Effect of ambient levels of ozone on photosynthetic components and radical scavenging system in leaves of African cowpea varieties

Tropospheric ozone (O3), a main component of photochemical oxidants, adversely affects not only human health but also vegetation. To clarify the long-term effects of ambient levels of tropospheric ozone (O3) on photosynthetic components and radical scavenging system in the leaves of cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata L.), two African varieties, Blackeye and Asontem, were grown in open-top chambers and exposed to filtered air (FA), non-filtered air (NF) or non-filtered air with additional O3 of approximately 50 nl l-1. Ambient levels of O3 significantly reduced chlorophyll concentration, quantum yield and activity of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco), thus contributing to the reduction in net photosynthetic rate at the reproductive growth stage of both varieties; with no significant variety difference in the sensitivity to O3. The O3-induced significant reduction in catalase activity was observed in Blackeye at vegetative and reproductive growth stages; and in Asontem at reproductive growth stage. On the other hand, exposure to O3 significantly increased ascorbate peroxidase activity in Blackeye at reproductive stage and did not significantly affect that in Blackeye at vegetative growth stage and that in Asontem at both growth stages. At reproductive growth stage, activities of monodehydroascorbate reductase and glutathione reductase were significantly increased by the exposure to O3 in both varieties. The results obtained in this study suggest that, although ascorbate peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase and glutathione reductase played important roles in scavenging O3-induced reactive oxygen species in the leaves, radical scavenging ability of these enzymes is not sufficient to avoid detrimental effects of ambient levels of O3 on photosynthesis in both African cowpea varieties.

A review of maize-beans and maize-cowpea intercrop systems in the semiarid Northeast Brazil.

Fifty-one experiments on maize -beans and 34 on maize-cowpea intercropping systems conducted mostly in semiarid Northeast Brazil were analysed to get an understanding of the performance of these intercrops in terms of their productivity as well as stability. Both the intercrop systems produced higher yields over their respective sole crops under a wide range of agroclimates; the average advantage with maize-beans was 32%, while that from maize-cowpea was 41%. The optimum row proportion for maize-beans was one maize: three beans, requiring 59% of sole crop maize population and 75% sole bean population. In maize-cowpea, alternate rows or one maize: two cowpea arrangement with about 50% of sole maize density and 100% of sole cowpea population seemed to be optimum. The intercrops failed less frequently compared to sole crops to meet specified incomes or yields. Sorghum seemed to be a good alternative to the traditional cereal because of its improved and consistent performance. Future research needs are discussed for further yield improvement in these two intercrop system.s

Selection of cowpea progenies with enhanced drought-tolerance traits using principal component analysis.

Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp (cowpea) is a food crop with high nutritional value that is cultivated throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The main constraint on high productivity of cowpea is water deficit, caused by the long periods of drought that occur in these regions. The aim of the present study was to select elite cowpea genotypes with enhanced drought tolerance, by applying principal component analysis to 219 first-cycle progenies obtained in a recurrent selection program. The experimental design comprised a simple 15 x 15 lattice with 450 plots, each of two rows of 10 plants. Plants were grown under water-deficit conditions by applying a water depth of 205 mm representing one-half of that required by cowpea. Variables assessed were flowering, maturation, pod length, number and mass of beans/pod, mass of 100 beans, and productivity/plot. Ten elite cowpea genotypes were selected, in which principal components 1 and 2 encompassed variables related to yield (pod length, beans/pod, and productivity/plot) and life precocity (flowering and maturation), respectively.

The damage caused by Callosobruchus maculatus on cowpea grains is dependent on the plant genotype.

Beans fromcowpea cultivars fertilized with mineral N or inoculated with various rhizobium strainsmay contain different nitrogen concentrations and nitrogen metabolite composition, which affects the beans? defense mechanisms against pests. In this study, the population growth of Callosobruchus maculatus reared on beans from four cowpea cultivars fertilized with different nitrogen sources was evaluated. The factors tested were beans from four cowpea cultivars and seven different nitrogen sources: mineral N fertilization, inoculation with five strains of symbiotic diazotrophic bacteria, and soil nitrogen (absolute control).

Diallel analysis in cowpea aiming at selection for extra-earliness.

In Brazil, the production of cowpea is concentrated in the Northeast and North; however, in recent years, its cultivation has expanded to the Cerrado biome of the Brazilian Midwest region, where it is incorporated into production arrangements in the form of off-season

Detecção de Cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus em feijão-de-porco no estado do Pará.

O feijão-de-porco é uma leguminosa utilizada em recuperação e recobrimento do solo e controle de plantas invasoras, por possuir efeito alelopático sobre outras espécies de plantas. A sua produtividade pode ser afetada por doenças, entre elas destacam-se as causadas por vírus. Em Altamira-PA, no campo experimental da Embrapa, observou-se plantas de feijão-de-porco apresentando os sintomas característicos de viroses como o mosaico, nanismo e deformação foliar. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar a espécie de vírus em amostras de feijão-de-porco. Para isso, as amostras foliares foram avaliadas utilizando os testes ELISA e em sequida o de RT-PCR com primers específicos para CABMV (CABMV-F e CABMV-R). No teste de RT-PCR obteve-se a banda esperada de 221 pb correspondente à parte do gene da capa proteica do vírus CABMV. Este foi o primeiro relato de CABMV em feijão-de-porco no Estado do Pará.

Influência da temperatura do ar de secagem no calor latente de vaporização de água em feijão macassar (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.), variedade sempre-verde

In order to determine the energy needed to artificially dry an agricultural product the latent heat of vaporization of moisture in the product, H, must be known. Generally, the expressions for H reported in the literature are of the form H = h(T)f(M), where h(T) is the latent heat of vaporization of free water, and f(M) is a function of the equilibrium moisture content, M, which is a simplification. In this article, a more general expression for the latent heat of vaporization, namely H = g(M,T), is used to determine H for cowpea, always-green variety. For this purpose, a computer program was developed which automatically fits about 500 functions, with one or two independent variables, imbedded in its library to experimental data. The program uses nonlinear regression, and classifies the best functions according to the least reduced chi-squared. A set of executed statistical tests shows that the generalized expression for H used in this work produces better results of H for cowpea than other equations found in literature.

Composição química do feijão caupi (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp), cultivar BRS-Milênio

O feijão caupi é uma das principais culturas alimentares do Nordeste brasileiro. Para melhorar sua resistência contra pragas e produtividade, a nova cultivar (BRS-Milênio) foi obtida por melhoramento genético. Este trabalho objetivou caracterizar o potencial nutricional desta variedade, determinando-se a composição centesimal, o perfil de aminoácidos e ácidos graxos, o conteúdo de minerais e a atividade inibitória de tripsina. A semente contém (g.100 g-1): 24,5 de proteínas; 51,4 de carboidratos; 16,6 de fibra insolúvel e 2,7 de fibra solúvel; 2,6 de cinzas, tendo como principais minerais (mg.100 g-1): ferro - 6,8; zinco - 4,1; manganês - 1,5; fósforo - 510,0 e potássio - 1430,0. O teor de lipídios foi de 2,2%, e seu perfil de ácidos graxos apresenta 29,4% de saturados e 70,7% de insaturados. Foi estimado valor calórico de 323,4 kcal.100 g-1 de semente. Encontrou-se baixa atividade inibitória de tripsina (8,0 UIT.mg-1 de amostra). O perfil de aminoácidos foi favorável ao padrão de referência, exceto pela deficiência de sulfurados, sugerindo a necessidade da combinação desta leguminosa com outras fontes alimentares. Os resultados indicam que o feijão caupi possui atributos desejáveis como altos teores de energia, proteínas, fibras e minerais, baixa atividade inibitória de tripsina e, apesar de reduzido conteúdo lipídico, contém alta proporção de ácidos graxos insaturados.

In vitro organogenesis of Passiflora alata

Passiflora alata in vitro organogenesis was studied based on explant type, culture medium composition, and incubation conditions. The results indicated that the morphogenic process occurred more efficiently when hypocotyl segment-derived explants were cultured in media supplemented with cytokinin and AgNO(3) incubated under a 16-h photoperiod. The shoot bud elongation and plant development were obtained by transferring the material to MSM culture medium supplemented with GA(3) and incubated in flasks with vented lids. Histological analyses of the process revealed that the difficulties in obtaining plants could be related to the development of protuberances and leaf primordia structures, which did not contain shoot apical meristem. Roots developed easily by transferring elongated shoots to 1/2 MSM culture medium. Plant acclimatization occurred successfully, and somaclonal variation was not visually detected. The efficiency of this organogenesis protocol will be evaluated for genetic transformation of this species to obtain transgenic plants expressing genes that can influence the resistance to Cowpea aphid borne mosaic virus.

Soil nitrous oxide emissions in long-term cover crops-based rotations under subtropical climate

It has been shown that cover crops can enhance soil nitrous oxide (N(2)O) emissions, but the magnitude of increase depends on the quantity and quality of the crop residues. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of long-term (19 and 21 years) no-till maize crop rotations including grass [black oat (Avena strigosa Schreb)] and legume cover crops [vetch (Vigna sativa L), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp), pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp.) and lablab (Dolichos lablab)] on annual soil N(2)O emissions in a subtropical Acrisol in Southern Brazil. Greater soil N(2)O emissions were observed in the first 45 days after the cover crop residue management in all crop rotations, varying from -20.2 +/- 1.9 to 163.9 +/- 24.3 mu g N m(-2) h(-1). Legume-based crop rotations had the largest cumulative emissions in this period, which were directly related to the quantity of N (r(2) = 0.60, p = 0.13)and inversely related to the lignin:N ratio(r(2) = 0.89,p = 0.01) of the cover crop residues. After this period, the mean fluxes were smaller and were closely related to the total soil N stocks (r(2) = 0.96, p = 0.002). The annual soil N(2)O emission represented 0.39-0.75% of the total N added by the legume cover crops. Management-control led soil variables such as mineral N (NO(3)(-) and NH(4)(+)) and dissolved organic C influenced more the N(2)O fluxes than environmental-related variables as water-filled pore space and air and soil temperature. Consequently, the synchronization between N mineralization and N uptake by plants seems to be the main challenge to reduce N(2)O emissions while maintaining the environmental and agronomic services provided by legume cover crops in agricultural systems. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reproductive Activity and Survivorship of Liriomyza sativae (Diptera: Agromyzidae) at Different Temperatures and Relative Humidity Levels

We studied a population of Liriomyza sativae Blanchard (Diptera: Agromyzidae) identified by morphological and molecular techniques from the semiarid region of the Brazilian northeast. The influence of temperature and relative humidity on the survival and reproductive parameters of L. sativae in cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) (Fabales: Fabaceae) was evaluated. We used temperatures of 18, 20, 22, 25, 28, 30, and 32 +/- 1 degrees C (50 +/- 10% RH) and relative humidity values of 30,50,70, and 90 +/- 10% (25 +/- 1 degrees C) under a 14 L:10 D photoperiod. Adult longevity decreased as temperature and relative humidity increased and was greater, in general, for females. The preoviposition and oviposition periods also decreased as temperature increased, whereas relative humidity only caused reductions in the oviposition period at higher levels. Fecundity was similar in the range from 18 to 30 degrees C but decreased at 32 degrees C with respect to relative humidity; the best performances of L. sativae occurred at lower levels. The pattern of oviposition rate changed with temperature and relative humidity. Regardless of temperature and relative humidity, L, sativae laid between 75 and 92% of its eggs on the adaxial surface of the cowpea leaves. This information will be highly useful to design a leafminer production system aimed at the multiplication of natural enemies, as well as for pest management in the field.

Crop rotation in center-pivot for phytonematode control: density variation, pathogenicity and crop loss estimation

Crop rotation in center-pivot for phytonematode control: density variation, pathogenicity and crop loss estimation A field study conducted over three consecutive years, on a farm using crop rotation system under center-pivot and infested with the nematodes Pratylenchus brachyurus, P. zeae, Meloidogyne incognita, Paratrichodorus minor, Helicotylenchus dihystera, Mesocriconema ornata and M. onoense, demonstrated that intensive crop systems provide conditions for the maintenance of high densities of polyphagous phytonematodes. Of the crops established on the farm (cotton, maize, soybean and cowpea), cotton and soybean suffered the most severe crop losses, caused respectively by M. incognita and P. brachyurus. Since maize is a good host for both nematodes, but tolerant of M. incognita, its exclusion from cropping system would be favorable to the performance of cotton, soybean and cowpea. Results from experiments carried out in controlled conditions confirmed the pathogenicity of P. brachyurus on cotton. Additional management with genetic resistance was useful in fields infested with M. incognita, although the soybean performance was affected by low resistance of the cultivars used for P. brachyurus. In conclusion, crop rotation must be carefully planned in areas infested with polyphagous nematodes, specifically in the case of occurrence of two or more major pathogenic nematodes.

Host Status of Graminaceous Cover Crops for Pratylenchus brachyurus

Taking into account that information about the host status of cover crops for Pratylenchus brachyurus is scarce or contradictory, this study was undertaken to assess the host status of selected graminaceous cover crops by estimating nematode reproduction and their ability to decrease the nematode density in glasshouse conditions. Furthermore, the reproductive fitness of three P. brachyurus populations was assessed for Brachiaria grasses. Silage and forage sorghum proved to be good hosts for P. brachyurus; consequently, they should be avoided in fields infested with this lesion nematode, mainly before susceptible crop such as soybean, common bean, cowpea, and cotton. Dictyoneura grass, the pearl millet cv. ADR 300, and black oat were poor hosts for P. brachyurus but may increase densities of this nematode over time. Consequently, these cover crops might be used in infested fields for only short periods, because they could increase the P. brachyurus population density slowly but progressively.

Effects of egg load on the host-selection behaviour of Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) (Lepidoptera : Noctuidae)

We examined the effect of age-specific fecundity, mated status, and egg load on host-plant selection, by Helicoverpa armigera under laboratory conditions. The physiological state of a female moth (number of mature eggs produced) greatly influences her host-plant specificity and propensity to oviposit (oviposition motivation). Female moths were less discriminating against cowpea (a low-ranked host) relative to maize (a high-ranked host) as egg load increased. Similarly, increased egg load led to a greater propensity to oviposit on both cowpea and maize. Distribution of oviposition with age of mated females peaked shortly after mating and declined steadily thereafter until death. Most mated females (88%) carried only a single spermatophore, a few females (12%) contained two. The significance of these findings in relation to host-plant selection by H. armigera, and its management, are discussed.