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.

Abstract The vegetation structure is a good indicator of the conservation condition of an ecosystem, since it reflects alterations caused by anthropic action. This study proposes to analyze the phytosociological aspects of the Caatinga domain under anthropic disturbance and their correlations with hydrological variables. Twenty-five 400 m 2 plots were sampled in the municipality of Floresta - PE, Brazil. Phytosociological parameters such as density, frequency and dominance were calculated. The seasonality of plant area index was analyzed for six species. The association between structural characteristics and hydrological variables (throughfall, stemflow and interception loss) in the species was evaluated by multivariate analysis. A total of 930 individuals, six families and 10 species were recorded. The abundance of the species Cenostigma pyramidale in the area may be an indicator of the degree of change in the vegetation. The structural characteristics of the species revealed little association with rainfall partitioning.

Resumo Nas últimas décadas houve mudança no sistema de colheita e manejo da palhada em canaviais de todo o Brasil, visando atender a legislação vigente e reduzir custos. A deposição de resíduos culturais sobre o solo, contudo, modifica as características micrometeorológicas do ambiente. Este trabalho reporta um estudo conduzido em Juazeiro-BA, para avaliar o efeito da manutenção da palhada no balanço de energia, emissão foliar e eficiência do uso da radiação da cana-de-açúcar. Medidas micrometeorológicas e da cultura foram feitas entre setembro de 2015 e julho de 2016. A magnitude e sazonalidade dos fluxos de calor latente, sensível e no solo foram afetadas pela presença da palhada (p<0,0001) com alteração na partição do LE/Rn de 84% para 64%, do H/Rn de 12% para 35% e do G/Rn de 4% para 2%, nessa ordem, para o cultivo sem e com palhada. A temperatura do ar foi maior no cultivo com palhada após o fechamento do dossel, enquanto, a umidade relativa do ar foi acrescida apenas nos primeiros meses. A modificação do microclima por causa da manutenção da palhada em campo alterou a velocidade de emissão foliar da cana-de-açúcar, mas, pouco afetou a eficiência do uso da radiação (~ 2,51 g MJ-1).

Abstract In recent decades there has been a change in the system of harvesting and management of straw in sugarcane fields all over Brazil, aiming to comply with current legislation and reduce costs. The crop residues deposition on the soil, however, modifies the micrometeorological characteristics of the crop environment. This work reports a study conducted in Juazeiro-BA to evaluate the effect of field straw maintenance on the energy balance, development and radiation use efficiency by sugarcane. Micrometeorological and crop measurements were made between September 2015 and July 2016. The magnitude and seasonality of the latent, sensible and soil heat fluxes were affected by the presence of straw (p < 0.0001) with a change in the LE/Rn from 84% to 64%, H/Rn from 12% to 35% and G/Rn from 4% to 2%, in that order, for the cultivation without and with straw. The air temperature was higher in the straw crop after the canopy closure, while the air relative humidity was increased only in the first months. The modification of the microclimate due to the maintenance of the straw altered the leaf emission speed of the sugarcane, but little affected the radiation use efficiency by crop (~ 2.51 g MJ-1).

Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a dinâmica de água no solo em áreas cultivadas com clones de palma forrageira, e determinar como as condições ambientais e o crescimento da cultura afetam a evapotranspiração. O estudo foi conduzido no Município de Serra Talhada, no Estado de Pernambuco. O crescimento da cultura foi monitorado por meio da evolução do índice de área do cladódio (IAC) e da fração de cobertura do solo calculada ao final do ciclo. A evapotranspiração real (ET) dos três clones avaliados foi obtida como resíduo do método do balanço hídrico do solo. Não foi observada diferença entre os componentes do balanço hídrico do solo, embora os clones pertencessem a gêneros diferentes e apresentassem diferentes incrementos do IAC. A ET acumulada foi de 1.173 mm durante os 499 dias experimentais, com média diária de 2,35 mm. O IAC aumenta o consumo de água do clone Orelha de Elefante Mexicana. Em condições de seca, o consumo de água do clone Miúda responde mais lentamente à variação no armazenamento de água no solo. A menor evolução do IAC do clone IPA Sertânia, durante o período chuvoso, induz à maior contribuição do componente de evaporação na ET. A demanda atmosférica controla a ET dos clones apenas quando há maior disponibilidade de água no solo; nesta condição, o consumo de água do clone Miúda diminui mais rapidamente com o aumento da demanda atmosférica.

Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate soil water dynamics in areas cultivated with forage cactus clones and to determine how environmental conditions and crop growth affect evapotranspiration. The study was conducted in the municipality of Serra Talhada, in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Crop growth was monitored through changes in the cladode area index (CAI) and through the soil cover fraction, calculated at the end of the cycle. Real evapotranspiration (ET) of the three evaluated clones was obtained as the residual term in the soil water balance method. No difference was observed between soil water balance components, even though the evaluated clones were of different genus and had different CAI increments. Accumulated ET was of 1,173 mm during the 499 days of the experiment, resulting in daily average of 2.35 mm. The CAI increases the water consumption of the Orelha de Elefante Mexicana clone. In dry conditions, the water consumption of the Miúda clone responds more slowly to variation in soil water availability. The lower evolution of the CAI of the IPA Sertânia clone, during the rainy season, leads to a higher contribution of the evaporation component in ET. The atmospheric demand controls the ET of clones only when there is higher soil water availability; in this condition, the water consumption of the Miúda clone decreases more rapidly with the increase of atmospheric demand.