Influence of Molybdenum doses in inoculation and mineral fertilization in cowpea beans

In some leguminous plants, associations with nitrogen-fixing microorganisms allow their nutrition with nitrogen (N) from the atmosphere. This process is known as Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF), where through nitrogenase enzymes, N2 is converted to an available form. This process can replace in part, or in total, nitrogen fertilizers. Cowpea bean is a legume species that is recognized for its high capacity to carry out BNF. In the last decades, studies have encouraged small farmers from north and northeast Brazil to use inoculants with rhizobia species since the results of researches have demonstrated that inoculation is an interesting strategy to improve cowpea production. Considering the specific function of molybdenum (Mo) in the N assimilation, different doses of Mo were tested in this study in order to find doses that could improve and enhance BNF. Therefore, this study aimed to compare nitrogen fertilization and BNF in the N assimilation by plants with different Mo doses. Inoculation was performed with the strains UFLA 03-84 and INPA 03-11B. Doses of Mo were applied in seeds and each pot contained five seeds. Thirty-five days after germination, the plants were analyzed for shoot dry matter and fresh matter, N contents and accumulation, as well as the Soil-Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) Index and nodulation in inoculated plants. The different doses of Mo and also the nodulation treatments did not show significant differences in the contents of N. Plants with N fertilization had significant higher shoot dry matter and root dry matter production, in addition to higher N foliar contents and N accumulation. Therefore, BNF was not as efficient as nitrogen fertilization in the evaluated experimental conditions using cowpea beans

Agricultura orgânica e agroecologia como ferramenta de educação

Esse artigo descreve a experiência em uma escola no município de Lavras, Minas Gerais, ao apresentar conceitos básicos, bem como a existência dos alimentos orgânicos, abordando a Agroecologia e a suas vantagens sob os demais métodos de agricultura. Antes e após o ciclo de atividades aplicamos questionários simples para nos orientar quanto à direção a ser tomada e os resultados foram alcançados pela análise de conteúdo. Foi observado o desconhecimento por parte das crianças quanto ao que é a universidade e seu papel como parte da sociedade, algo que para eles pareceu ser uma realidade bem distante por vários fatores, dentre questões de cunho social e econômicas. Com o desenvolvimento deste projeto foi possível também despertar nas crianças o senso crítico e a importância do consumo de alimentos de qualidade, junto aos princípios agroecológicos

Image_1_Diversity and enzymatic activity of the microbiota isolated from compost based on restaurant waste and yard trimmings.png

IntroductionThe bad management of organic waste negatively affects environmental quality and composting has been a viable recycling alternative. Microorganisms are responsible for waste degradation during the composting process and, consequently, for transforming this waste into natural fertilizer. This work aimed to analyze and identify the biodiversity of yeasts and filamentous fungi throughout a composting process based on organic residues under different treatments (commercial inoculum, non-commercial inoculum, and control treatment) and to investigate the enzymatic activity of these microorganisms.MethodsMicroorganisms were isolated and identified from samples at 0, 5, 10, 20, 40, 60, and 120 days. Filamentous fungi were identified according to their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics, and yeasts were identified by sequencing the 18S rDNA region. All identified strains were evaluated for ligninolytic, cellulolytic, hemicellulolytic, amylolytic, pectinolytic, proteolytic, lipolytic, and ammonification. During the composting phases, the filamentous fungi were higher than the yeast population.Results and discussionAt the beginning of the process, a higher species diversity was observed, and the population of yeasts and filamentous fungi was, on average, 6.50 log CFU g−1. The microbial communities were similar throughout the process in the two inoculated treatments, which showed more significant microbial activity, diversity, and efficiency in the transformation of organic matter, and consequently, advantages in terms of the final product quality compared to the control treatment. The yeasts Pichia kudriavzevii, Pichia farinosa, Issatchenkia orientalis, and the filamentous fungi of the genus Aspergillus spp. proved to have high biotechnological value and could be used as starter cultures to accelerate the composting process.</p