Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT Moringa is a plant native to India, with a wide distribution worldwide, ranging from Asia to Africa, with more occurrence in regions with hot and dry climates, such as the Brazilian semiarid region. The aim of this study was to verify whether moringa seeds present water memory in response to discontinuous hydration and dehydration cycles. The study was conducted at the seed laboratory of the State University of Maranhão in the municipality of Balsas, Maranhão. The experimental design was completely randomized, with a 3 × 3 + 1 factorial arrangement, three soaking times (10, 36 and 52 hours), three hydration cycles (1, 2 and 3) and an additional treatment (control), with four replicates of 25 seeds each. After the seeds were subjected to hydration and dehydration cycles, an emergence test was performed, and the following characteristics were analyzed: emergence, first emergence count, emergence speed index, shoot length, root length, shoot mass and dry mass. The data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance and regression with a 5% probability level, and principal component analysis and response surface analysis were performed. It is assumed that (Moringa oleifera Lam). Exhibits water memory has a hydration time of up to 10 hours with a maximum of up to two hydration cycles, and dehydration positively influenced the improvement in most agronomic variables compared with those of the control.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT Phosphate minerals are the primary source of phosphorus and serve as raw materials for most phosphate fertiliser industries worldwide; yet thermophosphate production enhances the solubility of phosphorus in the soil. In this study, thermophosphates were produced from lateritic phosphates with the addition of ironand steelmaking slag at temperatures ranging from 100 °C to 1,000 °C, to evaluate the effect of temperature on these products and their viability as fertilisers. The mineralogical and chemical composition of the samples were characterised using X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence, respectively. Crandallite is the principal aluminium phosphate found in the ore, while amorphous and iron oxide phases are found in the slag. Experiments were conducted on the agronomic efficiency of thermophosphates produced at 300 °C, 600 °C and 1,000 °C. Thermophosphate, both in its natural form and with slag at 600 °C, exhibited amorphous phases that yielded better results for plant development due to the solubility of phosphorus and other nutrients available for the crops, thereby enhancing growth and helping to regulate soil fertility. The agronomic efficiency index of thermophosphates with slag added at 600 °C outperformed natural phosphate in each of the variables, mainly due to the high levels of CaO and MgO in the slags. Aluminium thermophosphates with added slag are a viable alternative to traditional phosphate fertilisers, offering both agronomic and environmental benefits.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT In agricultural crops that produce bulbs, the most important stage when the crop is generated via micropropagation is bulb production, as it involves a sensitive transition from the sprout to the bulb production phase. Since garlic is mainly propagated vegetatively from seeds produced in vitro, it is important to understand and control the factors that are involved in the process of bulb formation. The aim of this study was to examine hyperhydricity and biometry and their correlation following the transition from shoot to bulb in the in vitro seedlings of two noble garlic cultivars, ‘Ito’ and ‘Quiteria’, in MS culture medium with sucrose at concentrations of 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10%. It was found that adding sucrose to the culture medium at concentrations of 8% and 10% during bulb formation resulted in better productive characteristics for the cultivars, with a high percentage of purple (Grade 1) and dark brown (Grade 2) bulbs, which according to the scale, corresponds to low hyperhydricity. The ‘Ito’ cultivar produced greater percentage bulb formation and a greater quantity of bulbs per plant than the ‘Quiteria’ cultivar. There was also a strong negative correlation between the vegetative characteristics of fresh root and shoot weight with the reproductive characteristics of number of bulbs per plant and fresh bulb weight, showing that during bulb production the plant directs efforts towards bulb formation to the detriment of vegetative growth.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT The degree of interference varies with cultural practices, and there is a lack of information regarding the weed interference periods in common beans under arid conditions. Thus, this study carried out an experiment with 12 (TPM) and another with eight plants m-1 (EPM) to compare the weed interference periods in two sowing densities and characterize the weed community. The experimental design comprised randomized blocks with four replications for the increasing periods of control and coexistence: 0 - 15, 0 - 30, 0 - 45, 0 - 60, 0 - 75, and 0 - 90 days after emergence (DAE). Weeds were analyzed using the phytosociological method, and their dry mass was correlated with productivity. The period before interference (PBI), the critical period for weed control (CPWC), and the total period of interference prevention (TPIP) were determined using a nonlinear regression analysis of productivity. Nicandra physaloides (L.) Gaertn., Setaria verticillate (L.) P. Beauv. and Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers. were the most relevant species. The TPIP and CPWC were 13 and 17 days shorter, respectively, at TPM. The PBI had four more days in TPM than in EPM. The EPM and TPM yields were 137.6 and 800 kg ha-1, respectively, when weed dry mass was maximum. This last fact, combined with the increase in PBI and decrease in CPWC in TPM, meant that the crop sown at the highest density had a greater competitive advantage over weed community.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT Brazilian milk production has increased over the last decade, mainly due to the adoption of technologies and yield gains. However, huge technological heterogeneity persists among farmers. This paper adopts a beta regression model to evaluate the factors influencing the intensity of adoption of milk production technologies by 271 dairy farms in Minas Gerais, the major milk-producing state in Brazil. The dependent variable is an index that measures the intensity of adoption of the most updated technologies in the milk production system. The set of technologies comprises all stages of the milk production system include feeding management, herd management, environmental management and controls, equipment, and facilities. The explanatory variables refer to farmer and farm characteristics, access to information and milk commercialisation channels. The results suggest that the adoption of technologies is positively influenced by access to information through radio, magazines, the Internet, field days and rural extension service. In addition, risk-taking behaviour of farmers and dependence on the supply chain also foster the adoption of technologies. Multiple correspondence analysis demonstrates the positive association of intensity technology adoption and milk productivity indicators. The results have implications for diffusion and technology-transfer programmes through policies or strategies by the industry and collective actions.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT During the drying process, fruit pulps may undergo changes in their quality. This study aimed to select the optimal drying conditions for acerola-ciriguela mixed pulps using spouted bed drying and freeze-drying methods. For spouted bed drying, the influence of drying temperature, feed rate, and maltodextrin concentration was investigated using a 23 central composite experimental design. A similar design was applied to freeze-drying, but drying temperature, vacuum chamber pressure, and maltodextrin concentration were selected as the independent variables. In both cases, moisture content, water activity, hygroscopicity, and ascorbic acid retention were used as response variables. Optimisation of both processes was performed according to the desirability function. Higher temperatures and maltodextrin concentrations resulted in lower moisture content in the final product obtained through spouted bed drying. Furthermore, increasing these variables significantly reduced the water activity of both products. Ascorbic acid retention was maximised in the spouted bed-dried product when combining low drying temperatures with a slow suspension feed rate, whereas in the freeze-dried product, higher temperature and chamber pressure achieved the best results. These findings highlight the great potential of freeze-dried mixed acerola-ciriguela powder as an ingredient for vitamin C enrichment in foods.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT The use of alternative feeds in the diet of laying hens can reduce costs and add nutritional value to the eggs; however, information on the combined effects of sunflower cake and crude glycerine remains limited. This study evaluated the individual and combined effects of including both ingredients on productive performance, egg quality and the oxidative stability of egg yolks from semi-heavylaying hens, based on the hypothesis that moderate levels do not compromise performance and may improve the antioxidant quality of the eggs. A total of 320 Hy-Line Brown laying hens were used in a completely randomised design, employing a 4 x 2 factorial scheme with five replications, each of eight hens. Four levels of sunflower cake and two levels of crude glycerine were evaluated. The data were submitted to analysis of variance, with the mean values compared using the SNK test (5%) and the levels of sunflower cake evaluated by regression analysis. The addition of 27% sunflower cake reduced egg mass and production, had an adverse effect on feed conversion, the specific gravity of the eggs and yolk colour, while increasing the levels of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity, and reducing lipid oxidation in the yolk. Glycerine had no effect on productive performance, but reduced specific gravity, increased the occurrence of shell blemishes and increased lipid oxidation in the yolk. Regardless of the use of glycerine, the addition of up to 18% sunflower cake is viable, increasing antioxidant capacity and reducing lipid oxidation in fresh eggs and eggs stored for up to 28 days.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT Maintaining adequate levels of labile phosphorus (P) in weathered soils is challenging due to its constant fixation. Mineral fertilisation is therefore often employed to ensure adequate nutrient levels in the soil. Such techniques as the use of phosphate-solubilising bacteria, are gaining recognition for minimising production costs. Genus Azospirillum brasilense demonstrates this ability, increasing nutrient availability and reducing the amount of P applied through mineral fertilisation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the residual effect of phosphate fertiliser in soil under a no-till system, verifying whether inoculating the preceding crop with A. brasilense increased soybean production and productivity, and the bioindicators of soil quality. The experiment was conducted in a typical clayey dystrophic Red Latosol, employing a randomised block design with four replications, in a 5 x 2 factorial scheme, comprising five doses of P₂O₅ in the form of MAP applied during 2013 and 2020, with and without inoculating the grasses preceding the soybean with A. brasilense. There was a positive effect on the soybean population during the 2019/20 crop season due to the inoculation of the preceding crop, as well as responses in microbiological activity, such as total carbon, microbial respiration, biomass carbon, total organic carbon, acid phosphatase, arylsulfatase and β-glucosidase. The results show that cropping systems which maintain adequate soil health, together with the inoculation of grasses with A. brasilense, can be a low-cost management option for sustaining crops and contributing to system maintenance.

Resumo em Inglês:

ABSTRACT Chia has attracted interest in Brazilian agriculture due to the high nutritional value of its seeds. However, there is still limited information on agronomic practices aimed at producing seeds with high physiological quality. Among the factors that influence this attribute, sowing time and phosphorus fertilization stand out, especially in the sandy and acidic soils of northwestern Paraná. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate practices that enhance chia seed vigor and germination. The experiment was conducted in the Seed Laboratory of the State University of Maringá, Umuarama Campus. The design was a randomized complete block design with a 4 × 4 factorial arrangement and 4 replications. Germination percentage, germination speed index, seedling shoot length, seedling root length, and electrical conductivity were determined. Sowing time and phosphorus rate significantly influenced the physiological quality of chia seeds. The sowing time for producing chia seeds with high physiological quality in the study area is at the end of March, combined with the application of approximately 60 kg ha-1 P2O5.

Resumo em Português:

The aim of this study was to evaluate performance and egg quality from the addition of two levels of pigment obtained from a combination of annatto seeds (Bixa orellana) and hay from the leaves of leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala) or moringa (Moringa oleifera), or from a mixture of the two. For the study, 280 Lohmann LSL Lite laying hens, 115 weeks old, were used over 84 days, divided into four periods of 21 days. The design was completely randomized in a 3 x 2 + 1 factorial scheme (three types and two levels of pigment, plus a control diet), with seven treatments and five replications of eight birds per replication. Three pigments were used: Pigment 01 – 50% annatto +50% hay from leucaena leaves, Pigment 02 – 50% annatto +50% hay from moringa leaves, and Pigment 03 – 50% annatto + 25% hay from leucaena leaves + 25% hay from moringa leaves. The treatments were T1 – control diet, T2 – diet containing 0.5% Pigment 01, T3 – diet containing 0.5% Pigment 02, T4 – diet containing 0.5% Pigment 03, T5 – diet containing 1.0% Pigment 01, T6 – diet containing 1.0% Pigment 02, and T7 – diet containing 1.0% Pigment 03. The use of pigments comprising a mixture (50%/50%) of annatto seeds with hay, regardless of whether from leucaena, moringa or from both, has no effect on the performance of laying hens or on egg quality. However, the color of the yolk intensifies and the TBARS value is reduced as the pigments are added, with the best result obtained at a level of 1%.

Resumo em Português:

Indole butyric acid (IBA) is a type of auxin that is widely used in the asexual propagation of plants as it optimises the rooting response. In a scenario of climate change, where thermal and water stress are imminent, the use of technology has proven to be one way of stimulating the morphological characteristics of the roots, which can help mitigate the stress. The aim of this study was to identify differing characteristics between two genotypes, comparing the effect of water deficit on C. canephora, and to evaluate the effects of applying IBA on these characteristics when producing seedlings from cuttings. An experiment was set up using a randomised block design in a 2 x 2 factorial scheme where the first factor consisted of the genotypes (LB1 and 02) and the second, the applications of IBA. After 120 days, the morphological and anatomical characteristics of the seedlings were evaluated, and the data were submitted to analysis of variance, Tukey’s test at 5% probability, and correlation and principal component analysis using the R Studio software. There was no interaction between IBA and genotype for the shoot system of the seedlings. However, there was an effect of genotype on the other characteristics, where genotype 02 showed an increase in dry matter, changes in the size of the anatomical structures, and changes in root architecture, with an increase in surface area and length of the fine roots, while LB1 showed an increase in the root attributes only. As a result, IBA proves to be a strategic resource for the expression of characteristics in the rooting of genotype 02, affording improvements in seedling quality.

Resumo em Português:

Vegetable production has increased in response to growing consumer demand for healthy and easily accessible foods. In this context, hydroponic systems have gained importance as they achieve yields comparable to soil-based cultivation while reducing water use by up to 70% and allowing control of environmental factors. Application of magnetic and electromagnetic fields to leafy crops may stimulate plant growth, resulting in higher productivity, improved leaf quality, and greater nutrient content, thus offering potential advantages for agricultural production. However, the effects of these treatments may vary among crop species. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of magnetic and electromagnetic treatments of the nutrient solution on hydroponic lettuce production. A completely randomized design with four replications was adopted. Treatments consisted of exposing the nutrient solution to magnetic and electromagnetic fields, along with a control (no exposure), evaluated at four intervals: 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after transplanting. Results indicated that applying magnetic and electromagnetic treatments to the nutrient solution improved plant growth and productivity and reduced algae incidence. Magnetic treatment, in particular, produced superior results for biometric parameters, whereas nutrient concentration showed no significant differences throughout crop development. These findings highlight a technological alternative that may enhance plant productivity, increase stress tolerance, and reduce nutrient consumption in hydroponic systems.

Resumo em Português:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the processing yields and the chemical composition of fillets from fish reared in a polyculture system, fed organic artisanal diet and conventional commercial diet for 12 months. A total of 168 fish from seven different species, silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), armored catfish (Pterygoplichthys joselimaianus), curimba (Prochilodus lineatus), silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) and grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), were randomly collected at the end of the cultivation period to calculate percentage yields in relation to the whole fish. The following yields were obtained: eviscerated whole fish yield, eviscerated whole fish yield without head, fins, and skin, and fillet yield. Only for silver catfish, abdominal muscle yield and edible parts yield were calculated. Additionally, the percentages of residue (stripped carcass, skin and visceral fat), gonadosomatic index, and hepatosomatic index of the fish were determined. The analysis of the centesimal composition of the fillet was performed for all species. The data obtained were analyzed using Student’s T-test (P < 0.05). The type of diet did not influence (P > 0.05) the yields of most of evaluated cuts. The commercial feed treatment resulted in higher skin yield in curimba and higher hepatosomatic index in silver catfish (P < 0.05). The diets did not influence (P > 0.05) the centesimal composition of the fillet in any of the evaluated species. These results suggest that organic feed can be used in fish farming without compromising the production process.