Phenological and physiological evaluation of first and second cropping periods of sorghum and maize crops

Environmental conditions influence phenology and physiological processes of plants. It is common for maize and sorghum to be sown at two different periods: the first cropping (spring/summer) and the second cropping (autumn/winter). The phenological cycle of these crops varies greatly according to the planting season, and it is necessary to characterize the growth and development to facilitate the selection of the species best adapted to the environment. The aim of this study was to characterize phenological phases and physiological parameters in sorghum and maize plants as a function of environmental conditions from the first cropping and second cropping periods. Two parallel experiments were conducted with both crops. The phenological characterization was based on growth analyses (plant height, leaf area and photoassimilate partitioning) and gas exchange evaluations (net assimilation rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration and water-use efficiency). It was found that the vegetative stage (VS) for sorghum and maize plants was 7 and 21 days, respectively, longer when cultivated during the second cropping. In the first cropping, the plants were taller than in the second cropping, regardless of the crop. The stomatal conductance of sorghum plants fluctuated in the second cropping during the development period, while maize plants showed decreasing linear behaviour. Water-use efficiency in sorghum plants was higher during the second cropping compared with the first cropping. In maize plants, in the second cropping, the water-use efficiency showed a slight variation in relation to the first cropping. It was concluded that the environmental conditions as degree-days, temperature, photoperiod and pluvial precipitation influence the phenology and physiology of both crops during the first and the second cropping periods, specifically cycle duration, plant height, leaf area, net assimilation rate, stomatal conductance and water-use efficiency, indicating that both crops respond differentially to environmental changes during the growing season.     

Assessing seed desiccation responses of native trees in the Caribbean

New Forests - Native trees from the Caribbean were tested for seed desiccation responses, by adapting the “100-seed test” protocol. Ninety-seven seed lots of 91 species were collected...     

Prediction of Genetic Gain in Sweet Corn using Selection Indexes

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - The cultivation of sweet corn is expanding in Brazil, but there are serious constraints about the availability of commercial cultivars. The selection of...     

Comparison between vegetation indices for detecting spatial and temporal variabilities in soybean crop using canopy sensors

Precision Agriculture - Crop monitoring through remote sensing techniques enable greater knowledge of average variability in crop growth. Canopy sensors help provide information on the variability...     

Application to soil of disinfectants through irrigation reduces Verticillium dahliae in the soil and verticillium wilt of olive

The application of disinfectants through drip irrigation could be a feasible practice against verticillium wilt (Verticillium dahliae) of olive. OX-VIRIN (activated peroxide) and OX-AGUA AL25 (quaternary ammonium compounds) are two disinfectants that have shown efficacy against V. dahliae in irrigation water and potential for reducing the disease in young olive plants. In this work, various post-planting application strategies incorporating OX-VIRIN (once a month, or twice a month on alternate or successive weeks) or OX-AGUA AL25 (once a month, or twice a month on alternate weeks) were assessed for their effect on V. dahliae in soil, disease in olive trees, and olive yield, in a 2-year pot-experiment under natural environmental conditions. The disinfectants were injected via metering pumps into a drip irrigation system that irrigated olive trees planted in V. dahliae-inoculated soil. All the application strategies significantly reduced the total inoculum density in soil compared to controls with no disinfectants and noninoculated soil. The microsclerotia density was also significantly reduced in disinfested soils by 73.6–86.8%, depending on the strategy. The symptoms and infection incidence were always lower in treatments subjected to disinfestation. The treatment with OX-AGUA AL25 applied twice a month on alternate weeks most reduced the symptoms (by 53.0%) and colonization index (by 70.8%) with respect to untreated water control. This soil disinfestation also significantly strengthened the symptom remission. Tree growth and production were negatively affected by soil inoculation (reduced by 45.6% and 88.7%, respectively), but not so by disinfectants, which even relieved the reduction in inoculated soils, especially when OX-AGUA AL25 was applied.     

Simulation of over-exploitation of ornamental fish and its consequences for the functional structure of assemblages of Amazonian streams

The consequences of over-exploitation may seriously impair the integrity and functioning of ecosystems. When loss of species is accompanied by the loss of ecological processes, the effects are no longer just taxonomic and may affect the stability of the environments. Ornamental fishing is one of the main economic activities of the middle Negro River. Such activity is directed to a small number of species and has the Cardinal Tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi) as the main target species. Given the potential effects this pressure and the lack of information on its consequences, the present study analysed, through simulations, the possible effects of depletion of ornamental fish populations on the functional structure of fish assemblages, represented by functional diversity (FD) and functional redundancy (FR) indexes. We sampled 13 streams exploited by the ornamental fishery, where we collected 4,286 specimens of 110 species, of which 22 were targeted as ornamental fishing. We found that the ornamental species corresponded, on average, to 27.8% of the species and 33.3% of the FD of the assemblages. In a scenario of complete exclusion of ornamental species, local communities would lose 24.6% of the FD and reduce up to 12% of the FR. With these results, it is possible to infer that the local extinction of exploited species would cause negative impacts on the multifunctionality and the resilience of the streams ecosystems. In this way, we emphasise the need for proper management of the ornamental fisheries aiming to the sustainability of the activity and to the conservation of ecosystem functionality.     

The use of infrared spectroscopy and machine learning tools for detection of Meloidogyne infestations

Plant parasitic nematodes are generally soilborne pathogens that attack plants and cause economic losses in many crops. The infested plants show nonspecific symptoms or, often, are symptomless; therefore, diagnosis is performed by taking soil and root tissue samples. Here, we show that a combination of different infrared spectra analysis and machine learning algorithms can be used to detect plant parasitic nematode infestations before symptoms become visible, using leaves instead of roots and soil as samples. We found that tomato and guava plants infested with Meloidogyne enterorlobii produced different spectral patterns compared to uninfested plants. Using partial spectra from 1,450 to 900/cm as the "fingerprint region", principal component analyses indicated that after 5 (tomatoes) or 8 weeks (guava), plants with no visible symptoms of infestations were positively diagnosed. To improve the early detection response, we used machine learning modelling. A support vector machine (SVM) was used to obtain more robust, accurate models. The SVM model contained 34 support vectors, 17 for each level. The overall performance of the model was >97% and the total accuracy was significantly higher, demonstrating the absence of chance prediction. The best prediction of infestation was obtained at the second and fourth weeks for tomatoes and guavas, respectively, reducing the diagnostic time by half. The combined application of these techniques reduces the processing time from field to laboratory and shows enormous advantages by avoiding root and soil sampling.