Diurnal ingestive behaviour of steers grazing Alexander grass with various levels of nitrogen and feed supplements

Given the increasing availability of new cultivars with high yield potential, the use of annual tropical forages to improve cattle production systems is increasing and therefore warrants more research. The objective of this study was to quantify the influence of feed supplementation and nitrogen fertilization on the diurnal ingestive behaviour of crossbred steers (zebu x taurine), maintained on a pasture of Alexander grass (Urochloa plantaginea). The treatments included the application of nitrogen fertilizer at 100 kg/ha; at 100 kg/ha + supplemented feed of wheat bran (0.5% of bodyweight); and at 200 kg/ha. The study used a completely randomized design with three replications. The paddock size was 0.7 ha. Data were analysed by fitting mixed models. The times spent resting, ruminating and consuming water were not different among treatments. However, time spent grazing significantly differed. On average, steers given supplemented feed spent less time grazing (297 min/day) than steers without the supplemented feed (345 min/day). Steers in the pasture with supplementation showed a significantly greater number of daytime bites (2029 bites) than steers in the 200 kg nitrogen treatment (1715 bites). Supplementation reduced grazing time without altering other behaviour variables. The number of daily bites was lower on the pasture with the higher nitrogen level.Keywords: Feeding time, grazing, idle, nitrogen fertilization, ruminatio

Temperatura base para aparecimento de folhas e filocrono da variedade de milho BRS Missões Base temperature for leaf appearance and phyllochron of the BRS Missões maize variety

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estimar a temperatura base para aparecimento de folhas e o filocrono em uma variedade de milho em várias datas de semeadura e dois anos de cultivo. Um experimento de campo foi realizado em Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul (RS), com sete datas de semeadura. Foi utilizada a variedade BRS Missões em dois anos agrícolas consecutivos (2005-06 e 2006-07). O delineamento experimental foi blocos ao acaso com seis repetições. A parcela foi composta por três linhas de 5m de comprimento no espaçamento 0,8m x 0,21m. Em cada parcela, foram marcadas ao acaso três plantas na linha central nas quais foi realizada semanalmente a contagem do número de folhas completamente expandidas (NFE) e o total (NFT). A temperatura base variou entre épocas de semeadura de 4,5 a 12&deg;C, com média próxima de 8&deg;C, valor que foi usado no cálculo da soma térmica. O filocrono foi maior quando calculado com base no NFE do que com base no NFT e variou com a data de semeadura, de 50,0 a 69,9&deg;C dia folha-1 e de 39,6 a 59,8&deg;C dia folha-1, respectivamente, sendo o fotoperíodo uma possível causa da variação do filocrono entre épocas.<br>The objective of this study was to estimate the base temperature for leaf appearance and the phyllochron of a maize variety in several sowing dates and two growing seasons. A field experiment was conducted in Santa Maria, RS, with seven sowing dates using the BRS Missões variety in two growing seasons (2005-06 and 2006-07). The experimental design was a completely randomized blocks, with six replications. Plots were three 5 m rows in a 0.8m x 0.21m spacing. Three plants in the central row of each plot were randomly tagged, and the number of fully expanded leaves (NFE) and the number of leaf tips (NFT) were counted once a week on the tagged plants. The base temperature varied with sowing date from 4.5 to 12&deg;C and an average of about 8&deg;C was used to calculate thermal time. Phyllochron was higher when calculated on an NFE basis than on a NFT basis, and varied with sowing date from 50.0 to 69.9&deg;C day leaf-1 and from 39.6 to 59.8&deg;C day leaf-1, respectively, with photoperiod being a likely cause to explain the variation in the phyllochron with sowing date

Filocrono em batateira afetado pelo tamanho do tubérculo-semente e pela época de cultivo Phyllocrono in potato affected by tuber-seed size and growing season

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estimar o filocrono de plantas de batata da cultivar Asterix oriundas de diferentes tamanhos de tubérculos-semente, em duas épocas de cultivo em campo utilizando o conceito de graus-dia para o cálculo do filocrono. O experimento foi desenvolvido em Santa Maria (RS), na primavera de 2003 e no outono de 2004. Foram usados quatro tamanhos de tubérculos-semente da cultivar de batata Asterix: entre 2 e 4 cm, 4 e 6 cm, 6 e 8 cm e 8 e 10 cm. O filocrono (ºC dia folha-1) foi estimado pelo inverso do coeficiente angular da relação entre número de folhas na haste principal e a soma térmica calculada por três métodos: método 1 - considera apenas a temperatura base; método 2 - considera a temperatura base e a temperatura ótima, e método 3 - considera a temperatura base, a temperatura ótima e a temperatura máxima. O tamanho do tubérculo-semente não afetou o filocrono, mas o método de cálculo da soma térmica e a época de cultivo afetaram o filocrono da batateira cultivar Asterix. No método de cálculo da soma térmica a ser usado no filocrono da batateira cultivar Asterix, recomenda-se usar a temperatura base e a temperatura ótima, pois com este método, o filocrono foi similar entre as épocas de cultivo.<br>The objective of this study was to estimate the phyllochron of the potato cultivar Asterix in plants derived from different tuber seed sizes in two field growing seasons using the concept of degrees-days for calculating the phyllochron. The experiment was conducted in Santa Maria, RS, during Spring 2003 and Fall 2004. Four classes of tuber-seed diameter of the potato cultivar Asterix were used: 2-4 cm, 4-6 cm, 6-8 cm and 8-10 cm. The phyllochron was estimated as the inverse of the slope of the linear regression of main stem leaves number against the thermal time calculated with three methods: method 1 - considering only the base temperature, method 2 - considering the base temperature and the optimum temperature, and method 3 - considering the base temperature, the optimum temperature and the maximum temperature. Tuber-seed size did not affect the phyllochron of the potato cultivar Asterix, but the method of calculating thermal time and the planting date affected the phyllochron. For the method of calculating thermal time in the phyllochron of the potato cultivar Asterix, it is recommended to use the base temperature and the optimum temperature, because it produced similar phyllochron values in the two growing seasons

Crescimento relativo em Uca leptodactyla Rathbun (Crustacea Decapoda Ocypodidae) Relative growth in the fiddler crab Uca leptodactyla Rathbun (Crustacea Decapoda Ocypodidae)

<abstract language="eng">Relative growth of the male major chela and female abdome was studied in a population of the fiddler crab Uca leptodactyla Rathbun, 1898 from Itapoá, Santa Catarina coast, southern Brazil. Major chela length (CMQ) was measured from 191 males, and abdomen width (LAB) from 128 females. Carapace width (LC) was the reference dimension for both sexes, which ranged from 3.9 to 11.5 mm for males, and from 3.15 to 10.65 mm for females. Males grew bigger than females. Relationship between CMQ and LC showed a transition point at 8.35 mm LC in males, and between LA and LC at 7.10 mm LC in females. Growth was allometrically positive in the early ontogenesis and isometric after the puberal molting for both sexes. Regressions between LC and CMQ in males read as: logCMQ = -0,854536 + 2,19. logLC for empirical points at left of critical point and logCMQ = 0,063047 + 1,24. logLC for those at right. In females, this relation was logLAB = -0,603590 + 1,30. logLC and logLAB = -0,361464 + 1,07. logLC, respectively. These body dimensions were connected with reproductive activity of this species

Estimativa do filocrono em calêndula Estimating the phyllochron in calendula

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estimar o filocrono em plantas de calêndula (Calendula officinalis L.) cultivadas em diferentes épocas de semeaduras. Realizaram-se três épocas de semeaduras: 06/04/2005, 23/06/2005 e 03/10/2006, no interior de uma estufa plástica com área de 240m2, instalada no campus da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, UFSM. A semeadura foi realizada em vasos plásticos com capacidade volumétrica para cinco litros. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado com 320 vasos em cada época, sendo distribuído em quatro fileiras de 80 vasos cada. Em uma planta de oito vasos de cada quatro fileiras, fez-se a contagem, semanalmente, do número de folhas emergidas da haste principal e na primeira haste lateral. Os dados do número de folhas foram correlacionados com a soma térmica diária acumulada, considerando-se uma temperatura base de 8&deg;C. Constatou-se que o filocrono variou com a época de semeadura, sendo o menor valor igual 15,9&deg;C dia folha-1, obtido na 2&ordf; época de semeadura e o maior, igual a 24,5&deg;C dia folha-1, na 1&ordf; época na haste principal e 48,9&deg;C dia folha-1 na semeadura de outubro na primeira haste lateral.<br>The objective of this study was to estimate the phyllochron in calendula (Calendula officinalis L.) grown in different sowing dates. Three sowing dates (06/04/2005, 23/06/2005 and 03/10/2006) were performed inside a 240m2 plastic greenhouse at the Campus of the Federal University of Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. Sowing was in five liter plastic pots. The experimental design was a completely randomized with 320 pots on each sowing date and rows with 80 pots. The number of leaves in the main stem and oi the first lateral branch was counted on a weekly basis in one plant of eight pots. The number of leaves data was regressed against accumulated thermal time, assuming a base temperature of 8oC. The main stem phyllochron varied with sowing date, with the lowest value (15.9&deg;C day leaf -1) obtained on the second sowing date, and the greatest value (24.5&deg;C day leaf -1) obtained on the first sowing date. The greatest phyllochron on the first order lateral branch was 48.9&deg;C day leaf -1 in the October sowing date

Métodos de soma térmica e datas de semeadura na determinação de filocrono de cultivares de trigo Thermal time methods and sowing dates in phyllochron determination in wheat cultivars

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito dos métodos de cálculo de graus-dia e de datas de semeadura na determinação do filocrono de cultivares de trigo (Triticum aestivum). Foi conduzido um experimento em campo, com 13 datas de semeadura, durante três anos (2005-2007), em Santa Maria, RS, usando-se seis cultivares de trigo: BRS Louro, CEP 52, CEP 51, BRS 177, Nova Era e BRS Tarumã. O filocrono (°C dia folha-1) foi estimado pelo inverso do coeficiente angular da regressão linear entre o estádio de Haun e a soma térmica acumulada calculada por seis métodos. O método de cálculo da soma térmica afeta as estimativas do filocrono em trigo.O uso das três temperaturas cardinais de emissão de folhas e a comparação das temperaturas cardinais com a temperatura mínima e máxima do ar melhora a precisão na simulação do desenvolvimento vegetativo dessa cultura, em comparação aos demais métodos. O filocrono varia com a cultivar de trigo e com a data de semeadura, e cultivares mais precoces (BRS Louro e CEP 51) têm menor filocrono do que cultivares tardias (Nova Era e BRS Tarumã). Em semeaduras no outono ou inverno, o filocrono é maior do que em semeaduras de primavera ou verão.<br>The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of degree-days and sowing dates calculation methods on phyllochron determination in wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars. A three-year field experiment with 13 sowing dates was conducted for three years (2005-2007) in Santa Maria, RS, Brazil, using six wheat cultivars: BRS Louro, CEP 52, CEP 51, BRS 177, Nova Era and BRS Tarumã. The phyllochron (°C day leaf-1) was estimated by the inverse of the slope of the linear regression of the Haun stage against the accumulated thermal time calculated using six methods. The thermal time calculation method affects wheat phyllochron estimates. The use of the three cardinal temperatures for leaf emission and cardinal temperatures compared to the minimum and maximum air temperatures improves the precision of the vegetative development simulation of this crop, in comparison to the other methods. The phyllochron varies with wheat cultivar and sowing date, and early cultivars (BRS Louro and CEP 51) have lower phyllochron than late cultivars (Nova Era and BRS Tarumã). The phyllochron is greater in sowings carried out during fall and winter than in the ones carried out during spring and summer