Mini-toletes de cana-de-açúcar: gemas, biorreguladores, adubação nitrogenada e déficit hídrico

A cana-de-açúcar é uma espécie amplamente cultivada em regiões tropicais e subtropicais. Sua propagação é realizada através do plantio de porções caulinares contendo uma média de três gemas. Tal prática requer grande quantidade de material vegetal, o que reduz o ganho dos produtores. Adicionalmente, a utilização de grande quantidade de material vegetal para o plantio dificulta algumas práticas em relação ao manejo da cultura, como transporte e armazenamento. A utilização de mini-toletes, contendo uma única gema, representa uma alternativa ao plantio convencional. Existem limitações impostas à utilização de mini-toletes, relacionadas à baixa disponibilidade de reservas de nutrientes e de água, devido ao reduzido tamanho dos toletes. O presente trabalho teve o objetivo de avaliar o vigor e o desenvolvimento de plantas de cana-de-açúcar provenientes de mini-toletes. No primeiro experimento, comparou-se plantas provenientes de diferentes tipos de propágulos e gemas. Foram avaliados o número de brotações, a porcentagem de brotações, a altura das plantas e as massas de folhas e raízes. No segundo experimento, avaliou-se o efeito da aplicação de biorreguladores em mini-toletes provenientes de gemas apicais e basais. Foram realizadas as determinações do número de brotações, da altura das plantas, da área foliar e das massas secas de folhas e colmos. No terceiro experimento, avaliou-se a aplicação de ureia como fonte de adubação nitrogenada e tiametoxam, um inseticida sistêmico com ação bioativadora, no desenvolvimento de plantas originárias de mini-toletes. Realizaram-se as seguintes determinações: número de brotações, altura das plantas, área foliar e massas secas de colmos, folhas e raízes. No quarto experimento, plantas de cana-de-açúcar originárias de mini-toletes tratados com agroquímicos foram submetidas ao déficit hídrico. Foram avaliadas a altura das plantas, a área foliar e as massas de raiz, folha e caule. Foi possível concluir que plantas provenientes de gemas superiores e de toletes contendo três e duas gemas apresentaram um melhor desenvolvimento. De maneira geral, os resultados indicaram que a cana-de-açúcar não responde de maneira evidente ao uso de reguladores vegetais em mini-toletes. A utilização de ureia aumenta o desenvolvimento de plantas originárias de mini-toletes. Em conjunto com diferentes doses de ureia, a utilização de tiametoxam incrementa aspectos do desenvolvimento da cana-de-açúcar. Adicionalmente, foi possível concluir que a aplicação de agroquímicos em mini-toletes alivia os efeitos negativos do déficit hídrico no desenvolvimento radicular. A partir dos resultados obtidos no presente trabalho, foi possível concluir que a utilização de ureia, tiametoxam e agroquímicos melhora o desenvolvimento de plantas de cana-de-açúcar originárias de mini-toletes.

Effects of plant functional traits on soil stability: intraspecific variability matters

This data set describes different vegetation, soil and plant functional traits (PFTs) of 15 plant species in 30 sampling plots of an agricultural landscape in the Haean-myun catchment in South Korea. We divided the data set into two main tables, the first one includes the PFTs data of the 15 studied plant species, and the second one includes the soil and vegetation characteristics of the 30 sampling plots. For a total of 150 individuals, we measures the maximum plant height (cm) and leaf size (cm**2), which means the leaf surface area for the aboveground compartment of each individual. For the belowground compartment, we measured root horizontal width, which is the maximum horizontal spread of the root, rooting length, which is the maximum rooting depth, root diameter, which is the average root diameter of a the whole root, specific root length (SRL), which is the root length divided by the root dry mass, and root/shoot ratio, which is the root dry mass divided by the shoot dry mass. At each of the 30 studied plots, we estimated three different variables describing the vegetation characteristics: vegetation cover (i.e. the percentage of ground covered by vegetation), species richness (i.e. the number of observed species) and root density (estimated using a 30 cm x 30 cm metallic frame divided into nine 10 cm x 10 cm grids placed on the soil profile), as we calculated the total number of roots that appear in each of the nine grids and then we converted it into percentage based on the root count, following. Moreover, in each plot we estimated six different soil variables: Bulk density (g/cm**3), clay % (i.e. percentage of clay), silt % (i.e. percentage of silt), soil aggregate stability, using mean weight diameter (MWD), penetration resistance (kg/cm**2), using pocket penetrometer and soil shear vane strength (kPa).

The poems of Robert Herrick : in two volumes.

The present text was reset in 1933 from the edition of F.W. Moorman--cf. v.1, verso of 3rd preliminary leaf.

The Literary examiner: consisting of the Indicator, a review of books, and miscellaneous pieces in prose and verse.

Brewer: p.117, but rebound in polished calf by Root & Son.

Traité de chimie élémentaire, théorique et pratique /

Vols. 1-4 each have errata leaf.

Who's who in America.

Place of publication varies. <1995-1998>, in New Providence, NJ.

Growth performance and management of a mixed rainforest tree plantation

Monoculture plantations of Pinus, Eucalyptus and Acacia have been established oil rainforest lands throughout the world. However, this type of reforestation generally supplies low quality timber and contributes to landscape simplification. Alternatives to exotic monoculture plantations are now beginning to gain momentum with farmers and landholders attempting to establish a variety of rainforest trees in small plantations. When compared to the well studied commercial species, knowledge concerning the growth and management of many of these rainforest species is in its infancy. To help expand this limited knowledge base an experimental plantation of 16 rainforest tree species in a randomised design was established near Mt. Mee, in south-eastern Queensland, Australia. Changes in growth, form (based on stem straightness, branch size and branchiness), crown diameters and leaf area of each species were examined over 5 years. Patterns of height growth were also measured monthly for 31 months. Species in this trial could be separated into three groups based on their overall growth after 5 years and their growth patterns. Early successional status, low timber density, high maximum photosynthetic rates and large total leaf areas were generally correlated to rapid height growth. Several species (including Araucaria cunninghamii, Elaeocarpus grandis, Flindersia brayleyana, Grevillea robusta and Khaya nyasica) had above average form and growth, while all species in the trial had considerable potential to have increased productivity through tree selection. As canopy closure occurred at the site between years four and five, growth increments declined. To reduce stand competition a number of different thinning techniques could be employed. However, simple geometric or productivity based thinnings appear to be inappropriate management techniques for this mixed species stand as they would either remove many of the best performing trees or nearly half the species in the trial. Alternatively, a form based thinning would maintain the site's diversity, increase the average form of the plantation and provide some productivity benefits.

Trait physiology and crop modelling as a framework to link phenotypic complexity to underlying genetic systems

New tools derived from advances in molecular biology have not been widely adopted in plant breeding for complex traits because of the inability to connect information at gene level to the phenotype in a manner that is useful for selection. In this study, we explored whether physiological dissection and integrative modelling of complex traits could link phenotype complexity to underlying genetic systems in a way that enhanced the power of molecular breeding strategies. A crop and breeding system simulation study on sorghum, which involved variation in 4 key adaptive traits-phenology, osmotic adjustment, transpiration efficiency, stay-green-and a broad range of production environments in north-eastern Australia, was used. The full matrix of simulated phenotypes, which consisted of 547 location-season combinations and 4235 genotypic expression states, was analysed for genetic and environmental effects. The analysis was conducted in stages assuming gradually increased understanding of gene-to-phenotype relationships, which would arise from physiological dissection and modelling. It was found that environmental characterisation and physiological knowledge helped to explain and unravel gene and environment context dependencies in the data. Based on the analyses of gene effects, a range of marker-assisted selection breeding strategies was simulated. It was shown that the inclusion of knowledge resulting from trait physiology and modelling generated an enhanced rate of yield advance over cycles of selection. This occurred because the knowledge associated with component trait physiology and extrapolation to the target population of environments by modelling removed confounding effects associated with environment and gene context dependencies for the markers used. Developing and implementing this gene-to-phenotype capability in crop improvement requires enhanced attention to phenotyping, ecophysiological modelling, and validation studies to test the stability of candidate genetic regions.

Adaptations of strangler figs to life in the rainforest canopy

Figs are rainforest keystone species. Non-strangler figs establish on the forest floor; strangler figs establish epiphytically, followed by a dramatic transition from epiphyte to free-standing tree that kills its hosts. Free-standing figs display vigorous growth and resource demand suggesting that epiphytic strangler figs require special adaptations to deal with resource limitations imposed by the epiphytic environment. We studied epiphytic and free-standing strangler figs, and non-strangler figs in tropical rainforest and in cultivation, as well as strangler figs in controlled conditions. We investigated whether the transition from epiphyte to free-standing tree is characterised by morphological and physiological plasticity. Epiphyte substrate had higher levels of plant-available ammonium and phosphate, and similar levels of nitrate compared with rainforest soil, suggesting that N and P are initially not limiting resources. A relationship was found between taxonomic groups and plant N physiology; strangler figs, all members of subgenus Urostigma, had mostly low foliar nitrate assimilation rates whereas non-strangler figs, in subgenera Pharmacocycea, Sycidium, Sycomorus or Synoecia, had moderate to high rates. Nitrate is an energetically expensive N source, and low nitrate use may be an adaptation of strangler figs for conserving energy during epiphytic growth. Interestingly, significant amounts of nitrate were stored in fleshy taproot tubers of epiphytic stranglers. Supporting the concept of plasticity, leaves of epiphytic Ficus benjamina L. had lower N and C content per unit leaf area, lower stomatal density and 80% greater specific leaf area than leaves of conspecific free-standing trees. Similarly, glasshouse-grown stranglers strongly increased biomass allocation to roots under water limitation. Epiphytic and free-standing F. benjamina had similar average foliar delta C-13, but epiphytes had more extreme values; this indicates that both groups of plants use the C-3 pathway of CO2 fixation but that water availability is highly variable for epiphytes. We hypothesise that epiphytic figs use fleshy stem tubers to avoid water stress, and that nitrate acts as an osmotic compound in tubers. We conclude that strangler figs are a unique experimental system for studying the transition from rainforest epiphyte to tree, and the genetic and environmental triggers involved.

Variation in hydraulic conductivity of mangroves: influence of species, salinity, and nitrogen and phosphorus availability

We investigated how species identity and variation in salinity and nutrient availability influence the hydraulic conductivity of mangroves. Using a fertilization study of two species in Florida, we found that stem hydraulic conductivity expressed on a leaf area basis (K-leaf) was significantly different among species of differing salinity tolerance, but was not significantly altered by enrichment with limiting nutrients. Reviewing data from two additional sites (Panama and Belize), we found an overall pattern of declining leaf-specific hydraulic conductivity (K-leaf) with increasing salinity. Over three sites, a general pattern emerges, indicating that native stem hydraulic conductivity (K-h) and K-leaf are less sensitive to nitrogen (N) fertilization when N limits growth, but more sensitive to phosphorus (P) fertilization when P limits growth. Processes leading to growth enhancement with N fertilization are probably associated with changes in allocation to leaf area and photosynthetic processes, whereas water uptake and transport processes could be more limiting when P limits growth. These findings suggest that whereas salinity and species identity place broad bounds on hydraulic conductivity, the effects of nutrient availability modulate hydraulic conductivity and growth in complex ways.

The onset and effectiveness of Adult Plant Resistance (APR) in Tallon barley

Field observations of net blotch epidemics indicated that Tallon barley was quite resistant to infection during later stages of growth despite being susceptible as a seedling. A glasshouse experiment was conducted to determine the effectiveness of this resistance and when it became operative. Three cultivars – Gilbert (very susceptible), Patty (resistant) and Tallon – were inoculated at various stages of growth with conidia of Pyrenophora teres f. teres and the infection response and leaf area diseased, recorded 13 days later. The response of Tallon clearly changed from susceptible to moderately susceptible at growth stage 33. Plants sown two weeks earlier were susceptible and plants sown two weeks later were moderately resistant. The response of the other two cultivars at similar growth stages paralleled their seedling responses. The resistance of Tallon appeared to increase with maturity so that, at its most resistant growth stage, the leaf area diseased was just 10% that of the susceptible, Gilbert. While this resistance appears pathotype specific, this experiment demonstrated very effective APR to net blotch. As most losses to this disease occur during the later stages of plant development, APR offers a valuable source of resistance.

Development of a conceptual model of the soil-moisture-plant sub-system of the hydrological cycle

The soil-plant-moisture subsystem is an important component of the hydrological cycle. Over the last 20 or so years a number of computer models of varying complexity have represented this subsystem with differing degrees of success. The aim of this present work has been to improve and extend an existing model. The new model is less site specific thus allowing for the simulation of a wide range of soil types and profiles. Several processes, not included in the original model, are simulated by the inclusion of new algorithms, including: macropore flow; hysteresis and plant growth. Changes have also been made to the infiltration, water uptake and water flow algorithms. Using field data from various sources, regression equations have been derived which relate parameters in the suction-conductivity-moisture content relationships to easily measured soil properties such as particle-size distribution data. Independent tests have been performed on laboratory data produced by Hedges (1989). The parameters found by regression for the suction relationships were then used in equations describing the infiltration and macropore processes. An extensive literature review produced a new model for calculating plant growth from actual transpiration, which was itself partly determined by the root densities and leaf area indices derived by the plant growth model. The new infiltration model uses intensity/duration curves to disaggregate daily rainfall inputs into hourly amounts. The final model has been calibrated and tested against field data, and its performance compared to that of the original model. Simulations have also been carried out to investigate the effects of various parameters on infiltration, macropore flow, actual transpiration and plant growth. Qualitatively comparisons have been made between these results and data given in the literature.

Stability of Ampelometric Characteristics of Vitis vinifera L. cv. 'Syrah' and 'Sauvignon blanc' Leaves: Impact of Within-vineyard Variability and Pruning Method/Bud Load

Historically, grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) leaf characterisation has been a driving force in the identification of cultivars. In this study, ampelometric (foliometric) analysis was done on leaf samples collected from hand-pruned, mechanically pruned and minimally pruned ‘Sauvignon blanc’ and ‘Syrah’ vines to estimate the impact of within-vineyard variability and a change in bud load on the stability of leaf properties. The results showed that within-vineyard variability of ampelometric characteristics was high within a cultivar, irrespective of bud load. In terms of the O.I.V. coding system, zero to four class differences were observed between minimum and maximum values of each characteristic. The value of variability of each characteristic was different between the three levels of bud load and the two cultivars. With respect to bud load, the number of shoots per vine had a significant effect on the characteristics of the leaf laminae. Single leaf area and lengths of veins changed significantly for both cultivars, irrespective of treatment, while angle between veins proved to be a stable characteristic. A large number of biometric data can be recorded on a single leaf; the data measured on several leaves, however, are not necessarily unique for a specific cultivar. The leaf characteristics analysed in this study can be divided into two groups according to the response to a change in bud load, i.e. stable (angles between the veins, depths of sinuses) and variable (length of the veins, length of the petiole, single leaf area). The variable characteristics are not recommended to be used in cultivar identification, unless the pruning method/bud load is known.

Responses of neotropical mangrove seedlings grown in monoculture and mixed culture under treatments of hydroperiod and salinity

We investigated the combined effects of salinity and hydroperiod on seedlings of Rhizophora mangle and Laguncularia racemosa grown under experimental conditions of monoculture and mixed culture by using a simulated tidal system. The objective was to test hypotheses relative to species interactions to either tidal or permanent flooding at salinities of 10 or 40 g/l. Four-month-old seedlings were experimentally manipulated under these environmental conditions in two types of species interactions: (1) seedlings of the same species were grown separately in containers from September 2000 to August 2001 to evaluate intraspecific response and (2) seedlings of each species were mixed in containers to evaluate interspecific, competitive responses from August 2002 to April 2003. Overall, L. racemosa was strongly sensitive to treatment combinations while R. mangle showed little effect. Most plant responses of L. racemosa were affected by both salinity and hydroperiod, with hydroperiod inducing more effects than salinity. Compared to R. mangle, L. racemosa in all treatment combinations had higher relative growth rate, leaf area ratio, specific leaf area, stem elongation, total length of branches, net primary production, and stem height. Rhizophora mangle had higher biomass allocation to roots. Species growth differentiation was more pronounced at low salinity, with few species differences at high salinity under permanent flooding. These results suggest that under low to mild stress by hydroperiod and salinity, L. racemosa exhibits responses that favor its competitive dominance over R. mangle. This advantage, however, is strongly reduced as stress from salinity and hydroperiod increase.