Physiological and N2-fixation-related traits for tolerance to drought in soybean progenies

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar seis genótipos de soja (Glycine max) quanto aos parâmetros fisiológicos e à fixação biológica de nitrogênio, em condições de restrição hídrica, e sua capacidade de recuperação após reidratação, com base em componentes de produção. Os genótipos avaliados em casa de vegetação foram os seguintes: 'BRS 317', suscetível à seca; R01-581F e R02-1325, que apresentam fixação biológica de nitrogênio tolerante à seca; e os recombinantes BRB14-207525, BRB14-207526, BRB14-207527 resultantes de cruzamentos entre genótipos comerciais e PI 471938, que apresenta o fenótipo “slow wilting” em condições de seca. A restrição hídrica foi aplicada por dez dias aos genótipos em fase de florescimento pleno (R2), enquanto as plantas-controle foram mantidas bem irrigadas. A taxa fotossintética e as trocas gasosas sob restrição hídrica foram mais estáveis no genótipo BRB14-207526. A biomassa das raízes aumentou 3,5 vezes em R02-1325 como resposta adaptativa à seca. Além disso, os teores foliares de ureídos – uma característica relacionada à fixação biológica de nitrogênio em plantas tolerantes à seca – mantiveram-se estáveis nos genótipos R02-1325 e R01-581F, sob seca, e diminuíram em BRB14-207527. Os genótipos BRB14-207526, BRB14-207527 e R02-1325 apresentam melhores desempenhos fisiológicos e menor acúmulo de ureídos sob seca, além de maior produção de grãos após a sua reidratação. As progênies BRB14-207526 e BRB14-207527 apresentam características de tolerância à seca que provêm de PI 471938, enquanto R02-1325 é uma fonte promissora de tolerância à seca para o melhoramento da soja.The objective of this work was to evaluate six soybean (Glycine max) genotypes for physiological traits and biological nitrogen fixation in drought conditions, and their capacity for recovery after rewetting, based on yield components. The genotypes evaluated in a greenhouse were the following: 'BRS 317', susceptible to drought; R01-581F and R02-1325, which show biological nitrogen fixation tolerant to drought; and the BRB14-207525, BRB14-207526, BRB14-207527 breed lines resulting from crossings between commercial genotypes and PI 471938, which shows a slow-wilting phenotype under drought. Drought conditions were applied to the genotypes at the full-flowering stage (R2) for ten days, whereas control plants were kept well-watered. Photosynthetic rate and gas exchanges under drought were more stable in the BRB14-207526 genotype. Root biomass increased 3.5 times in R02-1325 as an adaptive response to drought. In addition, leaf ureides – a trait related to biological nitrogen fixation in plants tolerant to drought – remained stable in genotypes R02-1325 and R01-581F exposed to drought, but decreased in BRB14-207527. Genotypes BRB14-207526, BRB14-207527, and R02-1325 show more favorable physiological performances and a lower accumulation of ureides under drought, besides a higher grain yield after rehydration. The BRB14-207526 and BRB14-207527 progenies show drought-tolerance traits from PI 471938, whereas R02-1325 is a promising source of tolerance to drought for soybean breeding

Soil quality indicators in a rhodic kandiudult under different uses in northern Parana, Brazil

Sustainable use of soil, maintaining or improving its quality, is one of the goals of diversification in farmlands. From this point of view, bioindicators associated with C, N and P cycling can be used in assessments of land-use effects on soil quality. The aim of this study was to investigate chemical, microbiological and biochemical properties of soil associated with C, N and P under different land uses in a farm property with diversified activity in northern Parana, Brazil. Seven areas under different land uses were assessed: fragment of native Atlantic Forest; growing of peach-palm (Bactrys gasipaes); sugarcane ratoon (Saccharum officinarum) recently harvested, under renewal; growing of coffee (Coffea arabica) intercropped with tree species; recent reforestation (1 year) with native tree species, previously under annual crops; annual crops under no-tillage, rye (Cecale cereale); secondary forest, regenerated after abandonment (for 20 years) of an avocado (Persea americana) orchard. The soil under coffee, recent reforestation and secondary forest showed higher concentrations of organic carbon, but microbial biomass and enzyme activities were higher in soils under native forest and secondary forest, which also showed the lowest metabolic coefficient, followed by the peach-palm area. The lowest content of water-dispersible clay was found in the soil under native forest, differing from soils under sugarcane and secondary forest. Soil cover and soil use affected total organic C contents and soil enzyme and microbial activities, such that more intensive agricultural uses had deeper impacts on the indicators assessed. Calculation of the mean soil quality index showed that the secondary forest was closest to the fragment of native forest, followed by the peach-palm area, coffee-growing area, annual crop area, the area of recent reforestation and the sugarcane ratoon area