The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of an enzyme complex-α-amylase, ß-glucanase, phytase, cellulase, xylanase and protease-in the feed of swine in growing and finishing phases, by assessing their performance (daily weight gain, daily feed intake, and feed conversion), dry matter, crude protein, and crude energy apparent digestibility, and the feed costs. Eighty pigs-castrated males, and females-of approximately 63 days of age and initial weight of 20.18±1.98 kg were distributed in a 5×2 factorial arrangement (diet × sex), in a randomized block design, with eight replications. The treatments used were: positive control diet consisted of 3,300 kcal/kg in the growth-I phase, and 3,250 kcal/kg in the growth-II and finishing phases; negative control diet with energy reduction of 85 kcal/kg of metabolizable energy (ME) (NC85); NC85 diet with addition of enzyme complex (EC85); negative control diet with energy reduction of 100 kcal/kg ME (NC100); NC100 diet with addition of enzyme complex (EC100). The addition of the enzyme complex to the diet with energy reduction of 100 kcal/kg ME increased the digestible protein content of the diet for the swine in the growth-II phase. The addition of the enzyme complex to the diet with energy reduction of 85 and 100 kcal/kg ME increased the digestible energy content of the diets for the swine in the finishing phase. The use of enzyme complex in diets with reduction of 85 kcal/kg ME for male swine in growing and finishing phases is recommended for improving feed conversion and economic efficiency during the growth-I phase. The use of enzyme complex is not justified for female swine.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a nutritionally demanding crop, and phosphorus (P) is a nutrient that exerts a large effect on tuber yield. However, as the availability of P is influenced by soil texture, there are doubts about how P supplementation affects the growth and yield of potato plants in different soil textures. Thus, here we aimed to evaluate the effect of P fertilization and soil texture on the nutrition, growth, tuber yield, and P use efficiency (PUE) of potato plants. The experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions in a randomized block design with a 4×2 factorial scheme and five replications. The treatments were represented by four P rates (10, 50, 100, and 200 mg dm-3 P) and two soil textures (clayey and sandy). The concentrations of P, Ca, and Mg in the leaves were higher in sandy soil, and P rates increased the concentrations of N, P, and Ca in the leaves of potato plants. Phosphorus fertilization increased plant growth, the amount of P accumulated in the shoot, and tuber yield in both soils; this trend was stronger in the potato cultivated in the clayey soil than in the sandy soil. The applied-PUE was not affected by soil texture. In the potato cultivated in the sandy soil, the taken up-PUE was reduced due to the decrease in dry matter production and an increase in P concentration in the organs of the plant with higher P fertilizer rates.

Maize is an important cereal and it is widely consumed in the world, both as food for humans and animals. Nitrogen (N) is a nutrient required in large quantities by maize, but unfortunately, soils are limited in meeting this need. Nodulating legumes can serve as a source of Nitrogen, because they are symbiotically associated with bacteria capable of fixing atmospheric N. Another important source of this nutrient is cattle manure, which is widely used in agriculture. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of using legumes and cattle manure on the production as well as the microbial and biochemical quality of the soil used for maize cultivation. The experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design, in a sub-subdivided plot scheme (2x4) +2, two leguminous plants (pigeon pea and macassar bean), four doses of cattle manure (0, 20, 40 and 60 t ha-1) and two controls; one with mineral fertilization and the other cultivated without the use of fertilizers. Treatment using a manure dose of 60t ha-1 and pigeon pea legume, recorded higher dry mass production per plant. The increase in manure doses was directly proportional to the length and weight of the cobs for the two legumes. The enzymatic activities were affected by the different doses and legumes, with greater results being recorded at the 60 t ha-1 dose with the macassar legume. The use of legumes with manure improved maize production as well as the microbiological and biochemical quality of soils.

Grape orchards are highly affected by oviposition of fruit flies on grape berries, which compromises the productivity and quality of the grapes. The goal of this study was to evaluate the susceptibility of American, European, and hybrid grape genotypes to Anastrepha fraterculus and Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) under laboratory conditions (25 ± 2ºC, 60 ± 10% RH, and 14-hour photophase). The assays were conducted by evaluating oviposition preference through choice and no-choice (antibiosis) tests. The choice test was set up using circular arenas (diameter: 300 mm) with 10 grapes per genotype. The no-choice test was set up using 150 grapes per genotype which were placed inside plastic boxes (417 x 297 x 289 mm). After exposure of the grapes to one or two couples of fruit flies per genotype in choice and no-choice tests, respectively, the grapes were transferred to transparent plastic containers (750 mL). The number of eggs per grape and its viability were evaluated. The no-choice test also evaluated the biological cycle of the fruit flies. The assays were conducted in a completely randomized design with 15 replicates. The most preferred grapes for oviposition by A. fraterculus were Cabernet Sauvignon, Niagara Rosada, and BRS Cora, while C. capitata mainly preferred Isabel Precoce grapes. We observed the complete development of fruit flies in the Moscato Embrapa grapes, but this only occurred with C. capitata. All genotypes evaluated were considered susceptible to A. fraterculus and C. capitata. However, the fruit flies expressed differences in preference for oviposition and host quality.

The objective of this study was to quantify the necromass stock in a Mixed Ombrophilous Forest (MOF) fragment in the National Forest of Irati, State of Paraná, Brazil. Two sampling methods were tested: FA1, consisting of a fixed area (FA) approach with sample units measuring 2,500 m2 (50 m × 50 m); and FA2, consisting of fixed area sampling units measuring 500 m2 (10 m × 50 m) and line intercept sampling (LI) using 50 m lines. Data were collected on permanent sample plots installed in the area, consisting of 25 square blocks of 1 ha. Fallen dead wood pieces with a diameter = 10 cm were used in the analysis. The dead wood was classified into three degrees of decomposition, and masses were calculated as the corresponding density at each class. The tested sampling methods were evaluated using coefficient of variation and relative sampling error, and the nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the results between the methods. Volume size of fallen dead wood did not statistically differ between the methods, but variation in necromass volume was lower in the FA1 method, whereas the FA2 method had a smaller sampling error. Overall sampling error ranged from 23.4-27.92%; lowering the sampling error to 15% would require a high sampling intensity (FA1: 42 area units a.u., FA2: 99 a.u., and LI: 236 a.u.). Total necromass weights amounted to 4.67 Mg.ha-1 (FA1); 5.16 Mg.ha-1 (FA2) and 4.58 Mg.ha-1 (IL), and carbon stock estimates were 2.00 Mg.C.ha-1 (FA1); 2.20 Mg.C.ha-1 (FA2) and 1.96 Mg.C.ha-1 (IL).

Biochar is a solid material formed during biomass thermochemical decomposition processes. This organic compound has particular properties that may cause effects on soils depending on its feedstock and processing conditions. Thus, the characteristics and purpose of use of this material must be recognized prior to its use. Two types of biochar, derived from different wood sources, were compared, one from caatinga biome species and another from cashew trees. Two species from caatinga biome were used, jurema-preta (Mimosa tenuiflora Willd. Poir.), and marmeleiro (Croton sonderianus Müll. Arg.). This study aimed to identify the best biochar material regionally available to increase water-holding capacity in the soil, based on laboratory tests and microstructural porosity evaluation. Biochar from Caatinga wood demonstrated an improved water-holding capacity if compared to cashew wood biochar. The particle diameters of 2 and 4 mm showed the highest levels, which were 2,268 g.g-1 for caatinga wood and 0.574 g.g-1 for cashew wood biochars, respectively. While the smaller quantities of macropores and a larger number of micropores (smaller radius) could explain the higher water-holding capacity for biochar from caatinga wood, the thick lignified cell walls of biochar from cashew wood support the idea of a hydrophobic effect contributing to water lower holding capacity.

Here we aimed to evaluate the influence of cladode morphology on the canopy formation of forage cactus plants. The study was carried out in Serra Talhada, the State of Pernambuco, using the IPA Sertânia (IPA), Miúda (MIU), and Orelha de Elefante Mexicana (OEM) clones, which were submitted to three irrigation depths (2.5, 5.0, or 7.5 mm) and three irrigation intervals (7, 14, or 28 days) from March 2012 to August 2013. Cladode and plant canopy biometric data were obtained during the experimental period. We found that the characteristics of the second and third order cladodes contributed most to the canopy formation of clones of the genus Nopalea (IPA and MIU), whereas, for the genus Opuntia (OEM), the first and third order cladodes contributed most. Overall, we found that the influence of the cladode variables on the canopy growth of forage cactus is more associated with the characteristics of the genus than to the peculiarities of the clones.

The most-used preparation process of protein isolates (PI) involves the isoelectric precipitation of the protein. Heating shortens the preparation time but this procedure may affect the purity, yield, molecular profile of the protein, and the activity of the trypsin inhibitor. This study aimed to investigate the effect of heating in the production of cowpea protein isolates. Crude whole beans (WB) were defatted with hexane, and the protein isolates obtained by isoelectric precipitation with (HPI), and without (NHPI) heating. The protein content of the WB and the PI was determined by the micro-Kjeldahl method, and the extraction yield estimated from the protein content at the end of extraction in relation to this content in the raw material. Possible losses of protein fractions were followed by SDS-PAGE, and the trypsin inhibitor activity determined by an enzymatic assay (BAPNA: benzoyl-DL-arginine-p-nitroanilide). Protein content in HPI was 83.3%, less than in the NHPI (92.2%). The HPI yield was lower (40.0%) as compared to the NHPI (42.3%). Electrophoresis indicated bands ranging from 13 to 262 kDa in WB; and the NHPI presented a protein fraction’s profile closer to that of the WB than to the HPI. The WB had the trypsin inhibitor activity, expressed as Trypsin Inhibitory Units (TIU), of 32.5±0.5 TIU /mg-protein; HPI showed 12.7±0.5 TIU /mg-protein (39% of that observed in WB) and the NHPI, 8.3±0.2 TIU /mg-protein (25.5%). Heating reduces the yield and purity of proteins in the isolates. However, the inhibitory activity of trypsin cowpea is most affected by the isolation procedure.

The high luminosity rates and high annual average temperatures of the Brazilian semiarid region, combined with the use of irrigation and adaptability of the sunflower crop to local climate, favor increased achene yield due to acceleration of morphophysiological processes. The objective of this work was to evaluate the morphophysiological and productive characteristics of sunflower varieties grown under drip irrigation in the Sub-Mid São Francisco River Valley. The experiment was conducted in the Experimental Field of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa Semiarid), in Petrolina, State of Pernambuco, Brazil, in a randomized block design, with 21 sunflower varieties and four replications. The variables evaluated were flowering time, plant height, number of live leaves, stem and capitulum diameter, number of lodged and broken plants, stem curvature, relative chlorophyll index, photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration, average leaf temperature, 1000-achene weight and achene yield of the sunflower varieties. The treatments presented flowering time of 43 to 59 days after sowing, plant height of 1.0 to 1.4 m, capitulum diameter of 0.154 to 0.221 m, chlorophyll content of 30.8 to 33.98 Spad units and 1000-achene weight of 35.61 to 80.30 g. The sunflower varieties V7 and V8 stood out, with achene yields above 2,960 kg ha-1 and low number of lodged and broken plants, indicating a greater adaptability irrigation crops in the Sub-Mid São Francisco River Valley.

The aim of this study is to document the heretofore unrecorded natural occurrence of the larval parasitoid Digonogastra sp. on Diatraea flavipennella Box, 1931 (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in sugarcane fields. The collections were made in the Usina Santa Clotilde area, in Rio Largo municipality, Alagoas State, Brazil. This is the first record of Digonogastra sp. parasitizing caterpillar of D. flavipennella in Brazil. The parasitism rate was found to be 14.06%. The occurrence of this parasitoid indicates potential for natural regulation of that pest in sugarcane crop.