Edleusa Pereira Seidel

Response of wheat to foliar application of zinc

Wheat is grown in Brazil, mostly in no-till, a system in which the zinc can become potentially deficient, due to excessive application of acidity corrective and phosphate fertilizers in surface and, or at shallow depths. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of foliar application of zinc in agronomic characteristics and yield of wheat. The experimental design was randomized blocks with five replications. Treatments consisted of four doses of zinc (0, 54, 108 and 216g ha-1 Zn), divided into two foliar applications, the first at tillering (18 days after plant emergence) and the second at the boot stage (65 days after emergence). Foliar application of zinc increased the number of fertile tillers and yield of wheat, however, have little effect on the agronomic characteristics of no-tilled crop with high nutrient content in soil.

Soybean Yield, Soil Porosity and Soil Penetration Resistance under Mechanical Scarification in No-Tillage System

Technological development has triggered a steady increase in Brazilian agricultural production, but also brought problems due to the excessive land use. The lack of care with proper management practices has led to soil physical degradation, mainly the formation of impermeable layers, which can lead to a reverse effect, a reduction in crop yield. It can be potentiated in silage production and with the lack of cover crops. To minimize the negative impacts of soil compaction, scarification is recommended, but its effectiveness has been questioned in no-tillage system. Thus, an experimental field was implemented in Brazil in 2015-2016 season, to evaluate the mechanical scarification on soybean production in succession to silage and grain corn intercropped with Brachiaria ( Urochloa ruziziensis ) as well as the physical properties of the soil. The experimental layout was a complete randomized block design with four replications. The plots were composed of second crop maize (autumn) intercropped with brachiaria, in two systems: silage and dry grains. The subplots were composed of three management system: no-tillage, reduced tillage cultivation with Terrus scarifier and Fox scarifier. Corn harvesting systems as well the scarifiers use did not affect soybean production and its yield components. The use of scarifiers reduced soil coverage, plant population, and soil penetration resistance. The data suggest that there was no persistence in the benefits presented by scarification. Soybean was able to break through the compacted layers, even above the critical level, corroborating with the hypothesis that the use of scarifiers does not bring benefits in no-tillage system.

Returnable bags - soil as a tool for environmental education.

Generally, the people have an attitude of lack of awareness and sensitivity to the soil, which contributes to their degradation , either by misapplication , whether by its disorganized occupation. The problem around soil conservation in most cases has been neglected by people. The consequence of this neglect is the continued growth of environmental problems related to land degradation , such as erosion , pollution, landslides , siltation of water ways . Faced with the need to demonstrate to students the importance of soil in maintenance of life and preserving the ecosystem is that it was drawn up environmental education project focusing on soils . The project began in 2011 , in the Western Parana State University. This article aims to describe one of the activities in environmental education project titled reusable bags. This project is destined for the student public of elementary and high schools and the general community . The project was developed by various entities and is being developed in the city of Marechal Cândido Rondon . At the end of the project were distributed ten thousand bags to customers of supermarkets project participants and held seven lectures , with total audience of three hundred and fifty students .