Estimación del contenido de clorofila en hojas de orégano usando un Clorofilómetro portátil : relación con el espesor del mesófilo y edad foliar

p.77-84

Análisis foliar en plantas de maíz II : microelementos

p.31-38

Deficiencias de fósforo y potasio en maíz : efectos sobre el área foliar, crecimiento y absorción de nutrientes

El manejo agronómico del fósforo (P) y del potasio (K) guarda similitudes, en gran medida por su baja movilidad en el suelo. Hay pocos estudios que aborden los procesos que se ven afectados en el cultivo de maíz (Zea mays L.) en situaciones de deficiencias de P, K o de ambos en conjunto. Para determinar los efectos de las deficiencias de estos nutrientes, se establecieron dos ensayos en cultivos de maíz en condiciones de campo, en estaciones de crecimiento consecutivas (2011-2012 y 2012-201393). Los tratamientos consistieron en combinaciones de distintos niveles de fertilización fosfórica y potásica. De manera contraria a lo hipotetizado, la deficiencia de P disminuyó el crecimiento temprano en el ciclo del cultivo, mientras que la deficiencia de K redujo el crecimiento hacia fines del ciclo. La deficiencia de P disminuyó la expansión foliar, con pocos efectos sobre la senescencia. Por el contrario, las deficiencias de K afectaron la senescencia marcadamente, con un menor efecto sobre la expansión foliar. Las deficiencias de P disminuyeron tanto la fracción de la radiación fotosintéticamente activa interceptada (FPAR) como la eficiencia en el uso de la radiación (EUR). En cambio las deficiencias de potasio solo afectaron la FPAR. El índice de cosecha no fue afectado por las deficiencias de P y K. Las deficiencias de P disminuyeron el número de granos en mayor magnitud que el peso de los mismos, mientras que las deficiencias de K afectaron de manera similar ambos co mponentes. Las deficiencias de P no modificaron las relaciones estequiométricas con K o su curva de dilución, y viceversa. Las deficiencias de P cambiaron la curva de dilución de nitrógeno, provocando disminuciones en la concentración de nitrógeno a la misma biomasa aérea total. La interacción entre los efectos de P y de K, sobre el rendimiento y otras variables, fue sinérgica, ya que la respuesta a la adición combinada de los dos nutrientes fue mayor que la suma de las respuestas individuales.

Variación del índice de área foliar en alfalfa (Medicago sativa var. Ardiente) durante la sequía ocurrida en 1988 - 89

p.53-60

Análisis foliar en plantas de maíz de cultivo, I : macroelementos

p.23-30

Variación del espesor cuticular foliar de cinco especies arbustivas del sur del Caldenal, Provincia de La Pampa, Argentina

p.177-182

Valor nutricional foliar de tres especies de Acacia por Miguel Angel Pérez Rodríguez

Tesis (Maestría en Ciencias Forestales) U.A.N.L.

Ecological specificity of arbuscular mycorrhizae: evidence from foliar- and seed-feeding insects

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi have a variety of effects on foliar-feeding insects, with the majority of these being positive, although reports of negative and null effects also exist. Virtually all previous experiments have used mobile insects confined in cages and have studied the effects of one, or at most two, species of mycorrhizae on one species of insect. The purpose of this study was to introduce a greater level of realism into insect-mycorrhizal experiments, by studying the responses of different insect feeding guilds to a variety of AM fungi. We conducted two experiments involving three species of relatively immobile insects (a leaf-mining and two seed-feeding flies) reared in natural conditions on a host (Leucanthemum vulgare). In a field study, natural levels of AM colonization were reduced, while in a phytometer trial, we experimentally colonized host plants with all possible combinations of three known mycorrhizal associates of L. vulgare. In general, AM fungi increased the stature (height and leaf number) and nitrogen content of plants. However, these effects changed through the season and were,dependent on the identity of the fungi in the root system. AM fungi increased host acceptance of all three insects and larval performance of the leaf miner, but these effects were also season- and AM species-dependent. We suggest that the mycorrhizal effect on the performance of the leaf miner is due to fungal-induced changes in host-plant nitrogen content, detected by the adult fly. However, variability in the effect was apparent, because not all AM species increased plant N content. Meanwhile, positive effects of mycorrhizae were found on flower number and flower size, and these appeared to result in enhanced infestation levels by the seed-feeding insects. The results show that AM fungi exhibit ecological specificity, in that different. species have different effects on host-plant growth and chemistry and the performance of foliar-feeding insects. Future studies need to conduct experiments that use ecologically realistic combinations of plants and fungi and allow insects to be reared in natural conditions.

Influence of foliar diseases and their control by fungicides on grain yield and quality in wheat

Twenty-eight field experiments on sandy-loam soils in the UK (1982-2003) are reviewed by relating the extension of the green area duration of the flag leaf (GLADF) by fungicides to effects on yield and quality of winter wheat. Over all experiments mean grain yield = 8.85t ha(-1) at 85% DM. With regards quality, mean values were: thousand grain weight (TGW) = 44.5 g; specific weight (SWT) = 76.9 kg hl(-1); crude protein concentration (CP (N x 5.7)) = 12.5 % DM; Hagberg falling number (HFN) = 285 s; and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS)-sedimentation volume = 69ml. For each day (d) that fungicides increased GLADF there were associated average increases in yield (0.144 1 ha(-1) d(-1), se 0.0049, df = 333), TGW (0.56 gd(-1), se = 0.017) and SWT (0.22 kg hl(-1) d(-1), se 0.011). Some curvature was evident in all these relationships. When GLADF was delayed beyond 700 degrees Cd after anthesis, as was possible in cool wet seasons, responses were curtailed, or less reliable. Despite this apparent terminal sink limitation, fungicide effects on sink size, eg endosperm cell numbers or maximum water mass per grain, were not prerequisites for large effects on grain yield, TGW or SWT. Fungicide effects on CP were variable. Although the average response of CP was negative (-0.029%DM/d; se = 0.00338), this depended on cultivar and disease controlled. Controlling biotrophs such as rusts, (Puccinia spp.) tended to increase CP, whereas controlling a more necrotrophic pathogen (Septoria tritici) usually reducedCP. Irrespective of pathogen controlled, delaying senescence of the flag leaf was associated with increased nitrogen yields in the grain (averaging 2.24 kg N ha-1 d(-1), se = 0.0848) due to both increased N uptake into the above ground crop, and also more efficient remobilisation of N from leaf laminas. When sulphur availability appeared to be adequate, fungicide x cultivar interactions were similar on S as for CP, although N:S ratios tended to decline (i.e. improve for bread making) when S. tritici was controlled. On average, SDS-sedimentation volume declined (-0. 18 ml/d, se = 0.027) with increased GLADF, broadly commensurate with the average effect on CP. Hagberg falling number decreased as fungicide increased GLADF (-2.73 s/d, se = 0.178), indicating an increase in alpha-amylase activity.

Differential susceptibilities of peach-potato aphid, Myzus persicae (Homoptera: Aphididae) and its parasitoid, Aphidius matricariae (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) to foliar insecticides on partially resistant and susceptible potato cultivars

In a field experiment the effects of Sumicidin (super) 5EC (fenitrothion), Metasystox EC25 (oxydemeton-methyl) and Tamaron SL600 (methamidophos), applied at different dosages, were evaluated against peach-potato aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and its parasitoid Aphidius matricariae Haliday on Cardinal and Desiree (respectively partially resistant and susceptible potato cultivars to M. persicae). Sumicidin (super) 5EC was found about 30% more effective in reducing aphid populations than the other insecticides tested. The highest doses of each insecticide caused maximum aphid mortality; in general aphid mortality appeared dose dependent. Almost all the higher and lower doses of the tested insecticides were about 19% more effective on Cardinal than on Desiree. The most significant result was the synergistic interaction at the lower doses with plant resistance, so that the same level of control was recorded with second highest dose on Cardinal as with the highest dose on Desiree. Also the same control level was achieved at the lowest dosage rate on Cardinal compared with the next higher dose on the Desiree. Sumicidin (super) 5EC was found least toxic to the parasitoid, A. matricariae in terms of percent parasitism, emergence of parasitoids and number of mature eggs in the emerging female parasitoids; increase of about 22, 67 and 47% respectively were found in parasitoid performance with Tamaron SL600 which was found comparatively highly toxic. The highest doses of all insecticides were found clearly toxic to the parasitoid. In general, effects on the parasitoid were dose dependent. Maximum yield was obtained from the second highest dose of Sumicidin (super) 5EC.