Biomass and yield of peanut grown on tropical soil amended with sewage sludge contaminated with lead

Application of sewage sludge with high lead (Pb) contents may pollute soils and contaminate crops. The objective of this work was to evaluate peanut responses to application of sewage sludge with varying Pb contents in order to supply phosphorus (P) to the plant. A greenhouse experiment was carried out with peanut grown on soil sample from a medium-textured Haplustox. Treatments were arranged in 3 × 2 + 2 factorial scheme, replicated three times, distributed in randomized block design, and consisted of: three Pb rates applied to soil with sewage sludge (3, 21, and 42 mg kg-1) × two times of sewage sludge application (30 days before peanut sowing and at the day of the sowing) + mineral fertilization + control (without sewage sludge and mineral fertilization). Sewage sludge was efficient to supply P to peanut. Sewage sludge containing high rates of Pb, when applied, did not harm biomass and yield of the plant, but increased HCl-extractable Pb in soil and Pb content in shoot, roots, and pod husks. Increase of Pb content in pod husks may represent contamination risk of kernels and their products with fragments from husks detached during manipulation or industrial processing of peanuts. © 2012 Fábio Camilotti et al.

Delineation of specific management areas for coffee cultivation based on the soil-relief relationship and numerical classification

Predicting and mapping productivity areas allows crop producers to improve their planning of agricultural activities. The primary aims of this work were the identification and mapping of specific management areas allowing coffee bean quality to be predicted from soil attributes and their relationships to relief. The study area was located in the Southeast of the Minas Gerais state, Brazil. A grid containing a total of 145 uniformly spaced nodes 50 m apart was established over an area of 31. 7 ha from which samples were collected at depths of 0. 00-0. 20 m in order to determine physical and chemical attributes of the soil. These data were analysed in conjunction with plant attributes including production, proportion of beans retained by different sieves and drink quality. The results of principal component analysis (PCA) in combination with geostatistical data showed the attributes clay content and available iron to be the best choices for identifying four crop production environments. Environment A, which exhibited high clay and available iron contents, and low pH and base saturation, was that providing the highest yield (30. 4l ha-1) and best coffee beverage quality (61 sacks ha-1). Based on the results, we believe that multivariate analysis, geostatistics and the soil-relief relationships contained in the digital elevation model (DEM) can be effectively used in combination for the hybrid mapping of areas of varying suitability for coffee production. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Effects of traffic control on the soil physical quality and the cultivation of sugarcane

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Applying boron to coconut palm plants: effects on the soil, on the plant nutritional status and on productivity boron to coconut palm trees

Boron, one of the micronutrients frequently found in low levels in tropical soils affects nutrition and productivity of coconut palm trees essentially cultivated in tropical climates. The objective of this research study was to evaluate the effect of boron on the nutritional status of the plant and its productivity when artificially applied to the culture soil. The experiment was carried out in a four year old, artificially irrigated, dwarf coconut palm orchard in Brazil, between January, 2005 and October, 2006. The soil was a red yellow Latosol (B: 0.18 mg dm(-3)). The treatments consisted in the application of five boron dosages: zero, 1, 2, 4, and 6 kg ha(-1). In the field, the treatments were arranged according to a completely randomized block design, with four replications. Boron (borax) dosages were applied in equal halves directly into the soil in the months of January and February of 2005. Boron concentration in the soil and plant and plant productivity were evaluated. The higher palm tree production was associated to levels of 0.6mg dm(-3) of B in the soil and 23.5mg kg(-1) in leaves. Ninety five percent of palm trees maximum production was obtained with the use of a boron dosage of 2,1kg ha(-1).

SIMULATION OF USE AND MANAGEMENT EFFECTS ON THE SOIL ORGANIC MATTER POOLS OF THE ATLANTIC FOREST BIOME, BRAZIL

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Effect of the Legume Plant Host on Rhizobial Soil Population Dynamics

Rhizobium leguminosarum bv viciae (Rlv) is a soil bacterium able to establish specific root-nodule symbioses with legumes of four different genera: Pisum, Vicia, Lens and Lathyrus. Rlv isolates from nodules of any of these legumes can nodulate any of them; however, it has been shown that plants select specific rhizobial genotypes from those present in the soil (1,2). We have previously shown this at the genomic level by following a population genomics approach. Pool genomic sequences from 100 isolates from each of four plant species: P. sativum, L. culinaris, V. faba and V. sativa, show different, specific profiles at the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) level for relevant genes. In this work, the extent of Rlv selection from a well-characterized soil population by different legume plant hosts: P. sativum, L. culinaris, V. faba and V. sativa, after a medium-term mesocosm study is described. Direct soil isolates from each of these mesocosm studies have been tested for specific rhizobial genes (glnII and fnrN) and symbiotic genes (nodC and nifH). Different populations were characterized further by Sanger sequencing of both the rpoB phylogenetic marker gene and the symbiotic genes nodC and nifH. The distribution and size of the rhizobial population for each legume host showed changes during the medium-term mesocosm study. Particularly, a non-symbiotic group of rhizobia was enriched by all four hosts, in contrast to the symbiotic rhizobia profile, which was specific for each legume plant host.

Multifunctional cement composites strain and damage sensors applied on reinforced concrete (RC) structural elements

In this research, strain-sensing and damage-sensing functional properties of cement composites have been studied on a conventional reinforced concrete (RC) beam. Carbon nanofiber (CNFCC) and fiber (CFCC) cement composites were used as sensors on a 4 m long RC beam. Different casting conditions (in situ or attached), service location (under tension or compression) and electrical contacts (embedded or superficial) were compared. Both CNFCC and CFCC were suitable as strain sensors in reversible (elastic) sensing condition testing. CNFCC showed higher sensitivities (gage factor up to 191.8), while CFCC only reached gage factors values of 178.9 (tension) or 49.5 (compression). Furthermore, damage-sensing tests were run, increasing the applied load progressively up to the RC beam failure. In these conditions, CNFCC sensors were also strain sensitive, but no damage sensing mechanism was detected for the strain levels achieved during the tests. Hence, these cement composites could act as strain sensors, even for severe damaged structures near to their collapse.

Laboratory studies on the effects of laboratory simulated earthquake loadings on cohesive soil strength, San Luis Dam and Canal, San Luis Unit Central Valley Project, California.

"Report no. EM-715."

Fire effects on reinforced concrete members /

Issued Aug. 1979.

Timber harvesting [microform] : hearing before the Subcommittee on Environment, Soil Conservation and Forestry of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, United States Senate, Ninety-sixth Congress, first session, June 22, 1979.

Reuse of record except for individual research requires license from Congressional Information Service, Inc.

Farmland protection act [microform] : hearing before the Subcommittee on Environment, Soil Conservation, and Forestry of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, United States Senate, Ninety-sixth Congress, first session, on S. 795 ... July 10, 1979.

Reuse of record except for individual research requires license from Congressional Information Service, Inc.