficient in the use of the soil available water