Antonio Enedi Boaretto

UTILIZAÇÃO DE NITROGÊNIO DE ADUBOS VERDE E MINERAL PELO MILHO

Desenvolveu-se, na Estacao Experimental de Piracicaba - Instituto Agronomico (SAA-SP), de marco/94 a setembro/95, um experimento para avaliar o potencial de fornecimento de nitrogenio de adubos, verde e mineral, aplicados, de forma exclusiva ou combinada, na cultura do milho. Em uma primeira fase, produziram-se, simultaneamente, mucuna-preta sem marcacao isotopica no campo e adubo verde marcado com 15N em casa de vegetacao e, na segunda, a mucuna-preta foi incorporada ao solo, cultivando-se, em seguida, milho. O experimento constou dos seguintes tratamentos: testemunha, 15N-mucuna-preta (4,4 t ha-1 de materia seca e 25,8 g kg-1 de N), 15N-ureia (50 e 100 kg ha-1 de N) e as possiveis combinacoes de mucuna-preta e ureia marcadas ou nao com 15N. Esses foram dispostos em delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso com quatro repeticoes. O solo forneceu a maior parte do N acumulado nas plantas de milho, seguido, em ordem decrescente, pela ureia e mucuna-preta. A contribuicao da ureia para o N acumulado nas plantas de milho foi proporcional a dose aplicada. O aproveitamento de nitrogenio da ureia pelo milho foi maior que o da mucuna-preta, sendo os melhores efeitos proporcionados pela combinacao das duas fontes.

Liming and fertilization to restore degraded Brachiaria decumbens pastures grown on an entisol

The reconstitution of soil fertility is essential in the process of pasture restoring, liming being the first action to be taken in this direction. The liming recommendation for pastures needs more technical information as the application method and rate. A field experiment was carried out to evaluate the liming and fertilization practices to restore a degraded Brachiaria decumbens pasture. The following factors were studied: liming method (incorporated in soil by disking or not); level of base saturation (40, 50 or 80%) and lime type (55, 70 or 90 of ECC). Liming and fertilization (NPK and micronutrients) increased both the forage yield and its root system, these being more evident in the second year, even using the same rates of lime and fertilizer used during the first year. After two years the levels of base saturation aimed for the 0 to 0.20 m soil layer were not achieved, neither was the neutralization of the Al. The disking impaired the development of the root system of B. decumbens and promoted the decrease of soil organic matter. The lime with the lowest ECC increased root growth and led to higher concentrations of Ca and Mg in the soil. Studies in other conditions are necessary to define liming requirements in established and degraded pastures.

Fertilização foliar de nitrogênio para laranjeira em estágio de formação

Young orange plants were supplied with N (15N-urea) by foliar fertilization. The leaves absorbed 52% of the N applied, 48 hours after foliar fertilization. In relation to the total N applied to the leaves of young orange plants, 38, 39, 23 and 15% were recovered in plants harvested 75, 120, 180 and 360 days after transplantating to pots, respectively. There were no significant effects of foliar fertilization on dry matter weight and amounts of N taken up during the first year after transplanting.

Boron affects the growth and ultrastructure of castor bean plants

The cultivation of oleaginous plants like the castor bean guarantees employment for agricultural families and can contribute in energy and chemical sectors, especially in the northeastern semi-arid regions of Brazil. Boron (B) deficiency is a widespread nutritional disorder despite the fact that various anthropogenic sources with high B content may increase soil B to toxic levels for plants. The present study was designed to investigate the ultrastructural effects of boron deficiency and toxicity on castor bean plants which were grown under greenhouse condition using plastic containers with 10 L of nutrient solution. Boron treatments comprised: control (no B); 0.27 mg L-1, 5.40 mg L-1 B pots (one plant per pot), tested in a completely randomized design with three replicates. The dry matter of all plant parts and B concentration were determined. Cellular ultrastructure was evaluated by transmission and scanning electron microscopy on samples of leaves and petioles. Dry matter yield was affected by the B absence treatment but there was no difference for the 5.4 mg L-1 B (toxic conditions) treatment. A marginal leaf burn at edge and tips of oldest leaves and absence of starch granules in chloroplasts were noted for the B toxicity treatment. The deformation of the youngest leaves, the death of the apical meristem as well as the swelling of the middle lamella, absence of starch granules in chloroplasts and petiole vessels untidily were observed in the B absent treatment. It is concluded that the production and development of castor bean plants is affected by boron deficiency, but not for boron toxicity conditions.

Absorption and Mobility of Boron in Young Citrus Plants

Boron (B) deficiency is widespread in Brazilian citrus orchards and has been considered an important soil constraint to citrus yield. The aim of this work was to study B uptake and its mobility in young citrus trees, under different B statuses, in two rootstocks. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse, with ‘Valencia’ sweet orange trees budded on Rangpur lime or Swingle citrumelo. The plants were grown in pots containing nutrient solutions under either adequate or deficient B supply. Plants with different B levels were transplanted into solution with adequate level of B, enriched in 10B in different stages of development (vegetative growth and fruiting). About 20 to 35% of B content in the new parts of orange tree came from plant reserves. Boron mobility within the plant was influenced by its nutritional status; that is, the longer the period was that the plants were grown under deficient supply, the smaller was the mobility. Boron concentration in the sweet orange trees on Swingle was higher than that on Rangpur, suggesting higher demand of swingle Citrumelo for B.

Cadmium availability and accumulation by lettuce and rice

Among the toxic elements, Cd has received considerable attention in view of its association with a number of human health problems. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the Cd availability and accumulation in soil, transfer rate and toxicity in lettuce and rice plants grown in a Cd-contaminated Typic Hapludox. Two simultaneous greenhouse experiments with lettuce and rice test plants were conducted in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The treatments consisted of four Cd rates (CdCl2), 0.0; 1.3; 3.0 and 6.0 mg kg-1, based on the guidelines recommended by the Environmental Agency of the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil (Cetesb). Higher Cd rates increased extractable Cd (using Mehlich-3, Mehlich-1 and DTPA chemical extractants) and decreased lettuce and rice dry matter yields. However, no visual toxicity symptoms were observed in plants. Mehlich-1, Mehlich-3 and DTPA extractants were effective in predicting soil Cd availability as well as the Cd concentration and accumulation in plant parts. Cadmium concentration in rice remained below the threshold for human consumption established by Brazilian legislation. On the other hand, lettuce Cd concentration in edible parts exceeded the acceptable limit.

BORON UPTAKE AND DISTRIBUTION IN FIELD GROWN CITRUS TREES

In low fertility tropical soils, boron (B) deficiency impairs fruit production. However, little information is available on the efficiency of nutrient application and use by trees. Therefore, this work verified the effects of soil and foliar applications of boron in a commercial citrus orchard. An experiment was conducted with fertigated 4-year-old ‘Valencia’ sweet orange trees on ‘Swingle’ citrumelo rootstock. Boron (isotopically-enriched 10B) was supplied to trees once or twice in the growing season, either dripped in the soil or sprayed on the leaves. Trees were sampled at different periods and separated into different parts for total B contents and 10B/11B isotope ratios analyses. Soil B applied via fertigation was more efficient than foliar application for the organs grown after the B fertilization. Recovery of labeled B by fruits was 21% for fertigation and 7% for foliar application. Residual effects of nutrient application in the grove were observed in the year after labeled fertilizer application, which greater proportions derived from the soil supply.

Nutrient cycling in a RRIM 600 clone rubber plantation

Few reports have been presented on nutrient cycling in rubber tree plantations (Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg.). This experiment was carried out to evaluate: the effect of K rates on the amount of nutrients transfered to the soil in a 13-year old Hevea brasilensis RRIM 600 clone plantation, nutrient retranslocation from the leaves before falling to the soil, and nutrient loss by dry rubber export. The experiment started in 1998 and potassium was applied at the rates of 0, 40, 80 and 160 kg ha-1 of K2O under the crowns of 40 rubber trees of each plot. Literfall collectors, five per plot, were randomly distributed within the plots under the trees. The accumulated literfall was collected monthly during one year. The coagulated rubber latex from each plot was weighed, and samples were analyzed for nutrient content. Increasing K fertilization rates also increased the K content in leaf literfall. Calcium and N were the most recycled leaf nutrients to the soil via litterfall. Potassium, followed by P were the nutrients with the highest retranslocation rates. Potassium was the most exported nutrient by the harvested rubber, and this amount was higher than that transfered to the soil by the leaf literfall.

Effects of foliar applications of boron on citrus fruit and on foliage and soil boron concentration

An experiment was conducted in a 5 year old citrus orchard, for four years, to study the effect of boron (B) containing spray mixtures (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium + amino acids) on fruit yield and quality and on the foliage B concentration. The foliar fertilization increased the leaf B concentraction, initially low, to within the adequate range. However, there was no corresponding effect on the fruit yield and juice chemical characteristics. The addition of amino acids, urea and potassium chloride to the foliar fertilizer did not affect the absorption of B by the orange (Citrus sinensis) leaves. A second experiment was carried out in orange orchards of different ages, ranging from 3 to 20 years old, in order to determine the effects of repeated foliar applications of B containing spray on the soil B concentration. The soil B concentration increased with increasing orchard age, indicating that part of the foliar sprayed solution fell on the soil and it was higher in soil samples taken under the citrus canopies than between the rows.

Características químicas de um latossolo adubado com uréia e cloreto de potássio em ambiente protegido

The production of healthy, high quality vegetables and the development of technologies for continuous supply to the market are important factors determining the adaption of protected cultivation systems by an increasing number of growers. Due to the little knowledge on soil management practices under these conditions, high fertilizer rates are normally applied, causing salinity problems and nutricional unbalances. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the effects of urea and potassium chloride applications on the chemical characteristics of an Eutrorthox, mainly on its acidity and potassium saturation. The N was applied in rates of 13.3 and 39.9g m-2 and the K in rates 5.5 and 16.6 g m-2, in a fatorial (2X2+1) design, including a control. Pepper plants (Capsicum annuum, Mayata cultivar) were grown under protected condition, during 34 weeks. After seedling rooting, the nutrients were applied at the rate of one sixth of the total at ten day intervals, up to 60 days. It was observed that urea did not acidify the soil probabily due to its high buffering capacity. The nitric and ammoniacal forms of N were directly effeted by the N rates applied in relation to the soil. In the treatment with N, the roots showed better development compared to the control. However, the highest K rate, applied as KCl, decreased root growth, probably due to the high soil K concentration and possible salinity effects, resulting in more than 5.0 mmolc dm-3 of K and more than 5.3% of K saturation in the exchange complex.