Crescimento de pimentão em diferentes arranjos espaciais

The objective of this work was to evaluate the growth of green pepper cv. Atlantis under different spatial arrangements. Three spacing arrangements between double and simple planting rows (1.5x0.5 m, 1.6x0.4 m and 1.7x0.3 m) and four spacing distances between plants in the rows (0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 m) combined in factorial scheme were evaluated. A randomized block design in split-plots divided in time with three replicates was used. The growth assessment was done in nine occasions, 14 days apart, and the first one was performed 14 days after transplanting (DAT). Leaf area (LA), leaf area index (LAI), dry masses of leaves (LDM), stem (SDM), fruit (FrDM) and total shoot (TDM); absolute growth rate (AGR), rates of net assimilation (NAR) and relative growth (RGR); and leaf area (LAR) and leaf mass (LWR) ratios were evaluated until 126 DAT. The changes in LA, RGR, LWR and LAR did not depend on row spacing, but spacing influenced LDM, SDM, FrDM and TDM, LAI and AGR. The increase in spacing reduces LAI and LAR, and increases LA, LDM, SDM, FrDM, TDM, AGR and NAR, but does not influence RGR and LWR.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o crescimento do pimentão cv. Atlantis sob diferentes arranjos espaciais. Foram avaliados três arranjos de espaçamentos entre fileiras duplas e fileiras simples de plantio (1,5x0,5, 1,6x0,4 e 1,7x0,3 m), e quatro espaçamentos entre plantas nas fileiras (0,2, 0,3, 0,4 e 0,5 m), combinados em esquema fatorial. Utilizou-se o delineamento de blocos ao acaso, com três repetições e parcelas subdivididas no tempo. A avaliação de crescimento foi realizada em nove épocas espaçadas em 14 dias, com a primeira avaliação realizada 14 dias após o transplantio (DAT). Até os 126 DAT, foram avaliados: área foliar (AF); índice de área foliar (IAF); massas secas de folhas (MSF), do caule (MSC), de frutos (MSFr) e do total da parte aérea (MST); taxa de crescimento absoluto (TCA), assimilatória líquida (TAL) e de crescimento relativo (TCR); e as razões de área foliar (RAF) e de massa foliar (RMF). As alterações em AF, TCR, RMF e RAF foram independentes do espaçamento entre fileiras que, no entanto, influenciou MSF, MSC, MSFr e MST, IAF e TCA. O aumento do espaçamento entre plantas reduz o IAF e a RAF e aumenta a AF, MSF, MSC, MSFr, MST, TCA e TAL, mas não influencia a TCR e RMF

Cultivation planning application to enhance decision making among Sri Lankan farmers

As part of a larger project to develop a Mobile Based Information System (MBIS) to enhance livelihood activities of Sri Lankan farmers, we investigated how farmers access agricultural knowledge and apply the knowledge to do their tasks. As farmers found it difficult to access and find the required information among published knowledge currently available, crop ontology has been developed to query the factual knowledge in the context specific to a farmer. In the interviews that we conducted, we found that providing factual knowledge alone is not sufficient as farmers also lack the procedural knowledge to make use of the factual knowledge. Therefore, we developed a Cultivation Planning Application that has procedural knowledge embedded into several modules that allow farmers to perform tasks that help them in their decision making process

Comportamento de cultivares de alface americana em Santana da Vargem Performance of crisphead lettuce cultivars in Santana da Vargem

Avaliou-se cultivares de alface americana transplantadas para o campo em março de 2002, no município de Santana da Vargem, MG. Foi conduzido um experimento contendo oito cultivares, no delineamento em blocos casualizados com três repetições. Foram avaliados a massa fresca total e comercial por planta, comprimento de caule, diâmetro da cabeça e sanidade das folhas externas. Quanto à característica massa fresca total, houve melhor desempenho da cultivar Raider, com 1075,5 g planta-1, sendo estatisticamente superior às demais cultivares. Em relação à massa fresca comercial, todas as cultivares foram estatisticamente equivalentes, apresentando valores variando de 529,4 a 666,6 g planta-1. Apenas a Raider foi superior em relação ao diâmetro da cabeça comercial, com 44,4 cm. As cultivares que apresentaram os menores comprimentos de caule foram RX 66, Rocco RZ, AEL 10, Iglo e Raider, com 5,2; 5,5; 6,2; 6,3 e 6,5 cm, respectivamente. Quando se analisou a sanidade das folhas externas, o destaque foi novamente para a cultivar Raider, superior às demais cultivares.<br>Crisphead lettuce cultivars were transplanted to the field in March 2002 in Santana da Vargem, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, in an experiment containing eight cultivars. The experimental design was of completely randomized blocks with three replications. The total and commercial fresh matter per plant, stem length, head diameter, and health of outer leaves were evaluated. For total fresh matter, a better performance was obtained for the cv. Raider, with 1075.5 g plant-1, being statistically superior to the other cultivars. For commercial fresh matter, all cultivars were statistically equivalent, presenting values ranging from 529.4 to 666.6 g plant-1. Among the cultivars, only "Raider" was superior in relation to commercial head diameter with 44.4 cm. The cultivars which presented the shortest stem length were RX 66, Rocco RZ, AEL 10, Iglo and Raider, with 5.2; 5.5; 6.2; 6.3 and 6.5 cm, respectively. The cv. Raider was superior to the others cultivars in relation to the health of outer leaves

Efeito de composto orgânico sobre a produção e características comerciais de alface americana Effect of organic compost on crisp head lettuce production and commercial characteristics

Doses de composto orgânico foram avaliadas na produtividade e qualidade da alface americana em um ensaio em Três Pontas, de 08/07 a 30/08/02. O delineamento utilizado foi em blocos casualizados com quatro repetições, sendo os tratamentos constituídos por cinco doses de composto orgânico (0,0; 20,0; 40,0; 60,0 e 80,0 t ha-1). A massa fresca total evidenciou um efeito quadrático, na qual a produtividade máxima de 914,2 g planta-1, foi obtida com a dose de 59,4 t ha-1 do composto orgânico. Para massa fresca comercial, a máxima produtividade (634,3 g planta-1), foi obtida com a dose de 56,1 t ha-1. A maior circunferência da cabeça comercial (41,4 cm), foi obtida com a dose de 53,7 t ha-1. A dose de 42,7 t ha-1 proporcionou um comprimento de caule máximo de 3,9 cm. Diante desses resultados, pode-se concluir que o uso de 56,0 t ha-1 de composto orgânico aplicado em pré-plantio, proporciona aumento de rendimento e qualidade comercial da alface americana.<br>Doses of organic compost were evaluated on crisp head lettuce production and quality in an experiment conduced in Três Pontas, Brazil, from July 8>th to August 30th. The experimental design was in randomized complete blocks with four replicates, the treatments being constituted by five doses of organic compost (0.0; 20.0; 40.0; 60.0 and 80.0 t ha-1). Total fresh matter showed a quadratic effect, in which the maximum yield of 914.2 g plant-1 was obtained with the dose of 59.4 t ha-1 of organic compost. For commercial fresh matter, the maximum yield (634.3 g plant-1) was obtained with the dose of 56.1 t ha-1. The greatest commercial head circumference (41.4 cm) was obtained with the dose of 53.7 t ha-1. The dose of 42.7 t ha-1 caused a maximum stem length of 3.9 cm. These results permit to conclude that the use of 56.0 t ha-1 of organic compost applied in pre plant provides an increase in yield and commercial quality of crisp head lettuce