ABSTRACT Seed treatment with fungi of the genus Trichoderma spp. provides several benefits, including plant growth promotion, stress tolerance, and pathogenic fungi control. Moreover, to avoid inadequate doses and unnecessary costs, these treatments must be applied in proper amounts. However, no study has evaluated their applicability in wheat seeds. This study aimed to determine the most efficient dose of Trichoderma-based products applied as a seed treatment for improving the physiological and sanitary quality of the wheat cultivars TBIO ‘Toruk’ and TBIO ‘Sossego’, besides comparing the performance of biological and chemical agents. Two biological treatments (Trichoderma asperellum SF 04 and Trichoderma harzianum IBLF006) were applied at 0 (control), 5 × 10 11 , 1 × 10 12 , 1.5 × 10 12 , and 2 × 10 12 colony-forming units (CFU) 100 kg–1 seed. Two chemical treatments (carboxin + thiram and pyraclostrobin + thiophanate-methyl + fipronil) were applied at the manufacturers’ recommended doses. Seed germination, shoot and root lengths, seedling dry matter, and sanitary quality were analyzed under laboratory conditions, while seedling emergence, shoot length, and shoot dry matter were analyzed under greenhouse conditions. The optimal dose for wheat seed treatment with T. asperellum SF 04 and T. harzianum IBLF006 was 2 × 10 12 CFU 100 kg–1 seed. When comparing biological and chemical products, our findings indicate that both options are adequate for managing wheat diseases and providing seedling growth via seed treatment.

ABSTRACT Castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) is a plant native to Africa that presents important socioeconomic value for many countries, and has been the subject of breeding programs. In this context, the objective of this work was to identify genotypes with potential for improvement, focused on lowering plant height, using 19 hybrids and eight parents of R. communis. The study was developed at the experimental area of the Federal University of Recôncavo da Bahia in Cruz das Almas, BA, Brazil. The experiment was conducted in 2017 using a randomized block design with three replications, consisting of eight parents and 19 hybrids resulting from hybridization of these parents, grown with spacing of 3 meters between rows and 1 meter between plants. The characters stem diameter (SD), primary raceme insertion height (PRI), number of stem internodes (NSI), mean stem internode length (SIL), plant height (PH), number of harvested racemes (NHR), primary raceme length (PRL), and effective raceme length (ERL) were evaluated by analyzing the genetic parameters of variances and correlation between them. Five (H17, H2, H11, H13, and H6) of the 19 hybrids evaluated have potential to decrease PH of castor bean plants, presenting heights below 1.07 m. Direct selection for plant height is the most indicated for this purpose due to the high heritability of the character. However, the characters SD, PRI, and SIL stood out by assisting in indirect selection to decrease plant height because they can be early measured and present high heritability and strong correlation with PH.

ABSTRACT Fig (Ficus carica L.) is widely accepted due to its organoleptic and pharmacological properties. Search for innovations to improve the crop management has increased to reduce environmental impacts and improve the organoleptic quality and food safety of the fruits. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the influence of fertilization methods and plant training systems on the production and physicochemical traits of fig. The experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design in a 5 × 4 factorial scheme, with three blocks and three plants per plot. The factors corresponded to five fertilizers (chemical, cattle manure, sheep manure, poultry litter, and organic compost) and four training systems (two branches, three branches, four branches, and espalier). Results showed that, when using chemical fertilizer and poultry litter, plants showed similar productivity and number of fruits, which had similar firmness, length, and peel color (L and °h). The highest production and number of immature fruits were obtained using cattle manure. Soluble solids content and soluble solids content/ titratable acidity ratio were higher in fruits from plants fertilized with cattle manure, sheep manure, and organic compost. On the other hand, plants trained with three and four branches or in espalier produced fruits with the highest soluble solids content and weight. Also, heavier fruits were obtained using chemical fertilization and conducting plants with two, three, and four branches.

ABSTRACT In Brazil, acerola trees infested by Meloidogyne enterolobii present lower yield and fruit quality. The use of rootstocks resistant to this pathogen is one of the alternatives to overcome this problem. This study aimed to assess the reaction of 22 acerola accessions to M. enterolobii, aiming to identify at least one resistant rootstock. The experiment was carried out in a randomized block design with 10 replications and each plot consisting of 10 plants. Each plant was inoculated with 350 eggs and second-stage juveniles of M. enterolobii, with the gall index (GI) and reproduction factor (RF) being determined after 90 days. The variables were analyzed using the mixed model methodology (REML/BLUP). The accessions ACO-13, ACO-14, ACO-18, and BRS Apodi stood out with four to six plants showing resistance reaction to the root-knot nematode, but the assessment of accessions should be performed under a higher density inoculum and longer time.

ABSTRACT This study aimed to determine how crop residue placement and composition would affect soil water content and temperature during the dry season in the central region of Espírito Santo state, Brazil. A 19-week field study was conducted from April to August 2017. A 2 x 4 factorial study with four replications was implemented using a randomized complete block design. Factors were soil management [conventional tillage (CT) and no soil disturbance (ND)] and residue amendment [maize (Zea mays L.), sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.), a maize-sunn hemp mixture, and a no amendment control]. Soil water content and temperature were measured weekly at predetermined soil depth intervals. Soil water content was higher in ND plots amended with surface residues than under all other treatments in the 0 to 0.05 m depth range. All residue amendments in this range were equally effective in conserving soil water. Surface residues reduced soil temperature by up to 8.4 °C relative to the control in ND plots. Incorporating residue amendments by CT cancelled all temperature-moderating benefits provided by surface residues. These results indicate that surface residues from cereals, legumes, or cereal/legume mixtures are equally effective in conserving soil water and moderating soil temperature during the dry season. Additional research is needed to determine how improved soil environmental conditions, generated by surface residues, would affect nutrient acquisition and crop performance.

ABSTRACT Corn, one of the main grain crops in Brazil, needs to have its nutritional requirements fully satisfied to achieve high biological productivity. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of increasing doses of poultry litter biochar on nutrient concentrations in the leaves of hybrid corn BRS 2022 and in the soil after harvest. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design, with four replicates, evaluating six doses of biochar (0; 2.02; 4.05; 6.07; 8.10 and 10.12 t ha-1) and the plots composed of one plant per pot with a volume of 20 dm3. The collection of leaves for leaf diagnosis was carried out at the time of flowering, removing the opposite leaf from the ear base in the middle third region. These leaves were dried in a forced air circulation oven, 65 °C, for a period of 48 hours, ground, sieved through 20 mesh and analyzed for the concentrations of macronutrients in the leaf tissue. At the end of the experiment, 83 days after corn sowing, soil samples were collected as a function of the treatments and then analyzed chemically. Biochar application promoted an increase in the leaf contents of N, P and K, resulting in improvements in the nutritional status of plants for these nutrients. The chemical characteristics of the soil, analyzed after the corn harvest, revealed that there was an influence of the doses of biochar on the levels of calcium, organic carbon, potassium and phosphorus.

ABSTRACT The objective of this work was to characterize the physical and physicochemical parameters of pequi powders obtained by means of convective drying at different temperatures (50, 60, 70 and 80 °C) and pulp layer thicknesses (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 cm). Initially, the physicochemical characterization of fresh pulp was carried out, followed by convective drying under the conditions mentioned, until the equilibrium moisture content and subsequent disintegration to obtain the powders. Subsequently, the physical and physicochemical properties of the obtained powders were analyzed and the best powder was selected based on reduced moisture content and water activity and lower peroxide index. Pequi pulp showed a high fat content and a yellowish color; with the increase in drying temperature, there were reductions in the moisture content, water activity and protein content of the powders. As for the color parameters, the powder showed a darkening with the increase in drying time; the water adsorption isotherms of the selected pequi powder were classified as Type II, and the GAB model showed the best fits. The pequi powders showed good solubility and low cohesiveness. The powder that showed good flowability was produced at a drying temperature of 60 °C and with pequi pulp layer thickness of 0.5 cm.

ABSTRACT Previous investigations showed that diverse varieties of melon may have different attractiveness for bees. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the composition, frequency and behavior of flower visitors of some melon (Cucumis melo) cultivars (Amarelo, Pele de Sapo, Cantaloupe, Gália) in different conditions (conventional and organic farming, dry and rainy seasons, with and without mulching and introduction or not of honey bee hives) in the main production poles in the Brazilian Northeast (Petrolina-PE/Juazeiro-BA, Pacajus-CE and Mossoro-RN). Observations and collections of flower visitors occurred from 5p.m. to 6p.m, in non-consecutive days. We recorded 12 species of insects, mostly bees. The most frequent was Apis mellifera (99.68%), but other species appeared sporadically (less than 0.5%): Xylocopa grisescens, Trigona spinipes, Plebeia sp., Melipona mandacaia, Frieseomelitta doedereleini, Halicitidae. Apis mellifera was present in all studied cultivars and sites. Xylocopa grisescens appeared in two poles, but not in Pacajus-CE, Amarelo cultivar. In addition, Trigona spinipes, although present in the three poles, was not recorded on Pele de Sapo. The Amarelo cultivar, under organic farming, without the use of mulching, and presence of honey bee hives, in the Petrolina-PE/Juazeiro-BA pole, in the dry season, was the combination of factors showing the largest number of Apis mellifera as the main visitor of melon flowers.

ABSTRACT The common bean exhibits wide genetic variability for technological quality traits, mineral concentrations, and bioactive compounds. For this reason, investigating the correlations between those traits in common bean lines of different gene pools contributes to the progress of biofortification programs. In the present study, two recombinant inbred line populations of Mesoamerican and Andean common bean were evaluated at the F5:7 generation. Technological quality was evaluated based on mass of 100 grains and seed coat color, which was determined using a colorimeter that analyzed the L* (white to black), a* (green to red) and b* (blue to yellow) values. The concentration of six minerals and bioactive compounds (phytates and phenolic compounds) was evaluated and used to characterize the nutritional composition of the lines. The evaluated common bean lines differed (p ≤ 0.05) for all technological quality traits, mineral concentrations, and bioactive compounds, except for the zinc concentration in Andean beans. Seed coat color (L*, a*, and b* values) was highly correlated with most of the evaluated minerals and with the phytates in Mesoamerican beans. In Andean beans, seed coat color (L*, a*, and b* values) was correlated with the concentrations of potassium, magnesium, iron, and phenolic compounds. The nutritional composition of common bean lines of different classes is variable: black beans have higher concentrations of potassium, phosphorus, calcium, zinc, and phytates; carioca beans stand out with high magnesium concentration; and cranberry beans have higher concentrations of potassium, magnesium, and iron.

ABSTRACT The success of the integrated crop-livestock system depends on the correct pasture management, particularly regarding nitrogen fertilization and grazing intensity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the total production of forage and the proportion of the botanical and structural components of black oat and annual ryegrass mixture. The experimental design was randomized blocks with three replicates and the treatments were arranged in a three-factorial scheme: seed inoculation (with and without Azospirillum brasilense inoculation), grazing management (conventional grazing, where the animals were kept in pasture with no control of pasture height; 30, 20 and 10 cm at the end of grazing, and a control without grazing), and nitrogen fertilization (0, 50 and 100 kg nitrogen ha-1). In treatments with pasture heights where grazing ended at 30, 20 and 10 cm, the height was monitored and biomass was collected when the animals entered and exited the plots. Manual separation of the components was used to determine the dry mass of green leaves, stems, senescent material and inflorescence. Total dry mass production was obtained based on the initial forage mass plus the daily accumulation rates. The proportion of structural components varied according to the different grazing managements, nitrogen doses and inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense. Biomass production of black oat and ryegrass mixture was increased by nitrogen application and Azospirillum brasilense inoculation.