Rodrigo Otávio Câmara Monteiro

Faunistic insect analysis for environmental change evaluation

Environmental changes at the experimental area of the Department of Entomology, University of Sao Paulo, in Piracicaba, in a period of 25 years, were evaluated using a faunistc insect analysis of samples collected by light traps in 1965/66 and 1990/91. A reduction of 35.1% in the faunistic index between these two periods was recorded. Consequently, the diversity index also decreased by 60.3% due to the low number of insects collected. These indices suggest a considerable environmental change in the experimental area over this 25 years period.

Assessing biophysical variable parameters of bean crop with hyperspectral measurements

Recently high spectral resolution sensors have been developed, which allow new and more advanced applications in agriculture. Motivated by the increasing importance of hyperspectral remote sensing data, the need for research is important to define optimal wavebands to estimate biophysical parameters of crop. The use of narrow band vegetation indices (VI) derived from hyperspectral measurements acquired by a field spectrometer was evaluated to estimate bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) grain yield, plant height and leaf area index (LAI). Field canopy reflectance measurements were acquired at six bean growth stages over 48 plots with four water levels (179.5; 256.5; 357.5 and 406.2 mm) and tree nitrogen rates (0; 80 and 160 kg ha-1) and four replicates. The following VI was analyzed: OSNBR (optimum simple narrow-band reflectivity); NB_NDVI (narrow-band normalized difference vegetation index) and NDVI (normalized difference index). The vegetation indices investigated (OSNBR, NB_NDVI and NDVI) were efficient to estimate LAI, plant height and grain yield. During all crop development, the best correlations between biophysical variables and spectral variables were observed on V4 (the third trifoliolate leaves were unfolded in 50 % of plants) and R6 (plants developed first flowers in 50 % of plants) stages, according to the variable analyzed.

Índices de vegetação simulados de diferentes sensores na estimativa das variáveis biofísicas do feijoeiro

The objective of this work was to evaluate the vegetation indices and red and infrared bands of the HRVIR, ETM+ and Modis sensors, in the estimations of leaf area index and grain yield of common bean. The experiment was carried out in a randomized block design, with split plots and four irrigation levels (179.5, 256.5, 357.5, and 406.2 mm), three N rates (0.0, 80.0 and 160.0 kg ha-1), and four replicates. The reflectance measurements were obtained through the Spectron SE-590, at R6 stage, on 48 plots. Simple ratio, normalized difference vegetation index, soil-adjusted vegetation index, and enhanced vegetation index were tested. The vegetation indices were efficient to estimate the leaf area index (LAI) and grain yield. The vegetation indices and infrared band show the same potential to estimate LAI, when considering the spectral resolution of Modis, ETM+ and HRVIR.

Water and nutrient productivity in melon crop by fertigation under subsurface drip irrigation and mulching in contrasting soils

Cropping intensification and technical, economic and environmental issues require efficient application of production factors to maintain the soil productive capacity and produce good quality fruits and vegetables. The production factors, water and NPK nutrients, are the most frequent limiting factors to higher melon yields. The objective of the present study was to identify the influence of subsurface drip irrigation and mulching in a protected environment on the water and NPK nutrients productivity in melon cropped in two soil types: sandy loam and clay. The melon crop cultivated under environmental conditions with underground drip irrigation at 0.20m depth, with mulching on sandy loam soil increased water and N, P2O5 and K use efficiency.