Growth of lettuce cultivars in beds covered with differing materials

In commercial lettuce growing, the intensive cultivation of the soil results in an increase in weed populations, making it difficult to fully exploit the area and increasing production costs. Under such circumstances, the use of soil covers can minimize this problem. Consequently, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different materials as soil covers on the agronomic performance of three lettuce cultivars. The experiment was arranged in randomized blocks, with treatments set in a subdivided plot scheme. Five types of soil cover (plots) were tested: no cover, black plastic, double white faced plastic, straw mulching and kraft paper and three Lettuce cultivars (subplots): loose-crested leaf group, iceberg lettuce group, with four replicates. Number of leaves per plant, stem length and diameter, head diameter, mass of fresh and total dry matter, fresh matter mass of leaves and stem were evaluated. For the Lisa and Americana lettuce groups, bed soil cover materials were more efficient when compared to the uncovered beds. For economic and environmental reasons, kraft paper is recommended as a bedding cover material for these cultivars. Variation in growth occurred between the lettuce cultivars, independently of the use of bedding cover. This occurred in the sequence: loose leaf > iceberg lettuce> loose-crested leaf group

Use of grass and leguminous species as winter mulching in organic notillage system of lettuce crop

ABSTRACT The no-tillage system for vegetables is an environmentally and economically suitable alternative, particularly for organic crops. However, further studies are needed using other plant species and under different growing conditions. This research aimed to evaluate the influence of different winter soil covers on lettuce development and yield under no-tillage system in an organic cultivation area. The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design with five treatments and six replications. The treatments used were three soil covers in the organic no-tillage system and two systems without cover crops and with soil tillage, one organic and the other conventional. The grass Avena strigosa (L.), the leguminous Lupinus albus (L.), and the intercropping of both species were used. The number of leaves per plant, stem length and diameter, head diameter, fresh and dry weight of plants, fresh weight of leaves and stem and Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) index were evaluated. The use of leguminous straw is recommended for winter cultivation of lettuce in an organic no-tillage system. Black oat straw, single or intercropped, impaired the development and productivity of lettuce in the organic no-tillage system in winter cultivation

TAMANHO DE AMOSTRA PARA A ESTIMAÇÃO DE CARACTERÍSTICAS FÍSICO-QUÍMICAS DE GOIABA

A fruticultura apresenta grande importância socioeconômica no Espírito Santo, possuindo o terceiro maior Valor Bruto da Produção Agropecuária - VBPA do Estado, sendo superada apenas pela cafeicultura e pela produção animal. Diante desse cenário, pesquisas devem ser realizadas para disponibilizar ao produtor rural novas tecnologias de produção, de colheita e de pós-colheita. Sendo assim, o objetivo do trabalho foi dimensionar o tamanho de amostra para avaliar características físico-químicas de goiaba na colheita. O trabalho foi conduzido no Laboratório de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento do IFES de Venda Nova do Imigrante, onde foram avaliadas as características acidez titulável, pH e umidade de fruto. Verificou-se que o tamanho da amostra para as características umidade de fruto, pH e acidez titulável foi, respectivamente, de 8, 39 e 179 frutos para o erro de estimação igual a 1%, e de 2, 10 e 45 frutos para o erro de estimação de 2%. Para todos os erros de estimação, a característica acidez titulável foi a que exigiu o maior tamanho de amostra, seguida em ordem decrescente pelas características pH e umidade de fruto

Influence of Solar Radiation and Wet Processing on the Final Quality of Arabica Coffee

The coffee growing in the state of Espírito Santo has some peculiarities that differ from the other regions producing Arabica coffee in Brazil because it has a diversity of edaphoclimatic conditions that influence the final quality of the bean. This study aimed to demonstrate and quantify the effect of solar radiation and of different forms of wet process on the final quality of Arabica coffee in crops located in the altitude range of 950 meters, in order to understand what would be the best wet processing methods for the coffee cultivated to the East (sun-grown) and coffee cultivated to the South-Southeast (shade-grown). The results indicate that shading has a significant effect on the final quality of the Arabica coffee, as well as the type of wet process used to process the beans after harvest. Therefore, there is a need to study in depth the factors related to the processing, edaphoclimatic, and relief conditions inherent to mountain coffee cultivation

Frugivorous flies (Diptera: Tephritidae; Lonchaeidae) associated with guava tree: species diversity, parasitoids and population fluctuation in the Espírito Santo state, Brazil

The commercial cultivation of guava tree (Psidium guajava L.) occurs in all Brazilian regions, where fruit flies cause direct losses to production and affect fresh fruit exports due to quarantine restrictions. This study aimed to determine the incidence, diversity and population fluctuations of frugivorous fly species that infest guava trees, as well as to survey their associated parasitoids, in the Espírito santo state, Brazil. Fruits and flies captured in traps were sampled in three guava-producing regions. Anastrepha fraterculus (Wied.) was the main species associated with guava trees, particularly in the coastal region. Anastrepha chiclayae was recorded for the first time associated with guava trees in Brazil. Medfly was not considered an important species. Neosilba zadolicha was the most common Lonchaeidae species collected, but with low importance. Higher populations of frugivorous flies were found in hot and humid areas. Two population peaks of A. fraterculus were observed during October (spring) and from March to April (summer-autumn). Tephritid flies occurred in all surveyed regions, with higher infestations in the coastal area, followed by the northern and mountain regions, respectively. Doryctobracon areolatusand Aganaspis pelleranoi were the most common species of parasitoids; however, the natural biological control of frugivorous flies in guava trees was very low and had little impact on fruit fly populations

Qualidade sensorial da bebida de cultivares de Coffea arabica L. em função do processamento pós-colheita: Sensory quality of coffee beverages from Coffea arabica L. cultivars as affected by post-harvest processing

Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar a qualidade sensorial de bebida de diferentes cultivares de Coffea arabica L., submetidas ao processamento natural e despolpado. O experimento foi realizado no município de Conceição do Castelo – ES (20º 21’ 50” S e 41º 14’ 57” W, 850 m de altitude). A implementação e condução do experimento foi em delineamento em blocos casualizados com quatro repetições, no esquema de parcelas subdivididas, sendo as parcelas constituídas por três cultivares (Catucai 785-15, Catuaí IAC 44 e Arara) e as subparcelas representadas por dois métodos de processamento (natural e cereja descascado). Foi realizada análise de variância dos dados, utilizando-se teste de agrupamento de médias de Scott-Knott em nível de 5% de probabilidade. Todas as cultivares avaliadas possuem potencial para produção e cafés especiais. Para o ambiente avaliado, a cultivar Arara é superior as demais cultivares avaliadas na produção de cafés com maior qualidade sensorial de bebida. Os métodos de processamento avaliados não interferem na nota final de bebida para as cultivares avaliadas

Efeito do armazenamento na qualidade fisiológica das sementes de populações de milho cultivadas sob estresses hídrico e mineral

The objective of this work was to evaluate the storage effect on seed physiological quality of five tropical maize (Zea mays L.) populations, under stress conditions, including acid soil and drought. Five maize populations (CMS06, CMS35, CMS36, CMS54 and Milho Metro) were cultivated in soils with two types of fertility (67% of base saturation and 54% of Al saturation), with and without irrigation during flowering. After harvest, the seeds were stored in the laboratory under environmental conditions. The physiological quality of seeds, germination and vigor, were determined in the start of the storage, 30, 90 and 210 days after starting storage. The seeds of the population CMS36 presented higher vigor when produced under high aluminum saturation. The population CMS54 presented highest stability related to physiological quality. The seeds of the populations CMS35, CMS36, CMS54 and Milho Metro presented higher stability related to physiological quality than the CMS06, during storage.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito do armazenamento na qualidade fisiológica de sementes de cinco populações de milho submetidas aos estresses de Al no solo e de seca no florescimento. Cinco populações de milho (CMS06, CMS35, CMS36, CMS54 e Milho Metro) foram cultivadas em solos com dois níveis de fertilidade: o primeiro, apresentando alta saturação de bases (V = 67%), e o segundo, alta saturação de Al (m = 54%). As populações de milho foram também submetidas à irrigação plena e à supressão de irrigação durante o florescimento. As sementes obtidas dessas populações foram armazenadas no laboratório de sementes sob condições ambientais. A qualidade fisiológica das sementes foi determinada no início e aos 30, 90 e 210 dias de armazenamento. As sementes da população CMS36 apresentaram maior vigor quando produzidas em solos com alta saturação de alumínio. A população CMS54 foi a mais estável com relação à qualidade fisiológica das sementes produzidas em diferentes ambientes. As sementes das populações CMS35, CMS36, CMS54 e Milho Metro foram mais estáveis com relação à qualidade fisiológica, durante o período de armazenamento, do que as da CMS06

Soil chemical characteristics, biomass production and levels of nutrient and heavy metals in corn plants according to doses of steel slag and limestone

ABSTRACT Steel slag presents potential for neutralizing the soil acidity instead of limestone and for supplying nutrients for plants. The objective of this work was to study the effect of steel slag on soil chemical characteristics, biomass production, and contents of nutrients and of heavy metals on dry matter of corn plants. The levels of P, K, Na, Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Zn, Mn, Si, Cd, Cr, Pb, and Ni were determined in steel slag and limestone (for comparison purposes) and the growth of corn plants under increasing doses of slag and limestone (0 to 10 t ha-1) was evaluated. Steel slag presented higher levels of P, Fe, Zn, Mn, and Si when compared with limestone. No difference was found in the content of heavy metals of slag and limestone, except for Cr, which was higher in the slag. Limestone provided the greatest increase of soil pH over time. Slag increased the content of P, Si, and soil micronutrient, while limestone was more efficient in increasing the content of Mg. The levels of heavy metals in the soil increased with the application of slag, but they remained below critical level within agricultural parameters. Slag and limestone presented a similar effect on the increase of the initial production of corn biomass. The levels of heavy metals in dry matter of corn plants under increasing doses of slag and limestone were below the critical levels of the toxicity of these elements on most plants