Márcia de Moraes Echer

The productive potential of plant species depends on the genotype versus environment interaction, so the choice of cultivar is decisive for the success of the crop. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the levels of photosynthetic pigments and morphometric characteristics of two cultivars of green and red basil as a function of the collection time and different collection positions in the plant, as well as the gas exchange in response to variation of the flux density of photosynthetically active photons. The experiment was carried out in a protected environment with a randomized block design in a 2 x 3 x 3 factorial scheme containing 2 treatments consisting of two basil cultivars (alfavaca basilicão, red and green) and fifteen replications. The first factor was constituted by the cultivars, the second, by the time of collection, and the third, by the positions in which the collections were carried out on the plant. For evaluations of morphometric variables and gas exchange rates, the two cultivars were compared. Basil has photosynthesis saturation at radiation rates of about 1500 μmol m^-2 s^-1. The green colored cultivar was more productive, in addition to having the highest levels of chlorophyll a, b and total, and lower rate of leaf transpiration in response to photosynthetically active photons flow density, adapted for greater carboxylation efficiency and water use.

Plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) are an alternative to increase the productivity of several crops, including lettuce. Several reports are found in the literature with the use of plant growth-promoting bacteria in lettuce cultivation, but most seek increments during the production of seedlings. Aiming to provide increments in the cultivation of lettuce in the field and to generate subsidies to technicians and producers, the present work aimed to study the influence of the application of commercial products based on Azospirillum brasilense, Bacillus subtilis + B. megaterium and Pseudomonas fluorescens, on agronomic characteristics and quality of crisp lettuce. The experiment was implemented in two locations, in a randomized block design, in a 4 x 3 factorial scheme, with four replications. The first factor refers to the application of different PGPB: control, without inoculation; inoculations with A. brasilense; B. subtilis + B. megaterium and P. fluorescens. The second factor was composed of three times of application of PGPB, the first being on the day of seedling transplantation (DAT), the second at 15 STR and the third on the day of seedling transplantation + 15 DAT. At 15 DAT, the relative chlorophyll content, plant height, head diameter, number of leaves per plant, leaf area, leaf dry mass, stem dry mass, root dry mass, total dry mass, root volume were evaluated. and root length. At harvest, the same variables analyzed at 15 DAT + leaf fresh mass, stem fresh mass, head fresh mass, root fresh mass, total fresh mass and leaf contents of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were analyzed. The inoculated plant growth-promoting bacteria did not promote a significant increase in the development of the lettuce cultivar Vera when compared to the control (without PGPB application).

O alho-porró (Allium porrum L.) pertence à família Aliáceae, um grupo de grande importância econômica, pois além desta espécie estão presentes a cultura da cebola, cebolinha e outras variedades de alho. Pouco se conhece sobre o seu crescimento e desenvolvimento, no entanto sabe-se que o desenvolvimento vegetativo de uma planta varia em função das características intrínsecas de cada espécie ou cultivar, das condições meteorológicas de cada safra e do ambiente de cultivo, bem como das práticas agrícolas adotadas. Desta forma o objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar a influência do espaçamento entre plantas e linha em relação as características vegetativas e produtivas de alho-porró. O delineamento utilizado foi de blocos ao acaso com quatro repetições, distribuídos em: 0,50 x 0,25 m; 0,50 x 0,20 m; 0,50 x 0,15 m; 0,50 x 0,10 m; 0,40 x 0,15 m; 0,40 x 0,10 m; 0,30 x 0,20 m e 0,30 x 0,15 m. Realizou-se avaliações quando as plantas chegaram ao seu máximo desenvolvimento vegetativo: altura da planta (cm), altura do pseudocaule (cm), diâmetro do pseudocaule (mm), massa fresca da parte aérea (g), número de folhas, área foliar (cm2), massa seca das folhas (g), massa seca do pseudocaule (g) e produtividade. Os espaçamentos não interferiram para as variáveis de altura de planta, número de folha e área foliar, porém para as variáveis produtivas da cultura do alho-porró foram influenciados pelo espaçamento entre plantas e linhas. Desta forma, com base nos resultados obtidos, recomenda-se a utilização dos espaçamentos 0,50 x 0,10 m e 0,30 x 0,15 m, devido proporcionarem aumento de produtividade para a cultura do alho-porró.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar o levantamento fitossociológico de plantas daninhas no cultivo de couve-folha em consorciação com o quiabeiro. O experimento foi conduzido em blocos casualizados, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram constituídos pelos seguintes arranjos: T1 (três linhas de couve com quiabeiro nas entrelinhas), T2 (três linhas de couve com quiabeiro a cada duas entrelinhas), T3 (três linhas de couve com quiabeiro adensado nas entrelinhas), T4 (três linhas de couve com quiabeiro adensado a cada duas entrelinhas), T5 (couve), T6 (quiabeiro), T7 (quiabeiro adensado) e T8 (palhada de aveia). Aos 17 dias após o transplante (DAT) e em intervalos quinzenais até 152 DAT foram realizadas amostragens com quadro de 0,09 m2, aleatoriamente em cada parcela. As plantas daninhas foram quantificadas e identificadas estabelecendo-se o número total de indivíduos e a densidade total de plantas por m². Ao final de 77 e 152 DAT estabeleceu-se a frequência absoluta, frequência relativa, densidade absoluta, densidade relativa, abundância absoluta, abundância relativa e o índice de valor de importância das espécies mais representativas. Identificou-se 23 espécies distribuídas em 14 famílias, destacando a família Asteraceae, com 5 espécies. As espécies mais importantes foram Sonchus oleraceus e Richardia brasilenses, presentes em no mínimo 5 dos 8 tratamentos. O consórcio T1, teve redução de 38% no número de indivíduos e de 37,9% na densidade de plantas por m² em relação ao cultivo de couve-folha solteiro. O consórcio de couve-folha com quiabeiro reduz a infestação de plantas daninhas e pode ser explorado como alternativa de manejo.

Este trabalho objetivou avaliar as características produtivas da couve de folha em consórcio com quiabeiro sob manejo orgânico. O experimento foi conduzido em delineamento de blocos ao acaso, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos: T1 (três linhas de couve com quiabeiro nas entrelinhas), T2 (três linhas de couve com quiabeiro a cada duas entrelinhas), T3 (três linhas de couve com quiabeiro adensado nas entrelinhas), T4 (três linhas de couve com quiabeiro adensado a cada duas entrelinhas), T5 (couve), T6 (quiabeiro) e T7 (quiabeiro adensado). Nos monocultivos a couve e quiabeiro possuíam espaçamento entre linhas de 1,20 x 0,50 m e entre plantas. O quiabeiro adensado estava no espaçamento entre plantas de 0,25 m. Na couve foi avaliada a altura, número de folhas, massa fresca e seca das folhas, área foliar, produtividade comercial e não comercial. No quiabeiro foi avaliado a altura a massa fresca de frutos e produtividade. Foi calculado o índice de uso eficiente da terra (UET). O T3 apresentou maior número de folhas comerciais e área foliar. Os consórcios reduziram a massa de frutos de quiabo por planta. Todos os consórcios apresentaram UET acima de um com ganhos variado de 16 até 60% de eficiência produtiva.

Silicon is a beneficial nutrient for the growth and production of many plant species, including tomatoes. The objective was to evaluate the influence of calcium silicate on the morphophysiological characteristics of tomatoes and the absorption of silicon, calcium, and magnesium. The experiment was conducted in a protected environment from August to December 2017, in a random block design, in a 2 x 5 factor scheme, with four repetitions. The first factor consisted of two hybrids (Ivety and Natalia) and the second factor by doses of calcium silicate (0, 150, 300, 450 and 600 kg ha-1). The fruits were evaluated for number of fruits per plant, longitudinal and transversal diameter, average fruit mass, commercial, non-commercial, and total productivity. The plants were evaluated for number of leaves, stem diameter, plant length, leaf area, membrane integrity damage, lignin content, stem and leaves dry mass, silicon accumulation and content, calcium, and magnesium contents in the leaves and in tomato fruits. The morphometric characteristics of Ivety and Natalia tomato hybrids were not altered by increasing doses of calcium silicate. The increased doses of calcium silicate influenced the non-commercial productivity of the tomato fruits, showing a reduction of this with the increased doses. Calcium silicate influenced differently in each hybrid, and it is worth noting that these results may vary in terms of genetic material and cultivation environment.

The present work evaluated the influence of calcium silicate on the polygalacturonase enzyme activity, respiration, ethylene, and the physicochemical characteristics on the post-harvest quality of two tomato hybrids. The experimental design was of randomized blocks, with four repetitions in protected cultivation environment. The treatments were distributed in a 2 x 5 factorial scheme, corresponding to the hybrids (Ivety and Natalia) and five doses of calcium silicate (0, 150, 300, 450 and 600 kg ha-1), which were applied on the same day as the pots were filled. Evaluations were carried out on the fruits, namely: ethylene production, fruit respiration, firmness, number of loculus, polygalacturonase activity, total carotenoids, lycopene, phenolic compounds, soluble solids content, pH, titratable acidity and ascorbic acid content. The application of calcium silicate provided the reduction of ethylene production and fruit respiration. Natalia hybrid showed low polygalacturonase activity, this difference being due to genetic variabilityThe increase of calcium silicate doses provided the reduction of polygalacturonase enzyme concentration due to its constitution in the cell wall. The concentrations of lycopene, phenolic compounds, soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity and ascorbic acid in the fruits increased in response to the increasing doses of calcium silicate for 'Ivety'. Hybrids present distinct behaviors on the influence of the fertilization of tomatoes with calcium silicate, which can increase the post-harvest conservation and improve the physical-chemical characteristics of tomato fruits.

A study was conducted to investigate the effect of organic and mineral fertilization on collard green yield, and to assess the macro and micronutrient and heavy metal concentrations of its leaves to assess the potential hazards of manure use. Collard plants (Brassica oleracea var. acephala, cv. couve-manteiga) were grown in 4-L pots filled with a clay soil under greenhouse conditions. The experimental design used was completely randomized design and the treatments in a 3 × 4 factorial arrangement: three N sources (pig slurry, poultry manure, and urea) and four N rates (0, 100, 200 and 300 mg kg-1), with four replicates. Collard greens leaves were harvested 70 days after seedling plantings. The manure application (pig slurry or poultry manure) resulted in collard yield equivalent to the application of mineral fertilizer. However, the pig slurry application resulted in an increase of leaf Fe, Mn, Zn, Cd, Cr, and Pb concentrations. Nitrogen application rates up to 300 mg N kg-1 result in the higher yield and nutritional quality of collard leaves. The application of high rates of manure, especially pig slurry, results in the increase of heavy metal (Cd, Cr, and Pb) concentrations. However, the maximum concentrations of 0.042 mg kg-1 Cd, 0.034 mg kg-1 Cr and 0.030 mg kg-1 Pb are well lower than maximum daily intake limit established by the Brazilian legislation, indicating that the consumption of collards from organic production systems with the manure application can be considered safe and without risk to human health.

The present study aimed to select and recommend quinoa genotypes based on the yield genotypic adaptability and stability, by the method of the Harmonic mean of relative performance of genotypic values. Five experiments were conducted during the crop seasons of 2014 and 2015 in two locations in the Western region of Paraná State, Brazil. This study involved the evaluation of the yield of thirteen quinoa genotypes. Initially, the genotypic values (GV) were obtained by employing BLUP/REML methodology for mixed models. After, the values of the harmonic mean for genotypic value (HMGV*MG), the relative performance for genotypic values (RPGV*MG) and the harmonic mean of the relative performance for genotypic values (HMRPGV*MG) were obtained. The genotypes Q1317 and Q2014 were the best indicated for cultivation in the summer crop, with medium yield genotypic stability and adaptability. The genotype Q1318 is recommended for winter crop, presenting high yield genotypic stability and adaptability.

Allelopathy contributes to the sustainable management of weeds in growing areas, due to its ability to inhibit the development of weed species. This study aimed to evaluate the allelopathic effect of Pachyrhizus erosus extract on Euphorbia heterophylla and Bidens pilosa germination. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design, in a 2 x 2 x 4 factorial scheme, with four replications. The first factor corresponded to the plant portion (shoot and tuberous root), the second to the extract preparation method (water at room temperature and boiling) and the third to the extract concentrations (0 %, 25 %, 50 % and 100 %). Phytochemical analyses were performed to identify the presence of secondary metabolites. The variables germination percentage, germination rate index and dry biomass decreased with increasing aqueous extract concentrations for both E. heterophylla and B. pilosa. When applied a P. erosus crude shoot extract (boiling), decreases of 18 % and 92 % were observed in the E. heterophylla and B. pilosa germination, respectively, with a decrease of 91 % in the dry biomass of E. heterophylla seedlings. The tuberous root extract (boiling), on the other hand, reduced the germination percentages for E. heterophylla and B. pilosa in 18 % and 80 %, respectively. The phytochemical evaluation indicated the presence of flavonoids, coumarins and saponins in the shoot and tuberous root extracts, while tannins were only observed in the shoot extract. Thus, it can be concluded that P. erosus extracts display an allelopathic effect on the weed species evaluated.