Effects of timing of nitrogen application on grain yield of maize

Um estudo foi realizado em dois anos, com irrigação por aspersão, para avaliar os efeitos da época de aplicação de 120 kg/ha de N (sulfato de amônio) no rendimento de grãos do milho. Utilizou-se o delineamento de blocos ao acaso, com cinco repetições e os seguintes tratamentos: aplicação de todo o N por ocasião do plantio (1-0-0), em cobertura, aos 25 (0-1-0) e aos 45 (0-0-1) dias após o plantio, e aplicação do N de forma parcelada (0-1/3-2/3, 1/3-0-2/3, 1/3-2/3-0, 0-1/2-1/2, 1/2-0-1/2, 1/2-1/2-0, 0-2/3-1/3, 2/3-0-1/3, 2/3-1/3-0 e 1/3-1/3-1/3). O efeito de tratamentos foi independente do efeito de anos. O maior rendimento de grãos (4.960 kg/ha) foi obtido com o tratamento 0-1/3-2/3, mas todos os demais tratamentos propiciaram rendimentos comparáveis, exceto os tratamentos 1-0-0, 1/3-2/3-0 e 2/3-1/3-0, que apresentaram os menores rendimentos.A two-year study was carried out at Mossoró county, Brazil, with sprinkler irrigation, in order to evaluate the effects of timing of application of 120 kg/ha of N (ammonium sulphate) on grain yield of maize. The randomized blocks design with five replications and the following treatments were utilized: whole application of preplanting (1-0-0), side dressed at 25 (0-1-0) or at 45 (0-0-1) days after planting and split applications (0-1/3-2/3, 1/3-0-2/3, 1/3-2/3-0, 0-1/2-1/2, 1/2-0-1/2, 1/2-1/2-0, 0-2/3-1/3, 2/3-0-1/3, 2/3-1/3-0 and 1/3-1/3-1/3). The effect of treatments was independent of the effects of the years. The highest grain yield (4,960 kg/ha) was obtained with 0-1/3-2/3 treatment, but the other treatments propitiated similar grain yields, except the 1-0-0, 1/3-2/3-0 and 2/3-1/3-0 treatments that showed the lowest grain yields

Crescimento de pimentão em diferentes arranjos espaciais

The objective of this work was to evaluate the growth of green pepper cv. Atlantis under different spatial arrangements. Three spacing arrangements between double and simple planting rows (1.5x0.5 m, 1.6x0.4 m and 1.7x0.3 m) and four spacing distances between plants in the rows (0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 m) combined in factorial scheme were evaluated. A randomized block design in split-plots divided in time with three replicates was used. The growth assessment was done in nine occasions, 14 days apart, and the first one was performed 14 days after transplanting (DAT). Leaf area (LA), leaf area index (LAI), dry masses of leaves (LDM), stem (SDM), fruit (FrDM) and total shoot (TDM); absolute growth rate (AGR), rates of net assimilation (NAR) and relative growth (RGR); and leaf area (LAR) and leaf mass (LWR) ratios were evaluated until 126 DAT. The changes in LA, RGR, LWR and LAR did not depend on row spacing, but spacing influenced LDM, SDM, FrDM and TDM, LAI and AGR. The increase in spacing reduces LAI and LAR, and increases LA, LDM, SDM, FrDM, TDM, AGR and NAR, but does not influence RGR and LWR.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o crescimento do pimentão cv. Atlantis sob diferentes arranjos espaciais. Foram avaliados três arranjos de espaçamentos entre fileiras duplas e fileiras simples de plantio (1,5x0,5, 1,6x0,4 e 1,7x0,3 m), e quatro espaçamentos entre plantas nas fileiras (0,2, 0,3, 0,4 e 0,5 m), combinados em esquema fatorial. Utilizou-se o delineamento de blocos ao acaso, com três repetições e parcelas subdivididas no tempo. A avaliação de crescimento foi realizada em nove épocas espaçadas em 14 dias, com a primeira avaliação realizada 14 dias após o transplantio (DAT). Até os 126 DAT, foram avaliados: área foliar (AF); índice de área foliar (IAF); massas secas de folhas (MSF), do caule (MSC), de frutos (MSFr) e do total da parte aérea (MST); taxa de crescimento absoluto (TCA), assimilatória líquida (TAL) e de crescimento relativo (TCR); e as razões de área foliar (RAF) e de massa foliar (RMF). As alterações em AF, TCR, RMF e RAF foram independentes do espaçamento entre fileiras que, no entanto, influenciou MSF, MSC, MSFr e MST, IAF e TCA. O aumento do espaçamento entre plantas reduz o IAF e a RAF e aumenta a AF, MSF, MSC, MSFr, MST, TCA e TAL, mas não influencia a TCR e RMF

National identity predicts public health support during a global pandemic (vol 13, 517, 2022) : National identity predicts public health support during a global pandemic (Nature Communications, (2022), 13, 1, (517), 10.1038/s41467-021-27668-9)

Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2022.In this article the author name ‘Agustin Ibanez’ was incorrectly written as ‘Augustin Ibanez’. The original article has been corrected.Peer reviewe

Predicting attitudinal and behavioral responses to COVID-19 pandemic using machine learning

At the beginning of 2020, COVID-19 became a global problem. Despite all the efforts to emphasize the relevance of preventive measures, not everyone adhered to them. Thus, learning more about the characteristics determining attitudinal and behavioral responses to the pandemic is crucial to improving future interventions. In this study, we applied machine learning on the multinational data collected by the International Collaboration on the Social and Moral Psychology of COVID-19 (N = 51,404) to test the predictive efficacy of constructs from social, moral, cognitive, and personality psychology, as well as socio-demographic factors, in the attitudinal and behavioral responses to the pandemic. The results point to several valuable insights. Internalized moral identity provided the most consistent predictive contribution—individuals perceiving moral traits as central to their self-concept reported higher adherence to preventive measures. Similar results were found for morality as cooperation, symbolized moral identity, self-control, open-mindedness, and collective narcissism, while the inverse relationship was evident for the endorsement of conspiracy theories. However, we also found a non-neglible variability in the explained variance and predictive contributions with respect to macro-level factors such as the pandemic stage or cultural region. Overall, the results underscore the importance of morality-related and contextual factors in understanding adherence to public health recommendations during the pandemic.Peer reviewe

National identity predicts public health support during a global pandemic.

Changing collective behaviour and supporting non-pharmaceutical interventions is an important component in mitigating virus transmission during a pandemic. In a large international collaboration (Study 1, N = 49,968 across 67 countries), we investigated self-reported factors associated with public health behaviours (e.g., spatial distancing and stricter hygiene) and endorsed public policy interventions (e.g., closing bars and restaurants) during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic (April-May 2020). Respondents who reported identifying more strongly with their nation consistently reported greater engagement in public health behaviours and support for public health policies. Results were similar for representative and non-representative national samples. Study 2 (N = 42 countries) conceptually replicated the central finding using aggregate indices of national identity (obtained using the World Values Survey) and a measure of actual behaviour change during the pandemic (obtained from Google mobility reports). Higher levels of national identification prior to the pandemic predicted lower mobility during the early stage of the pandemic (r = -0.40). We discuss the potential implications of links between national identity, leadership, and public health for managing COVID-19 and future pandemics

Cabbage and fermented vegetables : From death rate heterogeneity in countries to candidates for mitigation strategies of severe COVID-19

Large differences in COVID-19 death rates exist between countries and between regions of the same country. Some very low death rate countries such as Eastern Asia, Central Europe, or the Balkans have a common feature of eating large quantities of fermented foods. Although biases exist when examining ecological studies, fermented vegetables or cabbage have been associated with low death rates in European countries. SARS-CoV-2 binds to its receptor, the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). As a result of SARS-CoV-2 binding, ACE2 downregulation enhances the angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT(1)R) axis associated with oxidative stress. This leads to insulin resistance as well as lung and endothelial damage, two severe outcomes of COVID-19. The nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) is the most potent antioxidant in humans and can block in particular the AT(1)R axis. Cabbage contains precursors of sulforaphane, the most active natural activator of Nrf2. Fermented vegetables contain many lactobacilli, which are also potent Nrf2 activators. Three examples are: kimchi in Korea, westernized foods, and the slum paradox. It is proposed that fermented cabbage is a proof-of-concept of dietary manipulations that may enhance Nrf2-associated antioxidant effects, helpful in mitigating COVID-19 severity.Peer reviewe