Economic valuation of collecting water to billing in the aspersion irrigated bean in the no tillage system and conventional crop

The law's project n.676/2000 approved the collecting of billing water for farmers in a maximum foreseen value of US$ 0.01 m(-3) of extracted water in the São Paulo State. As the irrigated agriculture is the activity that consumes more water, the farmers profitability can be affected. This work was to analyze the economic impact of billing water in the aspersion irrigated bean crop to consider the system of conventional production and no tillage system in the Paranapanema municipal district, São Paulo State, Brazil. The indicators used to analyze the economic results were unit variable cost, market price and unit profitability. The results showed that for the aspersion irrigated bean crop in conventional system, the participation of cost to the recourse water in cost variable totality was of 2.5% and in no tillage system the participation was of 2.2%. The fall of profitability just the billing water in conventional crop system and in no tillage system was US$ 0.01 kg(-1).

Establishing Standards for the Integrated Recommendation and Diagnosis System (DRIS) for Irrigated Bean Crops

This article addresses the establishment of integrated diagnostics and recommendation system (DRIS) standards for irrigated bean crops (Phaseolus vulgaris) and compares leaf concentrations and productivity in low- and high-productivity populations. The work was carried out in Santa Fe de Goias, Goias State, Brazil, in the agricultural years 1999/2000 and 2000/2001. For the nutritional diagnosis, leaf samples were collected, and leaf concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) were established in 100 commercial bean crops. A database was set up listing the leaf nutrient content and the respective productivities, subdivided into two subpopulations, high and low productivity, using a bean yield value of 3000 kg ha-1 to separate these subpopulations. Sufficiency values found in the high-productivity population matched only for the micronutrients B and Zn. The nutritional balance among the populations studied was coherent and was lower in the high-productivity population. The DRIS standards proposed for irrigated bean farming were efficient in evaluating the nutritional status of the crop areas studied. Calcium, Cu, and S were found to be the least available nutrients, indicating high response potential for the fertilizing using these nutrients.

Estimated production and evapotranspiration of irrigated bean cultivars

The current study intended to determine the optimum water depth, yield and evapotranspiration (ETc) for bean cultivars. The experiment was conducted in the Campus of Unit I of the Triângulo Mineiro Federal Education and Technology Institute in Uberaba, MG, in a completely randomized design with three replications. The treatments consisted of four water-replacing levels in the soil (70, 100, 130 and 160% of the crop evapotranspiration) and four bean cultivars (Pérola, BRSMG Madrepérola, BRSMG Majestoso and IAC Alvorada). The average values of ETc obtained for soil water balance for the cultivars Pérola, BRSMG Madrepérola, BRSMG Majestoso and IAC Alvorada were, respectively, of 5.25 mm day-1, 4.59 mm day-1, 4.54 mm day-1 and 4.77 mm day-1. The water depths which provided the highest yields were for the cultivars Pérola, BRSMG Madrepérola, BRSMG Majestoso and IAC Alvorada of 451.61 mm, 454.41 mm, 504.71 mm and 344.30 mm, respectively. The maximum yields found were 4597.87 kg ha-1 (Pérola), 4546.27 kg ha-1 (BRSMG Madrepérola), 4253.39 kg ha-1 (BRSMG Majestoso) and 3958.50kg ha-1 (IAC Alvorada).

Manejo da irrigação na cultura do feijoeiro em sistemas plantio direto e convencional

O manejo inadequado do solo e da água é limitante à produtividade do feijoeiro irrigado. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar dois métodos de manejo da irrigação, um via solo (tensiometria) e outro via clima (tanque Classe A), conjugados com os sistemas plantio direto e convencional de manejo do solo com a cultura do feijoeiro de inverno, no segundo ano de plantio direto, em Jaboticabal - SP. Foi medido o potencial mátrico do solo e estimada a variação diária do armazenamento de água no solo, na camada de 0 a 0,40 m de profundidade, e avaliados os componentes de produtividade, além de determinadas a evapotranspiração real média e a eficiência média de uso de água pela cultura. O sistema de preparo convencional do solo com manejo de irrigação pelo tanque Classe A proporcionou maior produtividade de grãos, evapotranspiração média e eficiência de uso de água pela cultura, seguido pelo plantio direto com manejo de irrigação por tensiometria e por tanque Classe A. O sistema plantio direto foi menos suscetível às variações hídricas no solo decorrentes dos manejos de irrigação empregados do que o sistema de preparo convencional, resultando em menor variação na produtividade de grãos.

Análise econômica da produção de feijão, milho e soja com e sem irrigação no município de Itaí-SP

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Energia na Agricultura) - FCA

Pest-damage relationships for Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on soybean (Glycine max) and dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) during pod-fill.

The response of soybean (Glycine max) and dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) to feeding by Helicoverpa armigera during the pod-fill stage was studied in irrigated field cages over three seasons to determine the relationship between larval density and yield loss, and to develop economic injury levels. H. armigera intensity was calculated in Helicoverpa injury equivalent (HIE) units, where 1 HIE was the consumption of one larva from the start of the infestation period to pupation. In the dry bean experiment, yield loss occurred at a rate 6.00 ± 1.29 g/HIE while the rates of loss in the three soybean experiments were 4.39 ± 0.96 g/HIE, 3.70 ± 1.21 g/HIE and 2.12 ± 0.71 g/HIE. These three slopes were not statistically different (P > 0.05) and the pooled estimate of the rate of yield loss was 3.21 ± 0.55 g/HIE. The first soybean experiment also showed a split-line form of damage curve with a rate of yield loss of 26.27 ± 2.92 g/HIE beyond 8.0 HIE and a rapid decline to zero yield. In dry bean, H. armigera feeding reduced total and undamaged pod numbers by 4.10 ± 1.18 pods/HIE and 12.88 ± 1.57 pods/HIE respectively, while undamaged seed numbers were reduced by 35.64 ± 7.25 seeds/HIE. In soybean, total pod numbers were not affected by H. armigera infestation (out to 8.23 HIE in Experiment 1) but seed numbers (in Experiments 1 and 2) and the number of seeds/pod (in all experiments) were adversely affected. Seed size increased with increases in H. armigera density in two of the three soybean experiments, indicating plant compensatory responses to H. armigera feeding. Analysis of canopy pod profiles indicated that loss of pods occurred from the top of the plant downwards, but with an increase in pod numbers close to the ground at higher pest densities as the plant attempted to compensate for damage. Based on these results, the economic injury levels for H. armigera on dry bean and soybean are approximately 0.74 HIE and 2.31 HIE/m2, respectively (0.67 and 2.1 HIE/row-m for 91 cm rows).

Valuing water in irrigated agriculture and fisheries in a reservoir of Sri Lanka

Dissertação de Mestrado, Gestão da Água e da Costa, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2007

Relations between the yield of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and chemical attributes of an Acrustox under no-tillage

In crop year 2006/07, in Selviria, MS, Brazil, were analyzed the productivity of beans because of the chemical attributes of an Acrustox cultivated under conditions of high technological level of management by no-tillage irrigated with pivot central. The objective was to select, among the attributes studied soil, the one with the best representation to explain the variability of agricultural productivity. Geostatistical grid was installed to collect data from soil and plant, with 117 sampling points in an area of 2,025 m(2) and homogeneous slope of 0.055 m m(-1). From the standpoint of linear and spatial bean yield was respectively explained in terms of P and soil pH. So much for the values of phosphorus (P) in the intermediate layer and subsurface between 24-26 mg dm(-3), as well as for Hydrogen (pH) in the surface layer between 5.0 to 5.4, resulted in sites with the most high yield (2,160-2,665 kg ha(-1)).

Soil physical and microbiological attributes cultivated with the common bean under two management systems

Agricultural management systems can alter the physical and biological soil quality, interfering with crop development. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physical and microbiological attributes of a Red Latosol, and its relationship to the biometric parameters of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), irrigated and grown under two management systems (conventional tillage and direct seeding), in Campinas in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The experimental design was of randomised blocks, with a split-plot arrangement for the management system and soil depth, analysed during the 2006/7 and 2007/8 harvest seasons, with 4 replications. The soil physical and microbiological attributes were evaluated at depths of 0.00-0.05, 0.05-0.10, 0.10-0.20 and 0.20-0.40 m. The following were determined for the crop: density, number of pods per plant, number of beans per pod, thousand seed weight, total weight of the shoots and harvest index. Direct seeding resulted in a lower soil physical quality at a depth of 0.00-0.05 m compared to conventional tillage, while the opposite occurred at a depth of 0.05-0.10 m. The direct seeding showed higher soil biological quality, mainly indicated by the microbial biomass nitrogen, basal respiration and metabolic quotient. The biometric parameters in the bean were higher under the direct seeding compared to conventional tillage.

Sistemas de cultivo antecessores e doses de nitrogênio em cobertura no feijoeiro em plantio direto = cover crop systems and nitrogen topdressing on common bean in no tillage

The objective of this work was to evaluate the grass cover crop production in crop systems involving maize and Urochloa ruziziensis, and the influence of topdressing nitrogen rates in the yield and agronomic efficiency on common-bean cultivated in succession in no-tillage. The experiments were conducted in Jaboticabal-SP, in a eutrophic red latosol, in the second year of no-tillage system implementation. The IPR 139 cultivar was used in split plot design with three replications, in randomized block. The plots had been composed for three crop systems in the summer season, with maize exclusive, maize intercropped with U. ruziziensis and U. ruziziensis exclusive. The subplots had been constituted for five nitrogen rates (0, 40, 80, 120 and 160 kg ha(-1)), applied as topdressing at V4-4 in irrigated common-bean cultivated in the winter-spring season. The use of U. ruziziensis in crops systems, exclusive or intercropped with maize favors the grass cover crop production sufficiently to total soli surface covered, possibility similar grain yield compared to maize exclusive. The topdressing nitrogen application doesn't affect the common-bean yield in succession to maize and U. ruziziensis intercropped. The increase of nitrogen rates in common-bean in succession to maize exclusive improves the yield, although decreases the agronomic efficiency.

Drought impact on rainfed common bean production areas in Brazil.

Common bean production in Goiás, Brazil is concentrated in the same geographic area, but spread acrossthree distinct growing seasons, namely, wet, dry and winter. In the wet and dry seasons, common beansare grown under rainfed conditions, whereas the winter sowing is fully irrigated. The conventional breed-ing program performs all varietal selection stages solely in the winter season, with rainfed environmentsbeing incorporated in the breeding scheme only through the multi environment trials (METs) wherebasically only yield is recorded. As yield is the result of many interacting processes, it is challengingto determine the events (abiotic or biotic) associated with yield reduction in the rainfed environments(wet and dry seasons). To improve our understanding of rainfed dry bean production so as to produceinformation that can assist breeders in their efforts to develop stress-tolerant, high-yielding germplasm,we characterized environments by integrating weather, soil, crop and management factors using cropsimulation models. Crop simulations based on two commonly grown cultivars (Pérola and BRS Radi-ante) and statistical analyses of simulated yield suggest that both rainfed seasons, wet and dry, can bedivided in two groups of environments: highly favorable environment and favorable environment. Forthe wet and dry seasons, the highly favorable environment represents 44% and 58% of production area,respectively. Across all rainfed environment groups, terminal and/or reproductive drought stress occursin roughly one fourth of the seasons (23.9% for Pérola and 24.7% for Radiante), with drought being mostlimiting in the favorable environment group in the dry TPE. Based on our results, we argue that eventhough drought-tailoring might not be warranted, the common bean breeding program should adapttheir selection practices to the range of stresses occurring in the rainfed TPEs to select genotypes moresuitable for these environments.

Nitrous oxide emissions from irrigated cotton soils of northern Australia

An automated gas sampling methodology has been used to estimate nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from heavy black clay soil in northern Australia where split applications of urea were applied to furrow irrigated cotton. Nitrous oxide emissions from the beds were 643 g N/ha over the 188 day measurement period (after planting), whilst the N2O emissions from the furrows were significantly higher at 967 g N/ha. The DNDC model was used to develop a full season simulation of N2O and N2 emissions. Seasonal N2O emissions were equivalent to 0.83% of applied N, with total gaseous N losses (excluding NH3) estimated to be 16% of the applied N.

Characterisation of the tritrophic interactions between tobacco yellow dwarf virus, its vector and host-plants

Tobacco yellow dwarf virus (TbYDV, family Geminiviridae, genus Mastrevirus) is an economically important pathogen causing summer death and yellow dwarf disease in bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.), respectively. Prior to the commencement of this project, little was known about the epidemiology of TbYDV, its vector and host-plant range. As a result, disease control strategies have been restricted to regular poorly timed insecticide applications which are largely ineffective, environmentally hazardous and expensive. In an effort to address this problem, this PhD project was carried out in order to better understand the epidemiology of TbYDV, to identify its host-plant and vectors as well as to characterise the population dynamics and feeding physiology of the main insect vector and other possible vectors. The host-plants and possible leafhopper vectors of TbYDV were assessed over three consecutive growing seasons at seven field sites in the Ovens Valley, Northeastern Victoria, in commercial tobacco and bean growing properties. Leafhoppers and plants were collected and tested for the presence of TbYDV by PCR. Using sweep nets, twenty-three leafhopper species were identified at the seven sites with Orosius orientalis the predominant leafhopper. Of the 23 leafhopper species screened for TbYDV, only Orosius orientalis and Anzygina zealandica tested positive. Forty-two different plant species were also identified at the seven sites and tested. Of these, TbYDV was only detected in four dicotyledonous species, Amaranthus retroflexus, Phaseolus vulgaris, Nicotiana tabacum and Raphanus raphanistrum. Using a quadrat survey, the temporal distribution and diversity of vegetation at four of the field sites was monitored in order to assess the presence of, and changes in, potential host-plants for the leafhopper vector(s) and the virus. These surveys showed that plant composition and the climatic conditions at each site were the major influences on vector numbers, virus presence and the subsequent occurrence of tobacco yellow dwarf and bean summer death diseases. Forty-two plant species were identified from all sites and it was found that sites with the lowest incidence of disease had the highest proportion of monocotyledonous plants that are non hosts for both vector and the virus. In contrast, the sites with the highest disease incidence had more host-plant species for both vector and virus, and experienced higher temperatures and less rainfall. It is likely that these climatic conditions forced the leafhopper to move into the irrigated commercial tobacco and bean crop resulting in disease. In an attempt to understand leafhopper species diversity and abundance, in and around the field borders of commercially grown tobacco crops, leafhoppers were collected from four field sites using three different sampling techniques, namely pan trap, sticky trap and sweep net. Over 51000 leafhopper samples were collected, which comprised 57 species from 11 subfamilies and 19 tribes. Twentythree leafhopper species were recorded for the first time in Victoria in addition to several economically important pest species of crops other than tobacco and bean. The highest number and greatest diversity of leafhoppers were collected in yellow pan traps follow by sticky trap and sweep nets. Orosius orientalis was found to be the most abundant leafhopper collected from all sites with greatest numbers of this leafhopper also caught using the yellow pan trap. Using the three sampling methods mentioned above, the seasonal distribution and population dynamics of O. orientalis was studied at four field sites over three successive growing seasons. The population dynamics of the leafhopper was characterised by trimodal peaks of activity, occurring in the spring and summer months. Although O. orientalis was present in large numbers early in the growing season (September-October), TbYDV was only detected in these leafhoppers between late November and the end of January. The peak in the detection of TbYDV in O. orientalis correlated with the observation of disease symptoms in tobacco and bean and was also associated with warmer temperatures and lower rainfall. To understand the feeding requirements of Orosius orientalis and to enable screening of potential control agents, a chemically-defined artificial diet (designated PT-07) and feeding system was developed. This novel diet formulation allowed survival for O. orientalis for up to 46 days including complete development from first instar through to adulthood. The effect of three selected plant derived proteins, cowpea trypsin inhibitor (CpTi), Galanthus nivalis agglutinin (GNA) and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), on leafhopper survival and development was assessed. Both GNA and WGA were shown to reduce leafhopper survival and development significantly when incorporated at a 0.1% (w/v) concentration. In contrast, CpTi at the same concentration did not exhibit significant antimetabolic properties. Based on these results, GNA and WGA are potentially useful antimetabolic agents for expression in genetically modified crops to improve the management of O. orientalis, TbYDV and the other pathogens it vectors. Finally, an electrical penetration graph (EPG) was used to study the feeding behaviour of O. orientalis to provide insights into TbYDV acquisition and transmission. Waveforms representing different feeding activity were acquired by EPG from adult O. orientalis feeding on two plant species, Phaseolus vulgaris and Nicotiana tabacum and a simple sucrose-based artificial diet. Five waveforms (designated O1-O5) were observed when O. orientalis fed on P. vulgaris, while only four (O1-O4) and three (O1-O3) waveforms were observed during feeding on N. tabacum and the artificial diet, respectively. The mean duration of each waveform and the waveform type differed markedly depending on the food source. This is the first detailed study on the tritrophic interactions between TbYDV, its leafhopper vector, O. orientalis, and host-plants. The results of this research have provided important fundamental information which can be used to develop more effective control strategies not only for O. orientalis, but also for TbYDV and other pathogens vectored by the leafhopper.

A Survey of Viruses Affecting Dry Bean and Cowpea in Lebanon

A survey was conducted to identify viruses affecting dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) in Lebanon. Three hundred and thirty four samples exhibiting virus-like symptoms were collected from 13 different locations during the fall growing season of 1984. Samples were stored at 20 deg C until they were tested by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the presence of blackeye cowpea mosaic virus (B1CMV), bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV), bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) and cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). In preliminary tests, the extraction buffer 0.1M phosphate + O.1MEDTA, pH 7.4 was found to be far better than the standard extraction buffer and, accordingly, was used for virus extraction for all field samples. Results obtained indicated that around 50% of the bean samples tested were infected with B1CMV. Incidence of BCMV, BYMV and CMV in the samples tested were 4,4 and 1.7%, respectively. B1CMV was detected in 10 locations, whereas, BYMV, BCMV and CMV were found in 1,4 and 4 locations, respectively. Mixed infections such as BCMV, BICMV, BCMV+CMV, BYMV+CMV and BICMV+BCMV+CMV were detected. In 35% of the samples assayed, the causal virus was not identified