A aplicação de brassinosteroide 28-homocatasterona reduz a podridão estilar em tomates ‘BRS Montese’

We assessed the effect of 28-homocatasterone on xylem functionality and its relationship with blossom end rot (BER) occurrence and the quality of 'BRS Montese' tomatoes. Tomato plants were cultivated in a protected environment, with a semi-hydroponic system. During full flowering, open flowers were selected, marked, and pollinated. After two days, the flowers received the application of 28-homocatasterone at a concentration of 10-6 M or deionized water (control). Treatments were reapplied weekly up to 24 days after the first application (DAFA). At 24 DAFA, fruits were harvested and evaluated for fresh mass, texture (skin rupture and pulp penetration forces), skin color, xylem functionality, membrane permeability, apoplastic calcium concentration, and BER incidence. The application of 28-homocatasterone at 10-6 M did not increase the fresh mass nor change the fruits' texture attributes. However, 28-homocatasterone increased or kept xylem functionality, which was assicated with increased apoplastic calcium concentration and reduced BER occurrence in 'BRS Montese' tomatoes. Thus, the application of 10-6 M catasterone could be an alternative for BER control in tomatoes.Avaliamos o efeito da 28-homocatasterona na funcionalidade do xilema e sua relação com a ocorrência de podridão estilar (PE) e a qualidade de tomates 'BRS Montese'. Os tomateiros foram cultivados em ambiente protegido, com sistema semi-hidropônico. Durante a plena floração, as flores abertas foram selecionadas, marcadas e polinizadas. Após dois dias, as flores receberam a aplicação de 28-homocatasterona na concentração de 10-6 M ou água deionizada (controle). Os tratamentos foram reaplicados semanalmente até 24 dias após a primeira aplicação (DAPF). Aos 24 DAPF, os frutos foram colhidos e avaliados quanto à massa fresca, textura (força de ruptura da epiderme e resistência a penetração da polpa), cor da casca, funcionalidade do xilema, permeabilidade da membrana, concentração de cálcio apoplástico e incidência de PE. A aplicação de 28-homocatasterona a 10-6 M não aumentou a massa fresca nem alterou os atributos de textura dos frutos. No entanto, a 28-homocatasterona aumentou ou manteve a funcionalidade do xilema, o que foi associado ao aumento da concentração de cálcio apoplástico e redução da ocorrência de PE em tomates 'BRS Montese'. Assim, a aplicação de catasterona 10-6 M pode ser uma alternativa para o controle de PE em tomates

Population Dynamics in Mixed Canopies Composed of Kikuyu-Grass and Tall Fescue

The current work was based on the central hypothesis that grazing management strategies modulate tillering dynamics of mixed canopies composed of kikuyu-grass (C4 perennial grass) and tall fescue (C3 perennial grass). Among the five grazing management conditions evaluated, three (7, 12, and 17 cm) represented the heights up to which the grasses were kept by mimicking a continuous stocking method throughout the experimental period (from May 2016 to October 2017), and the other two consisted of the heights 12 and 17 cm with a single grazing to 7 cm in mid-autumn. Nitrogen fertilization was applied only during winter–spring. The results showed that under severe grazing (7 cm), kikuyu-grass predominated in the area and that tall fescue population predominated in the moderately lenient (12 cm) and lenient (17 cm) grazed pastures, regardless of an occasional autumn grazing to 7 cm. After two years of evaluation, kikuyu-grass tillers were reduced to 6% of the total population in those pastures managed at the heights of 12 and 17 cm. Grazing management strategies modulate species proportions in a mixed canopy composed of kikuyu and tall fescue. Moreover, our data also suggest that it seems unlikely that there is a stable association of tall fescue and kikuyu-grass when no nitrogen fertilization is applied during summer

Defoliation intensity and leaf area index recovery in defoliated swards: implications for forage accumulation

This study evaluated the leaf area index (LAI) recovery mechanisms and forage accumulation rates on the regrowth of different grass species subjected to different defoliation intensities. For that purpose, plots of Pennisetum clandestinum (kikuyugrass), Lolium multiflorum (annual ryegrass), and Avena strigosa (black oats) were defoliated from 20 to 80 % of their initial heights (25, 20, and 25 cm, respectively). At different increments in height, forage samples were collected to ground level and used to estimate tiller population density (TPD), leaf area per tiller (LA ), and forage mass. From these data, we calculated the leaf area index (LAI), average leaf area index (aLAI), and average and instantaneous forage accumulation rate (FAR and IFAR, respectively). Data were plotted over time (days) to describe LAI recovery and forage accumulation rates. As the defoliation intensity increased, greater canopy heights were needed for pastures to achieve their maximum forage accumulation rates, which required longer regrowth intervals. The need for high tiller recruitment after defoliation, which delayed canopy LAI recovery, seemed to be one of the main cause. Thus, grazing management strategies that involve costly tiller recruitment could decrease both overall forage production and sward persistence over time. However, the plant ability to recover LAI after successive intense defoliations seems to be species-dependent and related to their phenotypic plasticity

Consumo de forragem e desempenho animal em cultivares de Urochloa humidicola sob lotação contínua

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o acúmulo de forragem, a estrutura do dossel, o valor nutritivo, o consumo de forragem e a produção animal, em pastos de Urochloa humidicola sob lotação contínua. As cultivares BRS Tupi e Comum foram avaliadas durante os períodos de seca e das águas (julho de 2011 a agosto de 2012), em delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, com dois tratamentos e seis repetições. Mensalmente, os animais foram pesados e os pastos amostrados para a determinação de: taxa de acúmulo de forragem (TAF); massa de forragem; percentagens de folha (PF), colmo e material morto (PM); e valor nutritivo. O consumo de matéria seca (CMS) foi determinado uma vez a cada período. 'BRS Tupi' apresentou maiores TAF e PF e menor PM do que a 'Comum', durante o período das águas. O valor nutritivo, o CMS e o ganho médio diário foram semelhantes entre as duas cultivares. O conteúdo de proteína bruta da forragem - 6,0 e 5,0%, respectivamente, para os períodos das águas e seco - foi o principal fator limitante ao CMS. 'BRS Tupi' recebeu maior taxa de lotação e, consequentemente, possibilitou maior ganho de peso vivo por área (192 kg ha-1 por ano) do que a 'Comum' (126 kg ha-1 por ano). A 'BRS Tupi' é uma boa alternativa para a diversificação de pastagens em solos de baixa fertilidade sujeitos a alagamento temporário

Herbage utilisation efficiency of continuously stocked pastures during periods of restricted pasture growth

The aim of this study was to evaluate the defoliation patterns of individual tillers, efficiency of herbage utilisation, and forage production in continuously stocked Brachiaria humidicola cv. Comum swards during periods of the year of restricted pasture growth. The experiment was conducted at the Embrapa, Campo Grande-MS, Brazil, from April to October 2012. Treatments consisted of two grazing management strategies, defined by two ranges of sward height (10–15 and 20–25 cm) managed under continuous and variable stocking rates. The experiment was conducted as a completely randomised block design with three replications. During periods of resource constraints, grazing management strategies based on ‘steady state’ sward heights did not alter defoliation patterns, herbage utilisation efficiency (HUE), and forage production in Brachiaria humidicola swards under a continuous stocking method. A direct implication of our results is that grazing management strategies during the driest and coldest periods of the year in the tropics should be developed based on the conditions most suitable for better promoting faster pasture recovery and a return to production in the following spring; it is unlikely that any grazing management strategy would be successful in increasing herbage production and/or HUE in periods of restricted pasture growth

Atributos fisiológicos, físico-químicos e minerais associados à ocorrência de "bitter pit" em maçãs

O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar os atributos fisiológicos, físico-químicos e minerais associados à ocorrência pós-colheita de "bitter pit" em maçãs 'Fuji' e 'Catarina'. Os frutos foram colhidos, armazenados por 120 dias a 1ºC, com 9095% de umidade relativa e, em seguida, divididos em lotes com ou sem sintoma de "bitter pit". Maçãs 'Catarina' apresentaram maior incidência e severidade de "bitter pit", em comparação a 'Fuji'. Em ambas as cultivares, os frutos com "bitter pit" apresentaram maior produção de etileno, respiração e acidez titulável, e menor pH, firmeza de polpa, textura da casca e da polpa e percentagem de cor vermelha na casca. Os frutos com "bitter pit" também apresentaram menores teores de Ca e maiores valores das relações K/Ca, N/Ca, (K+Mg)/Ca e (K+Mg+N)/Ca nos tecidos da casca e da polpa da região pistilar. A análise canônica discriminante indica que os atributos mais adequados para discriminar frutos com e sem "bitter pit" são força para penetração na polpa e relação K/Ca na polpa, em maçãs 'Fuji', e acidez titulável e relação K/Ca na casca, em maçãs 'Catarina'