ABSTRACT The cultivation of cover plants is a strategy for improving the agricultural production environment and providing straw for soil cover in the no-tillage system, in addition to cycling and providing nutrients to succeeding crops. This study aimed to assess the dry matter yield and nutrients accumulation by cover plants grown alone or intercropped in the second crop after soybean and their effects on cotton grown in succession. The treatments were: Urochloa ruziziensis; Pennisetum glaucum (millet); Zea mays (corn); Crotalaria spectabilis; Crotalaria ochroleuca; Cajanus cajan (pigeon pea); corn + U. ruziziensis; C. spectabilis + U. ruziziensis; C. ochroleuca + U. ruziziensis; pigeon pea + U. ruziziensis; corn + C. spectabilis; corn + C. ochroleuca; and corn + pigeon pea. The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks, with four replications, and the experiment was carried out in two crop seasons. In the cotton pre-seeding, the maximum amount of corn straw dry matter was 2,699 kg ha-1, with low macronutrient contents. The pigeon pea intercropped with U. ruziziensis produced between 8,400 and 12,941 kg ha-1 of dry matter, with a maximum content of 223 and 323 kg ha-1 of nitrogen and potassium, respectively. The U. ruziziensis, grown alone or intercropped, provided between 140 and 323 kg ha-1 of potassium in the straw. A high yield is obtained by cotton grown in the no-tillage system in succession to C. spectabilis.

RESUMO O cultivo de plantas de cobertura é uma estratégia para a melhoria do ambiente de produção agrícola e aporte de palhada para cobertura do solo no sistema plantio direto, além de ciclar e disponibilizar nutrientes às culturas sucessoras. Objetivou-se avaliar a produtividade de matéria seca e o acúmulo de nutrientes por plantas de cobertura cultivadas de forma solteira ou consorciada em segunda safra após a soja e seus efeitos sobre o algodoeiro cultivado em sucessão. Os tratamentos foram: Urochloa ruziziensis; Pennisetum glaucum (milheto); Zea mays (milho); Crotalaria spectabilis; Crotalaria ochroleuca; Cajanus cajan (guandu); milho + U. ruziziensis; C. spectabilis + U. ruziziensis; C. ochroleuca + U. ruziziensis; guandu + U. ruziziensis; milho + C. spectabilis; milho + C. ochroleuca; e milho + guandu. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos ao acaso, com quatro repetições, e o experimento realizado em duas safras agrícolas. Na pré-semeadura do algodão, a quantidade máxima de matéria seca da palhada de milho foi de 2.699 kg ha-1, com baixos conteúdos de macronutrientes. O guandu consorciado com U. ruziziensis produziu entre 8.400 e 12.941 kg ha-1 de matéria seca, com conteúdo máximo de 223 e 323 kg ha-1 de nitrogênio e potássio, respectivamente. A U. ruziziensis, cultivada de forma solteira ou consorciada, disponibilizou na palhada entre 140 e 323 kg ha-1 de potássio. Alta produtividade é obtida pelo algodoeiro cultivado sob sistema plantio direto em sucessão a C. spectabilis.

ABSTRACT Adequate potassium (K) fertilization is essential for agricultural production in soils of the Brazilian Savanna (Cerrado biome) due to the high demand by crops (especially cotton), likelihood of leaching losses, and the dependence on fertilizer importations. Therefore, sustainability requires improvements in the soil efficiency management. This study evaluated the influence of soil management and crop succession or rotation combinations with cotton on K dynamics and exchangeable reserves in the soil profile, and the partial balance of K after nine years of cultivation in a clayey Oxisol in the Cerrado. The soil was sampled in layers up to 100 cm depth in four cotton production systems treatments: 1) conventional soil tillage (CST) with cotton monoculture; 2) CST with annual cotton-soybean-cotton succession; 3) CST with cotton/soybean/maize rotation; and 4) no-tillage system (NTS) with cotton/soybean/maize rotation and Urochloa ruziziensis (ruzigrass) as a cover crop in the off-season after grain crops. The experiment was conducted using a randomized block design with four replications. CST with cotton monoculture favored the leaching of K surplus from fertilization. Crop rotation including ruzigrass in the NTS allowed better control of K dynamics, ensuring its circulation in the soil-plant compartments and reducing leaching. The increased organic matter (OM) in this system enlarges the storage capacity of K in the topsoil. The adoption of no-tillage crop systems integrating ruzigrass is viable to improve the efficiency of K fertilizers in cotton cultivation in highly weathered tropical soils.

Abstract: BRS 500 B2RF is a high-yielding cotton cultivar with transgenic resistance to lepidopteran pests and tolerance to the herbicide glyphosate. Additionally, BRS 500 B2RF has resistance to Ramularia leaf spot and partial resistance to root-knot nematode. It represents an important contribution to sustainable cotton production in Brazil.

Abstract Cultivar BRS 433FL B2RF is a high-quality fiber upland cotton with high lint yield potential and resistance to several diseases. The introgressed transgenic events Bollgard II® and Roundup Ready Flex® confer enhanced resistance to lepidopteran pests and tolerance to the herbicide glyphosate, respectively. Fiber length exceeds 32.5 mm and fiber strength 33 gf tex-1.

Abstract BRS 372 and BRS 416 are cotton cultivars with high lint yield and genetic resistance to the main cotton diseases in Brazil, particularly to Ramularia Leaf Spot. They have stable yields, good fiber quality and can contribute to a sustainable cotton disease management in tropical environments.

ABSTRACT. Sustainable production systems, such as the no-tillage system (NTS), have a tendency to increase organic carbon in the soil. However, in Brazilian cotton production, the conventional tillage system (CTS) is predominant, and long-term studies on cotton crop under the NTS are scarce. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of soil management and crop rotation systems on the cotton fiber yield as well as on the carbon and nitrogen accumulation in the soil. This study was conducted in the Brazilian savanna over 9 years and consisted of the following four treatments with different soil management systems: the NTS and CTS with the succession or rotation of crops (cotton, soybean, maize, and Urochloa ruziziensis). The NTS increased the carbon content by 55% in the top 5 cm after 9 years and increased the carbon stock by approximately 20% at a depth of up to 40 cm. Crop rotation with soybean, maize, and cotton was insufficient to increase the carbon stock in the soil under the CTS. In addition to increasing the fiber yield, the cotton crop in a NTS rotated with soybean + U. ruziziensis and with maize + U. ruziziensis increases the carbon stock and nitrogen content in soil.

Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a produção de matéria seca de plantas de cobertura e seus efeitos supressivos sobre plantas daninhas. O experimento foi conduzido durante três anos em área de cerrado do Estado de Goiás e consistiu de 16 tratamentos com pousio e plantas de cobertura em cultivos solteiros e consorciados. O pousio propiciou alta infestação de plantas daninhas. As plantas de cobertura influenciaram a composição de plantas daninhas, que apresentaram maior diversidade no pousio, seguido dos cultivos de Pennisetum glaucum 'BRS 1501' e de Cajanus cajan. Na média dos três anos experimentais, as maiores produções de matéria seca foram observadas para os tratamentos Panicum maximum (10.857 kg ha-1), Urochloa brizantha 'Piatã' (11.437 kg ha-1), U. ruziziensis (9.463 kg ha-1) e U. ruziziensis consorciada com Crotalaria spectabilis (9.167 kg ha-1), o que impediu a infestação de plantas daninhas. Pennisetum glaucum 'BRS 1501' teve baixa produção de matéria seca (<5.000 kg ha-1) e não suprimiu as plantas daninhas. Panicum maximum, U. brizantha 'Piatã', U. ruziziensis e U. ruziziensis consorciada com C. spectabilis apresentam grande produção de matéria seca e suprimem a infestação de plantas daninhas em área de cerrado.

Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the dry matter yield of cover crops and their suppressive effects on weeds. The experiment was carried out during three years in a cerrado area of the state of Goiás, Brazil, and consisted of 16 treatments with fallow and cover crops cultivated in single cropping and intercropping. Fallow allowed high weed infestation. Cover crops affected the composition of weeds, which showed greater diversity in fallow, followed by the Pennisetum glaucum 'BRS 1501' and Cajanus cajan crops. In the average of the three experimental years, the highest dry matter yield was observed for the treatments Panicum maximum (10,857 kg ha-1), Urochloa brizantha 'Piatã' (11,437 kg ha-1), U. ruziziensis (9,463 kg ha-1), and U. ruziziensis intercropped with Crotalaria spectabilis (9,167 kg ha-1), which prevented weed infestation. Pennisetum glaucum 'BRS 1501' had a low dry matter yield (<5,000 kg ha-1) and did not suppress weeds. Panicum maximum, U. brizantha 'Piatã', U. ruziziensis, and U. ruziziensis intercropped with C. spectabilis provide high dry matter yield and suppress weed infestation in the cerrado area.

Abstract Cotton cultivar BRS 368RF was developed by EMBRAPA in a partnership with the Bahia Foundation, aiming to create high-yielding germplasm by adding transgenic traits addressed to Brazilian Savanna (cerrado) of the Northeast and North regions. BRS 368RF is a midseason cultivar and has yield stability and transgenic tolerance to glyphosate.

Abstract Cottonseed yield data of 17 genotypes, of which two genotypes contributed to more than 30% of the total ecovalence, and grown in 23 locations, were used to compare four methods of disjoint environmental stratification: a) environmental index (Ie): favorable or unfavorable environments; b) stratification in partitions that maximize the sum of squares of the genotype x partition interaction [(GP)m]; c) environmental scores of the second principal component of the GGE analysis (PC2-GGE); d) environmental scores of the first principal component of the AMMI analysis (PC1-AMMI). Scenarios were simulated (10,000 simulations per scenario) using combination of nine or 13 environments and 11 genotypes, either including or excluding those with the highest ecovalence values. In all scenarios, the greatest selection gains were obtained via PC2-GGE stratification, and the lowest selection gains were obtained via Ie. The ecovalences of the genotypes influenced the results obtained using the stratification methods.

Abstract BRS 369RF and BRS 370RF were developed by the EMBRAPA as a part of efforts to create high-yielding germplasm with combinations of transgenic traits. BRS 369RF and BRS 370RF are midseason cultivars and have yield stability, adaptation to the central Brazilian savanna, good fiber quality and tolerance to glyphosate herbicide.

O cloreto de mepiquat (CM) é usado para controlar o crescimento do algodoeiro. Alterações no crescimento da parte aérea podem influenciar no desenvolvimento das raízes e, por consequência, interferir na sensibilidade do algodoeiro ao déficit hídrico. Este trabalho objetivou avaliar o efeito do déficit hídrico, em estádios fenológicos iniciais de algodoeiro originado de sementes tratadas com doses de CM, sobre o crescimento de raízes e parte aérea. Dois experimentos foram realizados em casa-de-vegetação, em Santa Helena de Goiás (GO), sendo conduzidos em blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial 4x4: quatro doses de regulador de crescimento (0 g, 2 g, 4 g e 8 g do ingrediente ativo de CM por kg de semente) e quatro situações de déficit hídrico (sem déficit hídrico e déficit hídrico inicial em três fases vegetativas: V1, V3 e V5), com quatro repetições. A matéria seca da parte aérea e das raízes e a altura dos algodoeiros foram reduzidas com o aumento nas doses de CM. O déficit hídrico entre V1 e V5 reduziu a massa de matéria seca da parte aérea e das raízes. O déficit hídrico também aumentou o efeito inibidor do CM aplicado via semente sobre a produção de matéria seca de raízes e da parte aérea do algodoeiro.

Mepiquat chloride (MC) is widely used for controlling cotton plant growth. Shoot growth modifications may affect root growth and, consequently, interfere with the cotton sensitivity to water deficit. This study aimed at evaluating the water deficit effects, in initial phenological stages of cotton plants from seeds treated with MC doses, on shoot and root growth. Two experiments were carried out in a greenhouse, in Santa Helena de Goiás, Goiás State, Brazil, in a randomized blocks design, in a 4x4 factorial scheme: four growth regulator doses (0 g, 2 g, 4 g and 8 g of active ingredient of MC per kg of seed) and four water stress conditions (without water deficit and initial water deficit in three vegetative growth stages: V1, V3 and V5), with four replications. Shoot and root dry matter, as well as cotton plant height, decreased with the increase of MC doses. The water deficit between V1 and V5 reduced shoot and root dry matter. The water deficit also increased the inhibitory effect of MC applied via seeds on cotton plants shoot and root dry matter.

Cotton cultivar BRS 335 is a midseason high-yield cultivar and has adaptation to the Northeast Brazilian savanna, yield stability, desirable resistance to main cotton diseases and good fiber quality. The cultivar BRS 335 meets growers' demands for competitive lint yield as well as fulfilling industrial textile requirements.

A cultivar de algodoeiro BRS 336 possui alta qualidade de fibra, adaptação às principais regiões produtoras de algodoeiro no Brasil e resistência à mancha angular. BRS 336 possui comprimento de fibra acima de 32,0 mm e resistência da fibra superior às demais cultivares em uso no Brasil.

Cotton cultivar BRS 336 is a high-quality fiber upland cultivar and has wide adaptation to the Brazilian growing areas, with resistance to bacterial blight. BRS 336 exhibited fiber length higher than 32.0 mm in all field tests. Also, fiber strength exceeded all upland cotton currently grown in Brazil.

Este trabalho objetivou avaliar a produção, a persistência e os efeitos de coberturas vegetais sobre as plantas daninhas e a produtividade do algodoeiro em sistema plantio direto. Os tratamentos consistiram das espécies de cobertura: milheto (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Brown), Brachiaria ruziziensis Germain & Evrard, sorgo forrageiro (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench), capim-pé-de-galinha (Eleusine coracana L. Gaerth), Crotalaria juncea L., Crotalaria spectabilis Roth, aveia-preta (Avena strigosa Schreb.), nabo forrageiro (Raphanus sativus L.), P. glaucum + C. juncea, P. glaucum + C. spectabilis, B. ruziziensis + C. juncea, B. ruziziensis + C. spectabilis, S. bicolor + C. juncea, S. bicolor + C. spectabilis, E. coracana + C. juncea, E. coracana + C. spectabilis, A. strigosa + R. sativus, P. glaucum + R. sativus e pousio. As espécies foram semeadas no final do verão, após a colheita de soja, e o algodoeiro BRS 269-Buriti, nove meses após. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso, com quatro repetições. As espécies B. ruziziensis, B. ruziziensis + C. juncea, B. ruziziensis + C. spectabilis e P. glaucum + R. sativus produziram mais de 6,8 t ha-1 de biomassa seca. A palhada produzida pela B. ruziziensis garantiu boa cobertura do solo durante o ciclo do algodoeiro. A biomassa seca de B. ruziziensis, B. ruziziensis + C. juncea e B. ruziziensis + C. spectabilis reduziu a infestação de plantas daninhas até a época de semeadura do algodão e durante os estádios iniciais de seu desenvolvimento. Palhas de R. sativus e A. strigosa, solteiras e consorciadas, interferiram negativamente na produtividade do algodoeiro.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the production, persistence and the effect of different cover crops on weed control and cotton yield in no-tillage system. The treatments included: Pennisetum glaucum; Brachiaria ruziziensis; Sorghum bicolor; Eleusine coracana; Crotalaria juncea; Crotalaria spectabilis; Avena strigosa; Raphanus sativus; P. glaucum + C. juncea; P. glaucum + C. spectabilis; B. ruziziensis + C. juncea; B. ruziziensis + C. spectabilis; S. bicolor + C. juncea; S. bicolor + C. spectabilis; E. coracana + C. juncea; E. coracana + C. spectabilis; A. strigosa + R. sativus; P. glaucum + R. sativus; fallow. The cover crops were sown in late summer, after soybean harvest. The cotton cultivar BRS 269-Buriti was sown nine months later. The experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Dry matter of B. ruziziensis, B. ruziziensis + C. juncea, B. ruziziensis + C. spectabilis and P. glaucum + R. sativus was above 6.8 t ha-1. The dry matter produced by B. ruziziensis provided sufficient soil cover during the cotton cycle. Residues of B. ruziziensis, B. ruziziensis + C. juncea and B. ruziziensis + C. spectabilis reduced weed incidence until the time of cotton sowing, lasting until the initial stages of cotton development. The use of both R. sativus and A. strigosa, alone or in mixtures, resulted in reduced yield of cotton fiber.