ABSTRACT Variation in rainfall affects crops; therefore, agricultural practices become essential for forage production in semi-arid regions. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of different agricultural practices on phyllochron, structural characteristics of forage cactus and millet, and their relations with crop yield using the principal component analysis (PCA). The design was in randomized blocks, with six treatments: sole cropped cactus without straw mulching, sole cropped cactus with straw mulching, sole cropped millet without straw mulching, sole cropped millet with straw mulching, and cactus intercropping with millet, with and without straw mulching, each with four replicates. There were three cactus cycles and nine millet cycles (three cycles of cultivars BRS1501 and six of IPA Bulk-1-BF). Biometric parameters were evaluated monthly, while yield was determined after the crop harvest. Phyllochron was determined with the regression analysis. The PCA was applied to structural characteristics and yield. The systems adopted did not influence the structural characteristics of cactus and millet ( p > 0.05), except for cladode thickness, which increased with straw mulching. Phyllochron of the millet reduced when the crop was intercropped. The structural characteristics of cladode length, width, and thickness influenced crop yield, mainly in systems with straw mulching. Straw mulching and intercropping alter phyllochron of cactus and millet. The adoption of straw mulching has a more significant relationship with cactus yield, whereas biometric variables influence crop yield for millet, not the cropping system.

RESUMO Objetivou-se avaliar, por meio de análise multivariada de dados, quais resíduos de leguminosas arbóreas tem melhor potencial fertilizante para culturas agrícolas no semiárido nordestino brasileiro. O experimento foi conduzido em vasos, em delineamento aleatorizado em blocos, com sete tratamentos e quatro repetições. Para constituir os tratamentos utilizaram-se resíduos de sabiá, jurema-preta e gliricídia; além de duas partes da planta: folhas e folhas mais galhos. Os vasos foram preenchidos com 8,0 dm3 de solo e os resíduos foram adicionados na forma de massa verde, correspondendo a 73,0 g de massa seca por vaso. Sementes de milho foram semeadas e aos 65 dias após adição dos resíduos avaliou-se atributos químicos do solo, crescimento e teores de nutrientes das plantas. Os dados foram estudados por meio das análises de componentes principais, agrupamento, função discriminante canônica e teste de comparação de médias a partir da varável canônica 1. Resíduos de gliricídia influenciaram positivamente K e Mg do solo, bem como altura, diâmetro do caule, número de folhas e teores foliares de P, N e Mg em plantas de milho. Estes resíduos apresentaram maior dissimilaridade e separação em relação ao tratamento controle e proporcionaram médias estatisticamente superiores aos demais tratamentos. Folhas de jurema-preta influenciaram positivamente Ca, N e COT do solo, bem como teores foliares de K e Ca e matéria seca total do milho. A análise estatística multivariada permitiu identificar potenciais distintos entre resíduos de leguminosas para uso como fertilizante na cultura do milho, sendo a espécie gliricídia a que apresenta maior potencial.

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate, through multivariate data analysis, which tree legume residues have the best fertilizer potential for agricultural crops in the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil. The experiment was conducted in pots, in a randomized block design, with seven treatments and four replicates. Treatments consisted of residues of Sabiá, Jurema Preta and Gliricidia, besides two parts of the plant: leaves and leaves + branches. The pots were filled with 8.0 dm3 of soil and the residues were added in the form of green mass, corresponding to 73.0 g of dry mass per pot. Maize seeds were sown and, at 65 days after addition of the residues, soil chemical attributes, growth and nutrient contents in the plants were evaluated. The data were studied through principal component analysis, clustering analysis, canonical discriminant function analysis and means comparison test from canonical variable 1. Gliricidia residues positively influenced soil K and Mg contents, as well as height, stem diameter, number of leaves and leaf contents of P, N and Mg in maize plants. These residues showed greater dissimilarity and separation compared to the control treatment and led to statistically higher means compared to the other treatments. Jurema Preta leaves positively influenced soil Ca, N and TOC, as well as leaf contents of K and Ca and total dry mass of maize. Multivariate statistical analysis made it possible to identify distinct potentials among legume residues for use as fertilizer in maize crop, and Gliricidia is the species with highest potential.

Resumen Este estudio evaluó la contribución de la nutrición con potasio (K) y la aplicación de las láminas de las aguas residuales al rendimiento agronómico del algodón colorido. Los tratamientos consistieron en cinco láminas de riego (50, 75, 100, 125 y 150% de la evapotranspiración del cultivo - ETC) y cinco dosis de K (0, 50, 100, 150 y 200% de la recomendación del cultivo). Fue también utilizado un control absoluto de riego con lámina 100% de la ETC y fertilizado con una recomendación de 100% N-P-K. Así como los tratamientos el control también tuvo cuatro repeticiones. La altura de la planta, el diámetro del tallo, el área de la hoja y la acumulación de materia seca del algodón en los brotes se evaluaron a los 130 días después de la emergencia (DAE), mientras que el peso del algodón semilla, se evaluó a 135 DAE. Los resultados indican que el uso de aguas residuales domésticas tratadas para compensación del 100% de ETC promueve un mayor aumento de peso y crecimiento del algodón colorido sin la necesidad de fertilización con K, lo que evidencia el potencial de las aguas residuales para el algodón colorido para una agricultura sostenible.

Abstract This study evaluated the contribution of potassium (K) nutrition and application of wastewater depths to the agronomic performance of colored cotton. Treatments consisted of five irrigation depths (50, 75, 100, 125 and 150% of crop evapotranspiration - ETC) and five K doses (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200% of the recommendation for the crop) and an absolute control irrigated with 100% ETC water depth and fertilized with 100% N-P-K recommendation. Each treatment and the control had four replicates. Plant height, stem diameter, leaf area and shoot dry matter accumulation of cotton were evaluated at 130 days after emergence (DAE), whereas seed cotton weight was evaluated at 135 DAE. Our findings indicate that the use of treated domestic sewage for 100% ETC replacement promotes greater gains of weight and growth in colored cotton without the need for K fertilization, evidencing the potential of wastewater for colored cotton for sustainable agriculture.

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of light availability and salt stress on the growth and quality of hazel sterculia seedlings. The experiment was conducted with two light conditions – full sun (L1), and 50% shading (L2) – and five salinity levels in the irrigation water – 1.0 (S1), 2.2 (S2), 3.2 (S3), 4.2 (S4), and 5.1 (S5) dS m-1. The environment with 50% shading was the most suitable to produce hazel sterculia seedlings, even under high salinity (5.1 dS m-1). Increasing salinity negatively affects the growth and quality of hazel sterculia seedlings. Therefore, controlling sunlight availability and irrigation water saline conditions increases rooting potential and seedling survival in the field.