Productive performance of cowpea-radish intercropping under different amounts of rooster tree biomass incorporated into the soil

ABSTRACT Intercropping systems of cowpea with radish are beginning to be deployed in the semiarid region of Rio Grande do Norte state. The great challenge is to know whether or not there is productive efficiency in these systems when fertilized with organic matter produced by spontaneous species from the ‘Caatinga’ biome. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the productive performance of cowpea-radish intercropping systems under different amounts of rooster tree biomass incorporated into the soil. The study was conducted at the experimental farm Rafael Fernandes, rural zone of Mossoró, RN, in the period from June to September 2013, in an experimental design of randomized blocks with four treatments and five replicates. The treatments consisted of the following amounts of rooster tree biomass incorporated into the soil (10, 25, 40 and 55 t ha-1 on a dry weight basis). The best productive performance of the cowpea-radish intercrop was obtained when the rooster tree biomass amount of 50.01 t ha-1 was incorporated to the soil. The use of rooster tree biomass as green manure is agronomically viable in intercropped systems of cowpea-radish

Germination and initial growth of guava plants irrigated with saline water Germinação de sementes e crescimento inicial da goiabeira irrigada com água salina

The present study was carried in order to evaluate the effect of saline water irrigation with electrical conductivity (ECw) of 0.5; 1.5; 3.0; 4.5 and 6.0 dS m-1, on germination and some growth variables during the seedling formation process of four guava cultivars (Psidium guajava L.): Pentecoste, Paluma, Surubim and IPA B-38. Water salinity inhibited the germination process, plant height, stem diameter, leaf area and dry matter production of roots, stems and leaves, independently of cultivar. After germination, the seedlings did not survive due to saline water effects of ECw 4.5 and 6.0 dS m-1. After 180 days of sowing, the seedlings irrigated with ECw more than 1.5 dS m-1 did not present agronomic quality for planting. Dry matter production sequence of different parts of plants was as follows: leaves > roots > stems, without significant differences among cultivars especially when irrigated with saline water of ECw > 3.0 dS m-1.Avaliou-se o efeito da salinidade da água de irrigação, através dos níveis de condutividade elétrica (CEa) de 0,5; 1,5; 3,0; 4,5 e 6,0 dS m-1, sobre a germinação de sementes e algumas variáveis de crescimento, durante a formação de mudas de quatro cultivares de goiabeira (Psidium guajava L.) Pentecoste, Paluma, Surubim e IPA B-38. A salinidade da água inibiu a germinação, o crescimento em altura, diâmetro do caule, área foliar e fitomassa das raízes, caules e folhas das plantas, independente da cultivar. Após a germinação, as plântulas não sobreviveram aos efeitos salinos das águas de condutividade elétrica CEa 4,5 e 6,0 dS m-1. Ao final do ensaio, 180 dias após a semeadura, não se obtiveram mudas com qualidade agronômica nos tratamentos irrigados com água de salinidade superior a 1,5 dS m-1. A ordem de produção de matéria seca pelos distintos órgãos das plantas, foi: folhas > raízes > caules, mas sem diferir entre cultivares, principalmente quando irrigadas com água de maior salinidade > 3,0 dS m-1

The impacts of biofertilizer and mineral fertilization on the growth and production of yellow passion fruit irrigated with moderately saline water

Yellow passion fruit, because it is sensitive to the salinity of irrigation water or soil, requires restrictive water management strategies and inputs that mitigate the effects of salts on plants irrigated with harmful saline water levels. As such, an experiment was designed to evaluate the effects of bovine biofertilizer and mineral fertilization with NPK on the growth and production of yellow passion fruit plants irrigated with moderately saline water. Treatments were arranged in a randomized block with three replications and 12 plants per plot using a 4×2 factorial design with four doses of bovine biofertilizer diluted in water at 0, 33.3, 66.6 and 100% proportions in soil with and without NPK. The evaluated variables included the stem diameter, number of productive branches at the beginning of flowering (160 days after transplanting seedlings), number of fruits per hectare, average fruit weight and productivity. Biofertilizer applied at the maximum dose combined with mineral fertilization with NPK resulted in a greater growth in the stem diameter and an increased plant productivity. The 100% biofertilizer dose provided the best results. Even in treatments without mineral fertilizer, the biofertilizer increased productivity to values approaching 24 t ha-1 at the 60.65% level.El maracuyá amarillo, debido a la sensibilidad a la salinidad del suelo o del agua de riego, requiere la administración de estrategias de agua restrictivas para mitigar los efectos de las sales en las plantas regadas con agua salina, en niveles perjudiciales para el crecimiento y la producción de cultivos sensibles y moderadamente sensibles. En este sentido, se diseñó un experimento para evaluar los efectos de dosis de biofertilizante y mineral NPK fertilización sobre el crecimiento y rendimiento de fruta de maracuyá amarillo. Los tratamientos se dispusieron en un diseño de bloques al azar con tres repeticiones y 12 plantas por parcela, utilizando un diseño factorial 4 × 2, referidos a cuatro dosis de biofertilizantes bovina diluida con agua en las proporciones de 0; 33,3; 66,6 y 100% en suelo sin y con el NPK. Se evaluaron las variables: diámetro del tallo, número ramas productivas en el inicio de la floración (160 días después del transplante de las plántulas), número de frutos por hectárea, peso promedio del fruto y productividad. La dosis máxima de bioferilizante combinado con la fertilización mineral NPK resultó en mayor diámetro del tallo, y el aumento de la productividad de las plantas, pero los resultados fueron superiores en plantas con fertilización mineral. En tratamientos sin NPK los valores de productividad aumentaron cerca de 24 t ha-1, con la dosis 60,65% del biofertilizante