Growth and mineral nutrition of banana seedlings cv. Grand Naine inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

This study aimed to verify the influence of FMAs on the levels of macro and micronutrients, and growth of micropropagated banana seedlings submitted to doses of P. The experimental design adopted was randomized blocks, in a 5 x 5 factorial arrangement, with factors inoculation with AMFs (G. clarum, G. margarita, G. albida and C. etunicatum and the control without AMF) and P doses (0, 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg kg-1). The association of different species of FMAs can favor the growth of banana seedlings, with greater nutrition. The application of P doses provided greater growth of the micropropagated banana seedlings, regardless of inoculation with AMF. Seedling production associated with G. margarita can favor the growth of plants submitted to low doses of P applied to the soil. The interaction of G. clarum with Musa spp. seedling production does not seem to favor plant growth. Mycorrhizal colonization together with phosphate fertilization contributed to the quality of banana seedlings. The inoculation with C. etunicatum favored the increase of K contents in the aerial part of the plants. The increase in P doses decreased the levels of N and S in all treatments. It caused a reduction in the leaf contents of Mn, B and Fe. The doses of P did not interfere in the leaf contents of Cu and Zn. The FMAs favored the levels of Cu, Zn, Mn and B in banana leaves; favored the increments of Cu, Fe, Zn and Mn contents in banana seedlings, varying with the doses of P.This study aimed to verify the influence of FMAs on the levels of macro and micronutrients, and growth of micropropagated banana seedlings submitted to doses of P. The experimental design adopted was randomized blocks, in a 5 x 5 factorial arrangement, with factors inoculation with AMFs (G. clarum, G. margarita, G. albida and C. etunicatum and the control without AMF) and P doses (0, 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg kg-1). The association of different species of FMAs can favor the growth of banana seedlings, with greater nutrition. The application of P doses provided greater growth of the micropropagated banana seedlings, regardless of inoculation with AMF. Seedling production associated with G. margarita can favor the growth of plants submitted to low doses of P applied to the soil. The interaction of G. clarum with Musa spp. seedling production does not seem to favor plant growth. Mycorrhizal colonization together with phosphate fertilization contributed to the quality of banana seedlings. The inoculation with C. etunicatum favored the increase of K contents in the aerial part of the plants. The increase in P doses decreased the levels of N and S in all treatments. It caused a reduction in the leaf contents of Mn, B and Fe. The doses of P did not interfere in the leaf contents of Cu and Zn. The FMAs favored the levels of Cu, Zn, Mn and B in banana leaves; favored the increments of Cu, Fe, Zn and Mn contents in banana seedlings, varying with the doses of P

Phosphorus in Forage Production

The aim in developing this work was to summarize information about phosphorus (P) limitation and dynamic in tropical soils for forage grasses production. The major idea is direct information about limited factors affecting P availability, dynamic of P fractionation, P pools, P forms, P use efficiency, and the 4R’s Nutrient Stewardship’ for P-fertilizer in forage grasses. Organizing these sub-headings in a chapter can result in interesting of how P behaves under tropical soils, in order to take decision to manage P-fertilizer to accomplish forage grasses production with social, economic, and environmental benefits. As the most limiting nutrient in tropical soils, P-fertilizer in forage grasses can be more effective if the best management practices are followed. In order to avoid excess P-fertilizer application in soil or P-fertilizer response with low efficiency, it is important to understand the P dynamic and the factors associated with P adsorption in soil. Even with low amount of P requested to forages species, the P available in soil is quite low, and this knowledge is primordial to direct P-fertilizer. Tropical soils are quite limited in P content, due to the natural formation with parental material poor in P content and highly weathering condition. Thus, in order to improve phosphorus use efficiency, the 4R’s must be followed to improve P use efficiency (PUE). It is not easy to improve PUE in highly weathering soil with high buffering capacity; however, all the combination of best management practices for P-fertilizer application can result in better use efficiency. Based on the scarcity of natural P-sources in the whole world, the use of alternative P-sources should be incentivized, and more researches about this issue are need for better understanding

Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Nitrogen Fertilizer in Forage Grasses

There is a concern about the growing population and limitation in natural resources which are taking the population to direct its agricultural systems into a more productive and efficient activity, looking to avoid a negative impact on the surrounding environment. The industry energy expended to produce nitrogen (N)-fertilizer is considered an indirect consumption of energy in agriculture, which is higher with an increasing forage yield. Nitrogen is the key nutrient associated with high-yielding production in forage grass and grain crops. The aim of this chapter is to introduce the best management practices (BMPs) for N-fertilizer application in forage grasses to improve N-use efficiency, since the most economical way to feed livestock is forage plants where its potential biomass production is not well explored. The BMPs basically follow three management practices: (1) soil nutrient availability and forage requirement, (2) fertilizer application, and (3) decrease in nutrient losses from soil. In order to take a decision on applying N-fertilizer to accomplish forage grasses production with social, economic, and environmental benefits, the N-fertilizer use in forage grasses is going to follow the “Right rate, Right source, Right place, and Right time (4R) nutrient stewardship.” The application of the 4R’s nutrients stewardship is directly associated with economic, social, and environmental impact. The capacity of the 4R’s implementation worldwide turns into a best guide to improve the striving of better N-use efficiency in forage grass. The 4R’s are interrelated; thus, the recommendation of N-fertilizer rates cannot be prescribed without the combination of the 4R’s where a whole system to be followed should be considered to decide about N-fertilizer in pasture. Consequently, any decision in one of the 4R’s is going to affect the expected N-fertilizer results and dry matter production

Nutritional Status of Cotton Plant Assessed by Compositional Nutrient Diagnosis (CND)

The use of compositional nutrient diagnosis (CND) to assess the nutritional status of cotton crop is quite important to improve knowledge on plant nutritional requirement and assist the fertilizer recommendation. The aim of this chapter is to introduce the possibility of using CND for cotton crop. This method has scarcely been used to assess the nutritional status of cotton plant although a few results have indicated that it can be promising. In fact, CND methodology seems to be better in the nutritional diagnosis than traditional methods such as sufficient range (SR) and critical value approach (CVA). Its efficiency has increased with the possibility of applying multivariate analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), canonical correlation, and so on. The application of PCA possibility to note some interactions among the nutrients is important for understanding the dynamics of nutrients in plants

Macrofauna edáfica e sua interação com atributos químicos e físicos do solo sob diferentes sistemas de manejo = Edaphic macrofauna and its interaction with the soil's chemical and physical properties under different management systems

O presente trabalho teve o objetivo de avaliar a macrofauna edáfica sob diferentes sistemas de uso do solo. Avaliaram-se os sistemas: plantio convencional, plantio direto, pastagem contínua, integração lavoura-pecuária, eucalipto e vegetação nativa. As amostragens foram realizadas em cinco pontos em cada sistema, ao longo de um transecto.Os organismos foram extraídos manualmente e identificados em nível de grandes grupos taxonômicos. A vegetação nativa apresentou uma maior riqueza de grupos da comunidade da macrofauna edáfica em comparação aos sistemas conduzidos em monocultivos e/ou com alta intensidade de revolvimento do solo. Entre os sistemas cultivados, a maior densidade de organismos da macrofauna edáfica ocorreu nos sistemas sob integração lavoura/pecuária e em pastagem cultivada continuamente. A densidade total de indivíduos e a riqueza de grupos da macrofauna não foram influenciadas pelos atributos físicos do solo. Em relaçãoaos atributos químicos, apenas a riqueza de grupos se correlacionou com algumas propriedades.This work aimed to evaluate edaphic macrofauna under different soil use systems. Two systems were evaluated: conventional system, no-till, continuous grazing, crop-cattle integration, eucalyptus andnative vegetation. Sampling was carried out in five points at one transect per system. Organisms were manually extracted and identified to the level of broad taxonomic groups. Native vegetation did show the highest variety of edaphic macrofauna groups when compared to monocultures and/or high intensity of soil tillage. Among cropped systems, the highest density of edaphic macrofauna organisms was observed in crop-cattle integration and continuous grazing systems. The total density of individuals and the macrofauna group richness were not influenced by soil physical attributes. Regarding to chemical attributes, only the group richness was correlated to some of such proprieties

ATRIBUTOS MICROBIOLÓGICOS, QUÍMICOS E FÍSICOS DE SOLO SOB DIFERENTES SISTEMAS DE MANEJO E CONDIÇÕES DE CERRADO MICROBIOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES OF SOIL UNDER DIFFERENT CROP SYSTEMS AND CERRADO CONDITIONS

&lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 120%; text-decoration: none;" lang="pt-BR" align="JUSTIFY"&gt;&lt;span style="color: #000000;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito do uso e manejo de solo sobre seus atributos qu&amp;iacute;micos, f&amp;iacute;sicos e microbiol&amp;oacute;gicos. A pesquisa foi realizada no inverno de 2007 e ver&amp;atilde;o de 2008, no Munic&amp;iacute;pio de Dourados (MS), em Latossolo Vermelho distrof&amp;eacute;rrico t&amp;iacute;pico. Os dados foram analisados de acordo com delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, sendo coletadas 5 amostras compostas, que constitu&amp;iacute;ram 5 repeti&amp;ccedil;&amp;otilde;es por sistema de manejo. Os sistemas de manejo estudados foram: &amp;Aacute;rea 1: &amp;aacute;rea destinada a reflorestamento; &amp;Aacute;rea 2: sistema convencional de preparo do solo; &amp;Aacute;rea 3: sistema de semeadura direta; &amp;Aacute;rea 4: pastagem degradada; e &amp;Aacute;rea 5: sistema natural (mata nativa). A avalia&amp;ccedil;&amp;atilde;o de um sistema de manejo, em seu primeiro ano de implanta&amp;ccedil;&amp;atilde;o, n&amp;atilde;o foi suficiente para mensurar os impactos sobre atributos f&amp;iacute;sicos e microbiol&amp;oacute;gicos do solo. A substitui&amp;ccedil;&amp;atilde;o da vegeta&amp;ccedil;&amp;atilde;o nativa por sistemas de cultivo pode causar importantes altera&amp;ccedil;&amp;otilde;es nos atributos qu&amp;iacute;micos do solo, j&amp;aacute; no primeiro ano de implanta&amp;ccedil;&amp;atilde;o. Os atributos microbiol&amp;oacute;gicos foram eficientes indicadores de altera&amp;ccedil;&amp;otilde;es nos atributos f&amp;iacute;sicos, em fun&amp;ccedil;&amp;atilde;o do uso e manejo do solo. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 120%; text-decoration: none;" lang="pt-BR" align="JUSTIFY"&gt;&lt;span style="color: #000000;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Q&lt;span style="color: #231f20;"&gt;ualidade do solo; carbono da biomassa microbiana; &lt;/span&gt;pr&amp;aacute;ticas de manejo.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;<br>&lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 120%; text-decoration: none;" lang="pt-BR" align="JUSTIFY"&gt;&lt;span style="color: #000000;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of soil use and management on its chemical, physical and microbiological attributes. The research was carried out from the winter (2007) to the summer (2008), in Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil, in a Distroferric Red Latossol. Data were analyzed as a complete randomized experimental design, with 5 collected samples that established 5 replications per management system. The management systems were: Area 1: area alloted to reforestation; Area 2: conventional soil tillage; Area 3: no-tillage; Area 4: degraded forage; and Area 5: natural system (native forest). The evaluation of a management system in its first year of implementation was not sufficient to evaluate the impacts on soil physical and microbiological attributes. The substitution of native vegetation by cultivation systems can cause important alterations on soil chemical attributes from the first year of implementation. Microbiological attributes were efficient indicators of alterations in physical attributes according to the soil use and management.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 120%; text-decoration: none;" lang="pt-BR" align="JUSTIFY"&gt;&lt;span style="color: #000000;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;KEY-WORDS:&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;span style="color: #231f20;"&gt;Soil quality; microbial biomass carbon; &lt;/span&gt;management practices.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 120%; text-decoration: none;" lang="pt-BR" align="JUSTIFY"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt

Culturas antecessoras, doses e fontes de nitrogênio nos componentes de produção do milho = Antecedent crops, doses and sources of nitrogen on yield compounds of corn

Algumas plantas de cobertura de solo possuem a capacidade de aumentar a disponibilidade de nutrientes no solo e, em especial, de nitrogênio, para a cultura em sucessão. Neste sentido, com o efeito positivo na interação entre adubo mineral e adubação verde, é possívelobter rendimentos maiores do que com o emprego de cada um isoladamente. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito das culturas antecessoras, doses e fontes de nitrogênio nos componentesde produção e teor de nitrogênio foliar do milho, no sistema plantio direto. O delineamento experimental foi de blocos casualizados, com os tratamentos dispostos em parcelas subsubdivididas. As parcelas foram constituídas pelas culturas antecessoras ao milho: aveia preta, trigo, nabo forrageiro, ervilhaca peluda e um tratamento representado pelo pousio de inverno. As subparcelas foram constituídas por quatro doses de nitrogênio (0, 50, 100 e 200 kg ha-1 de N), aplicados emcobertura. As subsubparcelas foram representadas por duas fontes de nitrogênio (sulfato de amônio e uréia). As culturas antecessoras influenciaram na produtividade, massa de 1000 grãos e teor denitrogênio foliar do milho. A maior produtividade do milho foi obtida quando em sucessão ao pousio e nabo forrageiro, na ausência de adubação nitrogenada em cobertura. A máxima produtividade de milho, no sistema plantio direto, foi obtida quando semeada em sucessão ao trigo e aveia preta nas doses de 140 e 137 kg ha-1 de nitrogênio, respectivamente. As fontes de nitrogênio utilizadas influenciaram o número de grãos por espiga e teor de nitrogênio foliar.Some plants for mulching have the capacity to increase the availability of nutrients in the soil – nitrogen in particular – for crop succession, thus producing positive effects on the interactionbetween mineral fertilizer and green manure. As a result, there is a greater possibility to obtain higher incomes than by using each one separately. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of antecedent crops, doses and sources of nitrogen on yield compounds and foliar nitrogen content of corn by means of no-tillage system. The experimental design was in randomized blocks with treatments arranged in sub-subdivided plots. These were constituted by crops preceding corn: black oat, wheat, pasture turnip, hairy vetch and one rest treatment during winter. Subplots were established by four doses of nitrogen (0; 50; 100 and 200 kg ha-1 of N), which were applied as cover. Sub-subplots were represented by two sources of nitrogen (ammonia sulfate and urea). Results showed that antecedent crops had some influence upon yield, mass of 1000 grains and foliar nitrogen content of corn. The highest yield of corn was obtained after the winter rest, the pasture turnip and also in the absence of nitrogen fertilization as cover. The maximum yield of corn was obtained when sowing was done after wheat and black oat, in nitrogen doses of 140 and 137 kg ha-1, respectively. The nitrogen sources utilized had some influence only upon the index of harvest, the number of grains per ear and the foliar nitrogen content