Marcos Silveira Bernardes

Field determintation of young acid lime plants transpiration by the stem heat balance method

ABSTRACT: The stem heat balance method (HBM) measures sap flow (SF) in plants, and can be used toestimate daily transpiration flow. It is a powerful technique for water relations and irrigation field studies,but it has to be tested in species of particular interest. This paper discusses effectiveness of the HBM toestimate transpiration of young acid lime plants ( Citrus latifolia Tan. cv. Tahiti), grafted on citrumelo cv.Swingle ( Poncirus trifoliata Raf. x C. paradisi Macf.), in the field using commercial gauges (model SAG10-ws, Dynamax Inc., Huston), in Piracicaba, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. SF was correlated to transpirationdetermined by weighing lysimeters and by a steady-state null-balance porometer. The mean ratio betweendaily values of SF and lysimetric measurements was practically unitary, showing a mean difference ofonly 0.05%, being the comparisons of values in periods shorter than 24 hours impaired by effect of windturbulence on lysimeters. The same occurred (mean difference of 0.38%) when SF and canopy transpirationestimated from porometer measurements were compared in 20-min periods, but transpiration tended toexceed SF in periods of higher transpiration and data dispersion was high (r

The potential for increasing rubber production by matching tapping intensity to leaf area index

Understanding resource capture can help design appropriate species combinations, planting designs and management. Leaf area index (LAI) and its longevity are the most important factors defining dry matter production and thus growth and productivity. The ecophysiological modifications and yield of rubber (Hevea spp.) in an agroforestry system (AFS) with beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) were studied. The experiment was established in Southeast-Brazil, with three rubber cultivars: IAN 3087, RRIM 600 and RRIM 527. The AFS comprised double rows of rubber trees along with beans sown in autumn and winter seasons in 1999. There was about 50% higher rubber yield per tree in the AFS than the rubber monoculture. Trees within the AFS responded to higher solar radiation availability with higher LAI and total foliage area, allowing its greater interception. All three cultivars had higher LAI in the AFS than monoculture, reaching maximum values in the AFS between April and May of 3.17 for RRIM 527; 2.83 for RRIM 600 and 2.28 for IAN 3087. The maximum LAI values for monocrop rubber trees were: 2.65, 2.62 and 1.99, respectively, for each cultivar. Rubber production and LAI were positively correlated in both the AFS and monoculture but leaf fall of rubber trees in the AFS was delayed and total phytomass was larger. It is suggested that trees in the AFS were under exploited and could yield more without compromising their life cycle if the tapping system was intensified. This shows how knowledge of LAI can be used to manage tapping intensity in the field, leading to higher rubber yield.

Feasibility of cultivation of sugarcane in agroforestry systems

Brazil is the worlds main sugarcane producer and the production system has changed abiding to legal and technical recommendation. In Piracicaba many smallholders grow sugarcane in steep areas. Under such situation, mechanization at harvest makes cultivation impossible. This work assess the viability of agroforestry systems on joining crop production and conservation of natural resources. Soils at 12-20% slope class were identified, tree species which could be cultivated along with sugarcane were selected, and the design of the systems to be adopted was evaluated. Identified area occupies 11,556 ha and the most representative soil types are Typic Kandiuldult and Lithic Hapludoll. The exotic species coconut, eucalyptus, pejibaye and rubber, and eight native species have potential to be grown in contourhedgerows with sugarcane. Initial planting of exotic, domesticated trees is recommended, and gradual introduction of native, non-domesticated species, can be set according to their ecological requirements.

Expolinear model on soybean growth in Argentina and Brazil

Predicting crop growth and yield with precision are one of the main concerns of the agricultural science. For these purpose mechanistic models of crop growth have been developed and tested worldwide. The feasibility of an expolinear model for crop growth was evaluated on predicting growth modification on soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) of determined and undetermined growth cultivars, submitted to water restrictions imposed on different phenological stages. An experiment was carried out in Azul/Argentina and in Vicosa/Brazil during the growing seasons (1997/1998, 1998/1999 and 2002/2003). The expolinear model was adjusted to the dry-matter data obtained from each treatment. The model showed sensibility of Rm (maximum relative growth rate of the culture - g g-1 day-1) to variation in air temperature; of Cm (maximum growth rate of the culture - g m-2 day-1) to solar radiation and of Tb (lost time -day) to water stress. Cm values were higher without water restriction presenting, in both countries, a direct correlation with solar radiation. Without water restrictions, Rm values were lower when the average air temperature during the cycle was lower. It was observed that under water stress the culture had a bias to present higher Rm values. Tb was lower in the irrigated treatments than in those with water deficits. The analysis of the outputs clearly shows the feasibility of the expolinear model to explain the differential growth rates of soybean as a consequence of climatic conditions.

Disponibilidade de energia radiante em um sistema agroflorestal com seringueiras: produtividade do feijoeiro

It is observed a great adaptation of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) to diffuse light, making possible its cultivation in association with other crops. Agroforestry systems (AFS) of rubber trees (Hevea spp.) and beans are extensively reported in many tropical countries, with many advantages in productivity and economic revenue terms. However, the physiological processes involved in the interaction between these species are not well understood yet. This study was aimed to verify the effects of environment modification due to trees in the productivity of common beans grown in AFS as a function of their distance across the rubber tree planting line. It was observed that beans productivity is direct and positively related to irradiation availability, decreasing with the proximity of the trees. Thus irradiation measurement or simulation can be useful on predicting beans production in AFS. The proposed AFS is suitable, as radiation excess to the intercrop is attenuated by the rubber tress during the autumn; in winter, when this excess does not occur, rubber trees attenuated a smaller percentage due to their leaffall. It was not observed differences in harvest index due to shade; however these were 0.54 in autumn and 0.38 in winter seeming to be characteristic to the crop and harvest time.

Influence of rubber trees on leaf-miner damage to coffee plants in an agroforestry system

The coffee leaf-miner (CLM) (Leucoptera coffeella Guérin-Mèneville; Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae), the main pest of coffee plants, occurs widely throughout the Neotropics where it has a significant, negative economic and quantitative impact on coffee production. This study was conducted in a rubber tree/coffee plant interface that was influenced by the trees to axa0varying degrees depending on the location of the coffee plants, i.e. from beneath the rubber trees, extending through a range ofxa0distances fromxa0the edge of the tree plantation to end in axa0coffee monocrop field. The most severe damage inflicted on coffee plants by the CLM (number of mined leaves) from April, which marks the start of the water deficit period, until September 2003 was in the zone close to the rubber trees, whereas the damage inflicted on plants in the monocropped field was comparable to that on coffee plants grown directly beneath the rubber trees, which received about 25–40xa0% of the available irradiance (Ir—available irradiation at a certain position divided by the irradiation received in full sunlight, i.e. in the monocrop). From May until July damage caused by the CLM nearly doubled in each month. In midwinter (July), the damage decreased perceptibly from the tree edge toward the open field. From September onward, with the rising air temperatures CLM damage in the coffee monocrop started to increase. Based on these results, we conclude that coffee plants grown in the full sun incurred the most damage only at the end of winter, with warming air temperatures. Coffee plants grown in shadier locations (25–40xa0% Ir) were less damaged by the CLM, although a higher proportion of their leaves were mined. The rubber trees probably acted as a shelter during the cold autumn and winter seasons, leading to greater CLM damage over a distance outside the rubber tree plantation that was about equal to the height of the trees. Future studies should attempt to relate leaf hydric potential to pest attack in field conditions. More rigorous measurements of shade conditions could improve our understanding of the relationship of this factor to CLM attack.

Desempenho do método de dissipação térmica na medida do fluxo de seiva em seringueira

The transpiration measurement of trees in field condition is very difficult. In the two last decades, some emphasis has been given in the study of stem sap flow as an indicator of plant transpiration. The methodology is particularly suitable for time scale less or equal than one day. One of the methods is the heat dissipation method (HDM), which has been used because of its simplicity and high sensitivity to the sap flow variations. However, the effect of the natural radiation, that generates a natural thermal gradient in stem, may lead to precision loss. Moreover, the performance of the method needs to be evaluated if the conditions are different from those for which it was developed. Thus, the present work aimed to analyze the performance of the HDM in rubber trees, considering that this specie produces latex that could affect the performance of the sensor, as well as to evaluate the effect of the natural thermal gradient of the stem on the estimated transpiration. The results had showed that HDM can be used with rubber trees and, in the conditions that tests were conducted, the natural thermal gradient does not effect the estimations. To improve the precision of the method, further studies, characterizing the tissue sap conductive area and the stem diameter should be made.

Crescimento de dois cultivares de soja submetidos a aplicações de herbicidas e fungicidas

Existem relatos de que a aplicacao de fungicidas do grupo das estrobilurinas na cultura da soja tem trazido aumento de produtividade mesmo em locais sem incidencia de doencas, indicando que as alteracoes de ordem fisiologica devem ser quantificadas. Este estudo foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de avaliar o crescimento de dois cultivares de soja (MG/BR46 Conquista e BRS Valiosa RR) submetidos a aplicacoes de herbicidas e fungicidas (estrobilurinas e/ou triazois). Dois experimentos foram desenvolvidos em campo com esquema de tratamentos em parcelas subdivididas no tempo (5 x 12), em que nas parcelas foram alocadas cinco combinacoes de herbicidas (glyphosate a 720 g ha-1 ou sethoxydim (230 g ha-1) + bentazon + chlorimuron-ethyl (480 + 11,25 g ha-1)) e fungicidas (pyraclostrobin a 75 g ha-1, epoxiconazole a 50 g ha-1 ou pyraclostrobin + epoxiconazole (66,5 + 25 g ha-1)); e como subparcelas foram consideradas as datas de avaliacao entre 30 e 120 dias apos semeadura. A aplicacao de herbicidas nao alterou o crescimento dos cultivares de soja. A aplicacao de fungicidas do grupo das estrobilurinas associado a triazois promoveu maior acumulo de massa de materia seca e area foliar. Ainda a aplicacao desses fungicidas em R2 (pleno florescimento) e R5.1 (enchimento de graos) resultou em maiores valores de taxas de crescimentos absoluto e relativo, assimilatoria liquida e de crescimento da cultura em periodo proximo ao final do ciclo da cultura, diferenciando, inclusive, dos tratamentos com aplicacao somente de triazois.

Pathogenicity of Pratylenchus brachyurus to rubber rootstocks

The pathogenicity of Pratylenchus brachyurusto rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) rootstocks was studied in two experiments: 1) opencross seedlings of Tjir 1 x Tjir 16 were inoculated with zero, 7,700 or 23,100 nematodes per plant; 2) illegitimate seedlings of GT 1, RRIM 527 and RRIM 600 were inoculated with zero or 12,800 nematodes per plant. After 195 (1st experiment) or 105 days after inoculation (2nd experiment), P. brachyurusdid not affect the relative growth percentage in terms of plant height in both experiments but significantly diminished the stem diameter percentage and increased the stomatal resistance of GT 1 , RRIM 527 and RRIM 600.