Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

Ficus gomelleira is a forest species that presents fast initial growth and low pest attack but no studies on its nursery seedling development. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of shading and substrate on the production of F. gomelleira seedlings. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design in a subdivided 4 x 11 plot with 4 replicates of 20 plants. The light conditions were full sun, 30%, 50% and 70% shading. The substrates were 1-Soil; 2-Soil + limestone; 3-Soil + limestone + cattle manure; 4-Soil + limestone + simple superphosphate; 5-Soil + limestone + simple superphosphate + cattle manure; 6-Solo + thermophosphate; 7-Solo + thermophosphate + bokashi; 8-Soil + Azospirillum brasilense + simple superphosphate; 9-Soil + A. brasilense + thermophosphate; 10-Soil + Pseudomonas fluorescens + single superphosphate; 11-Solo + P. fluorescens + thermophosphate. The shoot and root biomass production and the H/D ratio were higher in the soil + cattle manure substrates. Higher values were observed in diameter, plant height, number of leaves, root dry mass, shoot dry mass, total dry mass and IQD in the 30% shading condition. IQD was high (greater than 10) in all substrate and shading. Ficus gomelleira seedlings can be produced with higher quality in a nursery with 30% shading and in substrate with 25% cattle manure. The morphological parameters height, diameter, total dry mass, shoot dry mass, shoot and root dry mass ratio, and IQD provide good indications of nursery seedling quality.

The family farming socio-productive diversity is extremely important for both sustainability and social reproduction of Amazon’s communities. This study thus aimed to analyze the community’s productive practices seeking to identify species, products and/or byproducts, which may generate either income or food, or both, for extractive families of Gleba Nova Olinda I, Santarém-PA. Both semi-structured interviews and Participatory Rural Diagnosis’ (DRP) productive calendar were used as survey methodology. The surveyed communities develop socio-productive activities such as exploitation of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP), crop cultivation, animal husbandry, hunting and fishing. Among the NTFPs, Brazil nuts, copaíba and pitch are highlighted. Additionally, other products are also extracted from the forest, such as bacaba, patauá, buriti, uxi and pequiá. Cassava for flour production is the main raw material, as it can be used not only for family consumption but also for sale. Likewise, other feedstocks are also produced, such as corn, rice, beans, squash and watermelon. Chicken is the main animal raised, which serves as either for food or for sale, depending on family needs. Hunting and fishing are very important activities to ensure food for families. They consume more than 12 different species of fish and more than 19 different species of animals. The local governance process becomes essential so that communities can have greater autonomy from traditional agricultural economic and productive practices, rather than from the PMFS, as they are vulnerable to the involvement and mastery of forest activity.

Genetic resources and well-balanced diets are relevant for improving the performance and profitability of beef cattle finished in feedlots. The objective of the present paper was to determine the performance and economic analysis of 36 non-castrated males (18 Nellore and 18 F1 Angus × Nellore) fed diets containing either fixed or variable nutritional levels. Animals were fed ad libitum once a day. Dry matter intake (DMI) was determined daily by the difference between feed offered and feed refused. Body weight (BW) was recorded every two weeks after a twelve-hour solid fasting. Data of economic analysis (diet cost, feeding cost, average productivity, average cost, marginal productivity, marginal cost, total revenue, profit, and marginal revenue) were standardized in 14-day intervals likewise BW recording. The experimental design was completely randomized in a factorial scheme 2 × 2 × 2 (two genetic groups, two diets, and two housing types). F1 Angus × Nellore animals increased (p <0.05) DMI, BW, hot carcass weight, total revenue, and profit in comparison with Nellore animals. Conversely, Nellore had a lower (p <0.05) feeding cost and average cost compared with F1 Angus × Nellore. No response (p > 0.05) of diet (fixed or variable) was detected on performance and economic indicators; therefore the use of a variable diet is not recommended for beef cattle feeding. F1 Angus × Nellore may be indicated in feedlot finishing systems with a high supply of forage and dietary feeds, whereas Nellore may be recommended in feedlot finishing systems with certain limitations for forage and grain production.

A madeira no seu estado natural é susceptível ao ataque de organismos xilófagos, sendo muitas vezes necessário o uso de produtos e técnicas que acrescentem resistência à deterioração o biológica e vida útil ao material. Neste contexto, a modificação térmica surge como uma alternativa ambientalmente sustentável quando comparado a outras, que utilizam conservantes químicos. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi determinar as propriedades físico-mecânicas e resistência biológica da madeira de Handroanthus chrysotrichus jovem termicamente modificada. Para este fim, foram fabricados corpos de prova para a determinação das propriedades físicas, mecânicas e biológicas. Além da amostra de controle (sem modificação térmica), foram aplicadas as temperaturas de 120, 150, 180 e 210ºC durante 4 horas em estufa. Os resultados indicaram a eficácia da modificação térmica como conservante de madeira onde a biodeterioração foi menor com o aumento da temperatura; ocorreram várias alterações nas propriedades físicas do material e observou-se uma tendência de diminuição da resistência mecânica à temperatura de 210ºC. Em geral, o tratamento a 180ºC é mais adequado quando se relaciona a interação das propriedades estudadas.

The production of quality seedlings is influenced by several factors, the substrate being one of the most important for fruit species. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate and select alternative substrates for the production of yellow passion fruit seedlings in Roraima. The work was carried out in Boa Vista at the Federal University of Roraima. The substrates used were: Soil, commercial compound OrganoAmazon®, vermicompost PuroHumus®, carbonized rice husk, fresh rice husk and sawdust. The experimental design used was completely randomized, in a 2 × 18 factorial scheme, with two cultivars of yellow passion fruit (Golden Star and Imperial) and eighteen substrates made using mixtures. The variables analyzed after 60 days were: shoot height (H), stem diameter (DC), root length (CR), number of leaves (NF), total dry matter (MST), shoot dry matter (MSA), root dry matter (MSR) and seedling quality index. The substrates made with 50% PuroHumus® + 50% Soil (S5) and 25% OrganoAmazon® + 25% PuroHumus® + 50% Soil (S12) favor obtaining higher quality seedlings in the Golden Star cultivar. The substrates formulated with 25% PuroHumus® + 25% sawdust + 50% Soil (S18), 50% PuroHumus® + 50% Soil (S5) and 25% OrganoAmazon® + 25% PuroHumus® + 50% Soil (S12) are indicated for the production of seedlings of the Imperial cultivar. The use of pure soil or in mixture with rice husks (carbonized or in natura), sawdust or OrganoAmazon® is not indicated for the production of yellow passion fruit seedlings.

Cubiu is a species that arouses great interest due to its characteristics, such as rusticity, productivity, use diversity and nutritional properties. Knowledge pertaining to this species’ phenotypic variations, as well as seed germination, will contribute to accomplish its full potential. This work aimed to assess fruits and seeds characteristics, and potassium nitrate (KNO3) pretreatment effects on seeds’ germination and vigor of nine genotypes cubiu. In the experiments, completely randomized design was adopted, being: for characteristics of fruits and seeds, with nine treatments (genotypes) and ten repetitions; germination, in factorial scheme 9 (genotypes) x 2 (pre-treatments - with and without KNO3), with four replications; and emergency, nine treatments (genotypes) and four repetitions. Related to the characteristics of the fruits and seeds, were measured: length, diameter, mass, volume, density, number of locules, pulp thickness, total soluble solids, seed mass and number of seeds per fruit. In germination and emergence tests, were evaluated: root emission, normal seedling, emergence, root-emission/seedling/emergence speed index, and root-emission/seedling/emergence mean time. The cubiu genotypes showed different behaviors regarding the characteristics of the fruits and seeds, the most significant ones related to the dimensions, mass and volume of the fruit, and the weight of thousand seeds. The genotypes had little variation in relation to the germination and vigor of the seeds, and the use of KNO3 (0.2%), in the initial moistening of the substrate, favored the greater expression of the germinative potential (91-100%) and vigor of the seeds, under laboratory conditions.

This study aims to evaluate the effect of land cover type, soil properties, and vegetation structure on fine root biomass, and examined how these factors affect diameter of fine roots. The study was conducted in communities located in the Nova Ipixuna, Parauapebas and Pacajá municipalities of Pará state. In each area, nine farms were selected; in each farm were sampled five plots, totaling 135 plots distributed into nine different types of land cover; at each plot, four soil samples were collected to quantify the fine roots, vegetation cover was inventoried, and soil was collected for physical and chemical characterization. Fine roots were separated into four different classes. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were done for the soil and vegetation matrix and they were compared with the fine root biomass PCA through a co-inertia analysis. Variability was high for fine root biomass data. All land covers exhibited a high proportion of fine roots > 1 mm. The co-inertia analysis showed that the fine root biomass PCA share a common structure with vegetation PCA, with 37% of the variability being explained; however only 9% of the variability was explained by the soil PCA. Our results highlight the importance of roots with diameters < 2 mm for the quantification of root biomass, whereas the biomass of roots > 2 mm was critical to the differentiation among land covers.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of corn silage harvested with different heights and the addition of microbial and enzymatic inoculant. The experimental design used was completely randomized, with treatments in factorial scheme 3 x 2 + 1 (three heights, with or without inoculant and a pattern represented by green forage) using six replicates (experimental silos). The cutting heights evaluated were 20, 40 and 60 cm. The dry matter content, pH, electrical conductivity, water activity and dry matter losses were not altered (P>0.05) by the cutting heights with or without inoculant. Green forage showed higher pH and electrical conductivity compared to silage. Aerobic stability was lower in green forage compared to silage. However, the cutting heights increase reduced the aerobic stability of the silage, which was not influenced by the addition of inoculant. The increase in the cutting height of corn plants from 20 to 60 cm reduces the aerobic stability of the silage, with little impact from the inclusion of inoculant based on homofermentative bacteria and fibrolytic enzymes on the fermentation process in laboratory silos with a low quantity of silage.

Chamaecrista rotundifolia is a potential legume for use in Amazon region, mainly for livestock, although still is little studied. According to characteristics of tropical plant, the cutting time and consequent maturity advance can affect quality as an animal food. The aim of this study was to verify the protein content and productivity of C. rotundifolia harvested in three different growth stages. The experiment was carried out in a randomized block design with seven replications comprising three treatments of growth stages corresponding to the begining of flowering, pod production and seed dispersal which were cronologically equivalent to 48, 91 and 133 days after seedlings planting. Produtivity and nutritional value of forage from this legume is affected by growth stages C. rotundifolia harvested at 133 days after seedlings planting is indicated by its productive and qualitative characteristics as forage.

Management measures should be tested to increase the rice productivity, a staple food that is in increasing demand. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of different doses of a plant growth regulator, ethyl-trinexapac, combined with the application of the fungicides epoxiconazole + pyraclostrobin in reducing the height of rice plants to avoid lodging and increase rice yield. The experiment was conducted in a dystrophic Oxisol soil during two harvests (2010/2011 and 2011/2012). The study was arranged in a randomized block design, in a 4 × 2 factorial scheme, with four replications. The factors considered were four doses of trinexapac- ethyl (0, 25, 50, and 75 g ha-1 active ingredient (a.i.)), with or without application of fungicide (137.25 g ha-1 a.i.). The growth regulator caused a reduction in plant height in both harvests and affected the number of panicles per square meter in the second harvest. The fungicide had no effect on the productivity and yield components of the crop.