Períodos de interferência de plantas daninhas na cultura do girassol

The interference of weeds in sunflower cultivation can significantly reduce the productivity of achenes. The objective of this study was to determine the period before interference and total period of interference of the weed community on productivity and achene oil of sunflower cultivation. The experiment was conducted under field conditions in the fieldin Botucatu (SP) in the 2007/2008 agricultural year. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications. The treatments were composed of portions represent periods of control and presence of weeds. For control periods, the culture was kept free of weeds by increasing periods of 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49 and 110 days after the emergence (DAE) of sunflower. For periods of coexistence, the culture was maintained in the presence of the weed community for the same periods. We assessed the following variables: diameter of chapters, achene yield, oil yield of sunflower, density and dry matter of weeds and phytosociological indices. The period before the interference was 35 DAE culture to the productivity of achenes, and the total period of interference lasted until 24 DAE. For oil yield, the period before the interference was 25 DAE, whereas the total period of interference lasted for 14 DAE.

Parâmetros genéticos entre caracteres quantitativos no girassol como critério de seleção para produtividade de aquênios

Two experiments were conducted in southern Brazil in no-tillage system, in order to estimate genetic parameters and the direct and indirect effects of components for achene yield as a selection criterion in sunflower. We analyzed eight sunflower hybrids at two locations, in a randomized complete block design with four replicates, determined through quantitative descriptors: insertion height of the head, and head stem diameter, weight of 1000 achenes, number of achenes per head, mass by achene head and yield achene. Estimates of genetic parameters were based on combined analysis, decomposing interactions in genetic and environmental components. Considering the coefficient of genetic variation, indirect effects of components and heritability, there are higher possibilities for responses to selection in sunflower achenes by descriptors mass and mass of achenes per head, with its indirect association interrelated pathways for the increase in the achenes of yield.

Embriologia e desenvolvimento de frutos e sementes de Eriocaulaceae e Cyperaceae (Poales)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Ideal desiccation periods of Urochloa ruziziensis for a no-till sunflower crop

Sowing crops following cover crops on forage may cause injuries and productivity reduction, due reasons as allelopathy or glyphosate residues. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of differing periods between cover crop (Urochloa ruziziensis) desiccation with glyphosate and sunflower (Aguara 4) sowing in a no-tillage system on crop development and productivity. Two assays were performed in two seasons, one in pots and the other in a field. Treatments in field assay consisted on 5 desiccation times of U. ruziziensis (with an application of glyphosate at 1.08 kg ae ha(-1)) preceding the sowing of no-till sunflower (0, 3, 7, 10 and 30 days). At the pot assays, 6 times were studied: 0, 3, 7, 10, 15 and 20 days between cover crop desiccation and sunflower sowing. A control without cover crop was also included in this assay. Biometric evaluations were performed at the vegetative stage and at harvest. As the period between U. ruziziensis desiccation and sunflower sowing was shortened, achene production in sunflower was exponentially reduced. Glyphosate application at 3 or 0 days pre sowing diminished sunflower development and achene production by approximately 30% compared to desiccation periods greater than 7 days.

Crescimento e produtividade do girassol na segunda aplicação de lodo de esgoto em diferentes manejos

Sewage sludge, as a soil fertilizer for crop production, has become a very important agricultural input since it is rich in nutrients, adds carbon to the soil and improves its chemical, physical, and biological characteristics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of sewage sludge applied as a fertilizer for two consecutive years on sunflower plant growth and productivity. The experiment was conducted at the Experimental Farm of the College of Agriculture, a unit of the São Paulo State University (UNESP), in São Manuel, state of São Paulo, Brazil. The soil where the experiment was set is a Red Oxissol. The experiment consisted of 6 treatments with 5 replications. The experimental units were distributed in the field according to a randomized complete block design. ‘HELIO 251’ was the sunflower cultivar used in the experiment. The treatments were as follows: T0: check (no nitrogen applied); T1: conventional chemical fertilization; T2: 50% of the N dose from sewage sludge and 50% from a chemical fertilizer in side dress application; T3: 100% of the N dose from sewage sludge; T4: 150% of the N dose from sewage sludge; T5: 200% of the N dose from sewage sludge. The 150% of the N dose from sewage sludge treatment caused the plants to increase in height, in stem diameter, and in number of leaves per plant. The mixture in equal proportion of sewage sludge and a chemical fertilizer (treatment T2) resulted in an achene yield higher than that of the chemical fertilizer alone (treatment T1).

Crecimiento inicial bajo cultivo de Chrysolaena flexuosa (Sims) H. Rob., Asteraceae nativa de valor ornamental potencial

Se realizó un estudio para conocer características relacionadas con el crecimiento inicial de la especie Chysolaena flexuosa (Sims) H. Rob., Asteraceae nativa de las sierras bonaerenses con potencial ornamental gracias al colorido de sus capítulos durante la floración y a su inflorescencia. Se empleó para el ensayo simiente de C. flexuosa recolectada en la Sierra La Barrosa (Partido de Balcarce) y se analizó la evolución de las plantas en invernáculo durante un ciclo de crecimiento. Los estadios reproductivos de C. flexuosa comprendieron las estaciones de primavera, verano e inicios de otoño. En todas las plantas se observaron, a mediados de la etapa reproductiva, capítulos con flores violáceas conjuntamente con capítulos fructificados. A principios de otoño todas las plantas poseían capítulos fructificados que exhibían sus papus de color blanco, situación que entrega a la planta otro interesante atributo. Por su rusticidad, establecida sobre la base de la germinación y supervivencia de sus plántulas, y por el atractivo de la especie desde primavera a inicios del otoño, C. flexuosa se destaca como promisoria para la obtención de cultivares ornamentales para uso como ejemplar aislado, en macetas, borduras o como flor de corte para la realización de arreglos florales secos.

Pollen and macroremains from three sediment cores from Göttingen, Germany

In a borehole in the southern outskirts of the town of Göttingen, limnic sediments of several Pleistocene warm periods occur intercalated with coarse solifluction debris and gravel of the river Leine. Pollen analysis of the limnic sediments in a borehole at Ottostrasse gave evidence of three warm periods of interglacial character, followed by three interstadial phases. The warm phases are separated one from another by stadial phases with, at least in one case, indications of periglacial solifluction. This sequence belongs to the Brunhes magnetic epoch. The pollen data allow to exclude an Eemian or Holsteinian age of the warm period sediments. Thus a Cromerian age is assumed, though the exact position of the newly described warm periods within the ''Cromerian'' remains uncertain. A section in a borehole at Akazienweg is of Holsteinian age.