Upland rice growth and mineral nutrition as affected by cultivars and sulfur availability

A better understanding of the differential growth of upland rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars with increasing soil S availability could help improve rice yield under upland conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate root and shoot growth and nutrition of upland traditional and modern rice cultivars as affected by S availability. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 3 (rates of S) × 3 (cultivars) factorial with four replications. Low availability of S in the soil reduces root and shoot development and the efficiency of N, P, and S uptake, as well as the concentration and content of these nutrients in rice cultivars. At 0 mg dm-3 of S, rice cultivars prioritize root growth over shoots, and the traditional cultivar does so with greater intensity. Our results suggested that more development of traditional cultivars under low S availability facilitates its adaptation in soils under this condition. On the other hand, the intermediate and modern cultivars are more responsive to S fertilization. Moreover, S fertilization allows significant increases in upland rice growth and must be considered in cropping systems aiming for high yields. © Soil Science Society of America.

Development and validation of an environmentally friendly attenuated total reflectance in the mid-infrared region method for the determination of ethanol content in used engine lubrication oil

Lubricating oils are crucial in the operation of automotive engines because they both reduce friction between moving parts and protect against corrosion. However, the performance of lubricant oil may be affected by contaminants, such as gasoline, diesel, ethanol, water and ethylene glycol. Although there are many standard methods and studies related to the quantification of contaminants in lubricant oil, such as gasoline and diesel oil, to the best of our knowledge, no methods have been reported for the quantification of ethanol in used Otto cycle engine lubrication oils. Therefore, this work aimed at the development and validation of a routine method based on partial least-squares multivariate analysis combined with attenuated total reflectance in the mid-infrared region to quantify ethanol content in used lubrication oil. The method was validated based on its figures of merit (using the net analyte signal) as follows: limit of detection (0.049%), limit of quantification (0.16%), accuracy (root mean square error of prediction=0.089% w/w), repeatability (0.05% w/w), fit (R 2 =0.9997), mean selectivity (0.047), sensitivity (0.011), inverse analytical sensitivity (0.016% w/w-1) and signal-to-noise ratio (max: 812.4 and min: 200.9). The results show that the proposed method can be routinely implemented for the quality control of lubricant oils. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Growth of euterpe oleracea seedlings under different color nets and light conditions

Euterpe oleracea, a native palm to the Amazon, has recognized trading importance because of its fruits and heart of palm. However, it still requires general information on its propagation and cultivation. As light is essential for plant growth, this work aimed to study the effect of different color nets and light conditions on the initial growth of E. oleracea, with the objective to obtain high quality seedlings. The experiment was conducted in Jaboticabal County, São Paulo State, Brazil. The experimental design was entirely randomized, with six treatments (six light conditions: red net with 50% of shading - red Chromatinet®; blue net with 50% of shading - blue Chromatinet®; black nets with 70, 50 or 30% of shading; and full sun) and six replications (six evaluation periods: 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 days after the beginning of the experiment). Each plot consisted of four pots with one plant per pot, resulting in 144 plants. Seedling growth was monthly evaluated by collecting four plants per replication until the end of the experiment. Shoot length, root length, stem diameter, leaf number, leaf area and root and shoot dry matter were evaluated. The best quality seedlings of E. oleracea were obtained when they were cultivated under the black net with 50% of shading.

Soil organic matter and physical attributes affected by crop rotation under no-till

Growing cover crops in systems under no tillage affects different pools of soil organic matter, and eventually soil physical attributes are modified. The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in soil organic matter and their relationship with soil physical attributes as affected by plant species grown in rotation with soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] under no-till for 3 yr. Crop rotations included grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], ruzigrass [Urochloa ruziziensis (R. Germ, and CM. Evard) Crins] and sorghum mixed with ruzigrass, all grown in fall/winter, followed by pearl millet [Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke], sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) and sorghum-sudangrass [S. bicolor × S. sudanense (Piper) Stapf] grown during the spring, plus a fallow check plot. Soybean was grown as the summer crop. Millet and sorghum-sudangrass cropped in spring showed higher root and shoot production as spring cropping. In fall/winter, sorghum mixed with ruzigrass yielded higher phytomass compared with sole cropping. Soil physical attributes and organic matter fractioning were positively affected by cropping millet and sorghum-sudangrass whereas intermediate effects were observed after sunn hemp. Maintaining fallow in spring had negative effects on soil organic matter and physical properties. Ruzigrass and sorghum mixed with ruzigrass cropped in fall/winter resulted in better soil quality. Spring cover crops were more efficient in changing soil bulk density, porosity, and aggregates down to 0 to 10 cm; on the other hand, fall/winter cropping showed significant effects on bulk density in the uppermost soil layer. Total C levels in soil were increased after a 3-yr rotation period due to poor initial physical conditions. Fractions of particulate organic C, microbial C, and C in macroaggregates were the most affected by crop rotations, and showed high relation with improved soil physical attributes (porosity, density, and aggregates larger than 2 mm). © Soil Science Society of America, All rights reserved.

Nitrogênio no sistema solo-planta após a dessecação de brachiarias

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Silício na tolerância ao alumínio por plantas de arroz

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Isolamento, identificação e inoculação de bactérias produtoras de auxinas associadas às raízes de orquídeas

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Estrutura, origem e desenvolvimento de laticíferos e coléteres em plantas de Tabernaemontana catharinensis A.DC. (Rauvolfioideae, Apocynaceae) em diferentes fases do desenvolvimento vegetativo

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Nutrição do porta-enxerto 'Flying Dragon'

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Produção Vegetal) - FCAV

Influência associada do estresse hídrico e do alumínio na germinação e crescimento inicial do guandu (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.)

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Produção Vegetal) - FCAV

Estudo da influencia do potássio e do cálcio na reprodução do nematoide do cisto da soja

The objective of this work was to evaluate the reproduction of the soybean cyst nematode (SCN) in soybean plants in substract with different potassium (K) and calcium (Ca) doses. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized block design, with 25 treatments and six replicates. A factorial scheme (5 x 5) was used with five K doses (0; 150; 300; 450; and 600 mg / dm3 ) and five Ca doses (0; 75; 150; 225; and 300 mg / dm3 ). Eighteen days after sowing, plants were inoculated with 4,000 H. glycines race 3 eggs. Thirty days after inoculation a total of three weekly evaluations were performed measuring plant height and stem diameter. Seventy days after inoculation, the following variables were analyzed: measurement of leaf blade, numbers of eggs / pot, cysts / pot, eggs / cyst, females and cysts / root system, eggs / female and the reproduction factor of H. glycines. Root and shoot dry matter were weighed. Then, K and Ca shoot contents of each sample was obtained. There was a significant interaction between K and Ca doses only for number of eggs / female. The K doses significatively influenced the numbers of cysts / pot, eggs / cyst, eggs / pot, females and cysts / root system and reproduction factor. The Ca doses did not influence significatively the nematologic variables analyzed. The K-Ca interaction affected all crop-related variables analyzed. A significative K-Ca interaction was observed for Ca contents in shoot dry matter. The K contents were only influenced by potassium doses amended to the soil.

Ecologia da germinação de sementes e desenvolvimento de plantas de Platymiscium floribundum Vog. (Sacambu) - Fabaceae em viveiro e sob dossel de floresta ombrófila densa, São Paulo, SP

Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Biologia Vegetal) - IBRC

Desenvolvimento radicular e aéreo, nutrição e eficiência de absorção de macronutrientes e zinco por cultivares de arroz de terras altas afetadas pela adubação fosfatada

In Brazil, phosphorus availability is one factor that that more limit yield of upland rice under rainfed system. Then, better understanding of cultivars development at phosphorus soil fertilization is very important in the production systems making this more sustainable. The objective was to evaluate the influence of phosphorus doses applied to the soil over the root length, root and shoot dry matter, concentration and content of macronutrient and zinc in shoot and root as well as the efficiency of nutrient uptake per meter root of upland cultivars of intermediate and modern groups. The experiment was carried out in greenhouse conditions in a completely randomized design in factorial scheme 4 x 4. Treatments were four levels of P fertilization applied at the soil (0, 50, 100 and 200 mg dm(-3) of P) and four upland rice cultivars (Maravilha - modern group, IAC-201, IAC-202 and Carajas - intermediate group). There is increase in phosphorus availability in the soil with increasing levels of P fertilization. Under low phosphorus availability, cultivars of the intermediate group have better shoots and root system development in relation to the modern cultivar group. Level of phosphorus affected nutrients contents in shoots and root system of upland rice cultivars. The increasing phosphorus fertilization increased uptake of nutrients per meter of root; and although under higher phosphorus availability there was a greater root growth, in low phosphorus availability root growth was greater at the expense of shoot growth.

Nutrição do porta-enxerto 'Flying Dragon'

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

Rhizospheric streptomycetes as potential biocontrol agents of Fusarium and Armillaria pine rot and as PGPR for Pinus taeda

Pinus taeda is one of the main timber trees in Brazil, occupying 1.8 million ha with an annual productivity of 25-30 m(3) ha(-1). Another important species is Araucaria angustifolia, belonging to the fragile Rainforest biome, which for decades has been a major source of timber in Brazil. Some diseases that affect the roots and/or the stem of these trees and cause "damping-off" of the seedlings, with economic and environmental losses for the forest sector, are caused by the plant pathogenic fungi Fusarium sp. or Armillaria sp. This research project intended to isolate actinobacteria from the Araucaria rhizosphere, which present an antagonistic effect against these fungi. After the selection of the best pathogen inhibitors, morphologic characteristics, enzyme production, and their effect on the growth of Pinus taeda were studied. The actinobacteria were tested for their antagonistic capacity against Fusarium sp. in Petri plates with PDA as substrate. The inhibition zone was measured after 3, 5, 7, and 10 days. Of all the isolates tested, only two of them maintained inhibition zones up to 4 mm for 10 days. The inhibition of Armillaria sp. was tested in liquid medium and also in Petri dishes through the evaluation of the number of the fungal rhizomorphs in dual culture with the actinobacteria. It was found that all five isolates were able to inhibit the rhizomorph production, with the best performance of the isolate A43, which was capable of inhibiting both fungi, Fusarium and Armillaria. In a greenhouse experiment, the effect of five isolates on the growth of Pinus taeda seedlings was tested. Plant height, stem diameter, root and shoot dry matter were determined. The Streptomyces isolate A43 doubled plant growth. These results may lead to the development of new technologies in the identification of still unknown bacterial metabolites and new management techniques to control forest plant diseases.