Armazenamento de sementes de pinhão manso em diferentes embalagens e ambientes.

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a qualidade fisiológica de sementes de pinhão manso armazenadas em diferentes embalagens e ambientes. O experimento foi conduzido na Universidade Federal de Viçosa, em Viçosa-MG. As sementes, com teor de água de 8,3%, foram acondicionadas em embalagem de pano e de plástico e armazenadas por 450 dias em condições de laboratório (sem controle de temperatura e U.R.); sala refrigerada (18 a 20 ºC e 55 a 60% de U.R.); câmara fria (10 a 12 ºC e 55 a 60% de U.R.) e câmara fria (5 a 7 ºC e 60 a 65% de U.R.). No início do armazenamento e a cada 90 dias, foram determinados o teor de água, a germinação e o vigor das sementes. Redução na qualidade fisiológica das sementes de pinhão manso ocorreu durante o armazenamento, independentemente das condições de ambiente e embalagem. As sementes podem ser armazenadas por 270 dias em ambiente não controlado, em Viçosa-MG. Para armazenamento por tempo superior a 270 dias, é recomendada a utilização de ambiente refrigerado, com temperatura mais ou menos 18-20 °C, independentemente da embalagem utilizada

Yield of cotton cultivars under different irrigation depths in the Brazilian semi-arid region.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of irrigation depths on seed cotton yield and water-use efficiency of cotton cultivars in the Brazilian semi-arid region. Field experiment was conducted during two consecutive years in the Apodi region, RN, using sprinkler irrigation. The experiment consisted of factorial combination in split-plots, composed of four irrigation depths (130; 100; 70 and 40% ETc and four cotton cultivars - FiberMax 993, BRS 286, BRS 336 and BRS 335), in randomized block design with 4 replicates. Data were evaluated by mean test (Tukey) and regression analysis. Considering the irrigation depths of 40% ETc, cotton yield was 48% lower compared to the higher irrigation depth (130% ETc). The higher water-use efficiency (0.69 kg m-3) was obtained with 70% ETc irrigation depth. The highest seed cotton yield was achieved with the higher water depth for all evaluated cultivars. Yield response factor (Ky) was equal to 0.632, 0.711, 0.784 and 0.858, for FiberMax 993, BRS 286, BRS 335 and BRS 336 cultivars, respectively. FiberMax 993 and BRS 286 cultivars presented the best performance, showing that they are more suitable for irrigated farming in the semi-arid region

Canopy temperatures and accumulated degree days on cotton plants under water deficit.

Canopy temperature is one of the best integrators of plant health and has been successfully used for irrigation scheduling. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the canopy temperature of cotton plants under water stress at different stages of the crop cycle and to determine the accumulated degree days based on canopy temperature. It was applied water deficit periods of 15 days at the following phenological stages: First Square, First Flower, Peak Bloom and Opening Bolls and control treatment. Canopy temperature was obtained using SmartCrop® wireless infrared temperature sensors. The results showed higher canopy temperatures during water deficit periods. For water deficit periods, canopy temperature values were always above the optimum temperature for cotton metabolism. As a result of the stress caused by water deficit, cotton yield was significantly reduced, with the higher yield loses recorded when applied deficit occurred during flowering stages (beginning and peak). Accumulated degree days also varied according to water stress, with a shortened phenological cycle for treatments with water deficit in comparison to the control without stress. The period for fiber thickening was also influenced by the variation in canopy temperature due to water stress, which may reflect decline in fiber quality

Fiber quality of upland cotton under different irrigation depths.

Aiming to evaluate the effect of irrigation depths on fiber quality of upland cotton, an experiment was conducted from July to December 2010 in Barbalha-CE, Brazil. The treatments consisted of a factorial combination of two upland cotton cultivars (BRS Aroeira and BRS Araripe) and five irrigation depths (260.93, 418.93, 514.21, 711.81 and 894.68 mm), arranged in a split-plot design with four replicates. A line-source sprinkler irrigation system was used and irrigation depth in the control treatment was calculated according to the crop evapotranspiration. The analysed fiber quality variables were: fiber percentage, length, uniformity, short-fiber index, resistance, elongation at rupture, micronaire index, maturity, degree of yellowing, reflectance degree and count strength product (CSP) index. The irrigation depths influenced fiber length, short-fiber index, strength, micronaire index, maturity and reflectance degree. The cultivars influenced fiber percentage, length and color (degree of yellowing). The best results of fiber quality were found with irrigation depths of 514.21 and 418.93 mm for the upland cotton cultivars BRS Araripe and BRS Aroeira, respectively