ABSTRACT The aim of the present study was to characterise the surface properties of chicken breasts, and evaluate the wettability properties of edible coatings based on carrageenan and glycerol, using varying concentrations of the biopolymer and plasticiser. The surface of the chicken breasts was characterised as of low energy, with a surface tension of 54.56 mN/m, whose polar and dispersive components were 39.79 mN/m and 14.77 mN/m, respectively. The results showed that with an increase in the carrageenan concentration of the film-forming solution there was a reduction in the values for adhesion and spreading. Coatings with a higher glycerol concentration also obtained a lower spreading coefficient. Solutions 1 (carrageenan 1% and glycerol 0%), 2 (carrageenan 1% and glycerol 1%) and 3 (carrageenan 1% and glycerol 2%) did not differ statistically, obtaining the highest values for spreadability. Solution 1 (carrageenan 1% and 0% glycerol) presented the highest numerical values. For carrageenan coatings on chicken breasts, the best spreading coefficient was -4.49 mN/m.

ABSTRACT The resistance of a weed to a herbicide may be accompanied by an ecological disadvantage, which can hinder the establishment of resistant biotypes when the herbicide is not used. The aim of this study, therefore, was to evaluate the growth and phenology of two biotypes of Raphanus raphanistrum, one susceptible and the other resistant to ALS inhibitors. The research was carried out from August to December 2020, conducting two simultaneous experiments, with the susceptible and resistant biotypes grown as single crops or together with wheat. The parameters under evaluation were plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, shoot dry weight, growth rate, leaf area ratio, net assimilation rate, and phenology - determined using the BBCH scale. The results showed not only that development and growth in the sensitive biotype was greater compared to the resistant biotype, but also the precocity of the biotype. The only variable for which the resistant biotype was superior was root dry weight. Cross-resistance to ALS inhibitors resulted in a difference in the growth and phenology of the resistant biotype that should be better evaluated, as the populations present large genetic differences.

ABSTRACT The pressing of green coconut shell, aiming at the production of powder or fiber, used as raw material by the industry, generates large amounts of the green coconut shell liquid (GCSL), whose incorrect disposal results in environmental impacts. This study evaluated the potential use of GCSL as a source of potassium for young dwarf coconut plants. The experiment was carried out in pots, in a completely randomized design, applying seven treatments, comprising five doses of GCSL, which corresponded to 0% (G0), 50% (G50), 100% (G100), 150% (G150) and 200% (G200) of the need for K2O of the plants, a treatment with mineral fertilizer, corresponding to 100% of K2O supplied as KCl (K100), and another containing 50% of K2O as KCl and 50% as GCSL (G50 + K50), with five replicates. One hundred and twenty days after transplanting the seedlings, soil chemical attributes as well as growth and nutritional status of dwarf coconut plants were evaluated. Increase in GCSL doses altered soil fertility and reduced the percentage of live leaves of dwarf coconut. The G50 + K50 treatment did not differ from K100 for all variables of growth, except for % of live leaves, indicating the possibility of replacing 50% of the K2O dose recommended for the first year of dwarf coconut cultivation with GCSL.

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to determine the behaviour of bacterial biocontrol agents (BBAs) selected to control disease in irrigated rice, in the presence of pesticides, and to study changes in the soil microbiota. We assessed the compatibility between these BBAs and pesticides using different doses of each compound, besides the impact of the BBAs on the quality and diversity of the soil microbiota under field conditions. For the microbial evaluations, rice seeds were treated with the same BBAs, in addition to the following combinations: DFs-C6 (DFs185 (Pseudomonas synxantha)/DFs306 (/unidentified)); DFs-C7 (DFs306/DFs416 (Bacillus sp.)) and DFs-C8 (DFs185/DFs306/DFs416). Saline solution was used for the control treatment. Soil samples were collected close to the roots to evaluate basal respiration, organic matter, carbon, and microbial biomass. EcoPlateTM microplates were used to determine the activity and diversity of the microbial metabolic profile. All the BBAs (DFs185, DFs223 (P. fluorescens), DFs306 and DFs416) were tolerant to the fungicides and herbicides regardless of the dose, whereas tolerance to the insecticides occurred only in the DFs416 isolate. Resistance, however, was only seen in the DFs185 (pyraclostrobin + epoxiconazole) and DFs223 (azoxystrobin) isolates. There were significant changes to the soil microbiota, especially with the DFsC06 treatment, which was the only treatment to increase the microbial biomass and quotient. Little or no difference was found in microbial metabolic activity or diversity. These results suggest the potential use of these bacterial treatments in integrated pest management, as they are resistant/tolerant to many pesticides used in rice cultivation, and some of them had a positive impact on the soil microbiota.

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to fit the Logistic growth model for plant height and number of nodes of two buckwheat cultivars at sowing times, as well as comparing the cultivars and sowing times. Twenty uniformity trials were carried out, formed by the combination of two buckwheat cultivars (IPR91-Baili and IPR92-Altar), sown at five times, for two consecutive years. Evaluations were carried out twice a week throughout the vegetative stage until the end of flowering. In each evaluation, five plants were randomly collected from each trial to measure plant height and count the number of nodes on the main stem. The logistic model was fitted with the values of the five plants of each evaluation. Model parameters were estimated, as well as their respective confidence intervals. The goodness of fit of the model was assessed through the coefficient of determination, Akaike information criterion, and residual standard deviation. The plant height and number of nodes of buckwheat, cultivars IPR91-Baili and IPR92-Altar, were described by the Logistic model. The Logistic model satisfactorily describes the growth of buckwheat plants, and a specific fit considering each cultivar and sowing time is needed.

ABSTRACT The method of applying fertiliser to the soil affects grain productivity. The aim of this study was to determine the dynamics of phosphorus, potassium and sulphur in the arable layer of the soil during the third year of agricultural production, as a function of the method of application. The study took place in the district of Diamantino, Mato Grosso, in an area of soybean-maize succession under minimum tillage. Five treatments were tested in a randomised block design: no phosphorus or potassium (P0-K0); broadcast phosphorus and in-furrow potassium (Pb-Kf); in-furrow phosphorus and potassium (Pf-Kf); in-furrow phosphorus and broadcast potassium (Pf-Kb); broadcast phosphorus and potassium (Pb-Kb). When the soybeans reached physiological maturity, soil samples were collected from the 0-0.05, 0.05-0.10, 0.10-0.15 and 0.15-0.20 m layers for analysis of the pH, and P, K, S and organic matter content. The soil attributes were submitted to analysis of variance and Tukey’s test at 5%, and the nutrient dynamics in the soil profile were analysed by regression. The in-furrow application of phosphorus (Pf-Kb and Pf-Kf) improved P availability in the 0-0.05 m layer by 69.12% and 46.54% compared to the Pb-Kb treatment, by 73.93% and 50.71% compared to the Pb-Kf treatment, and by 136.77% and 105.16% compared to the P0-K0 treatment. The in-furrow application of phosphate fertiliser proved to be more effective in terms of phosphorus availability in the soil. The residual effect of broadcasting phosphate fertiliser on phosphorus availability in the soil can be seen from the third year of production onwards.

ABSTRACT This study investigated the effectiveness of using the X-ray technique to assess the viability of papaya seeds. The X-ray images were performed in eight replicates of 25 seeds, placed on transparent acrylic plates on double-sided adhesive tape, previously identified, and then submitted to radiation in X-ray equipment "HP Faxitron". After exposure to X-ray radiation, the seeds were submitted to the germination test in rolls of germitest paper and kept in a germination chamber at 20-30 °C for 30 days. Seedlings were photographed and evaluated as normal seedlings, abnormal and non-germinated seeds. Afterward, the X-ray images and the seedlings from the same seeds were visually compared, and the X-ray images clearly showed seeds with and without internal filling. All abnormal seedlings were full seeds; therefore, X-ray images were not able to separate normal and abnormal. A 100% accuracy was verified by comparing the X-ray images and their respective seedlings, full seeds originated normal or abnormal seedlings, and empty seeds corresponded to non-germinated seeds. Therefore, using X-ray images is a promising technique to identify the viability of papaya seeds. The automated analysis of X-ray images is a simple, fast, and efficient technique to provide information on seed viability and generate parameters related to their germination capacity.

ABSTRACT The use of residues resulting from the processing of agricultural products is an widely studied topic, which is justified by the need to reduce costs and by the search for productive sustainability, which has as one of its principles the full use production, reducing waste and therefore increasing the amount of products extracted per unit of area. Residual seeds, resulting from the production of fruit pulps, are rich in nutrients and with the potential to be further improved by the application of germination, increasing the protein content and the content of bioactive compounds. However, in the germination process, the product acquires a high water content, requiring immediate drying and control of the water adsorption kinetics after dehydration. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the water adsorption isotherms of germinated seeds flours from pumpkins of three varieties at temperatures of 15, 25 and 35 °C, to obtain the most appropriate mathematical model to describe the hygroscopic behavior and to determine the thermodynamic properties of water adsorption, through the values of the integral isosteric heat, differential entropy, differential enthalpy and Gibbs free energy for the studied conditions. The GAB and Peleg models fit the experimental data well. With increasing water activity, there was a reduction in isosteric heat and entropy. The enthalpy-entropy compensation theory was confirmed. Gibbs free energy was negative for all temperatures, increasing with increasing equilibrium water content, demonstrating that it is a spontaneous process.

ABSTRACT Shade-tolerant soybean genotypes will allow their greater adoption for use in agroforestry or intercropped systems in tropical and subtropical regions. These genotypes can be obtained from the selection of existing superior genotypes or through breeding programs. This study, was verified such genetic variability and select those genotypes with cultivation potential at reduced levels of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). Morphophysiological and yield characteristics of 16 soybean genotypes were evaluated in two experiments conducted in a controlled environment and laid in a randomized block design with three replications. Genetic parameters, correlations and genetic diversity were estimated and path analysis was performed. The soybean cultivars used showed genetic variability with a high variation index and heritability, which is advantageous for the selection of superior cultivars. Leaf area showed genotypic correlation and had a direct effect on seed weight per plant, regardless of shading. Additionally, the number of pods, hypocotyl diameter, and leaf area, all indirectly contributed to seed weight per plant regardless of shading. Seven genotypes (NS7780, NS8338, NS7667, NS7901, RK8115, CZ37B43 and 8579RSF) were selected based on genetic gain obtained by the Mulamba and Mock index at the two levels of PAR reduction tested. Furthermore, five of these genotypes (CZ37B43, RK8115, NS7901, NS8338 and 8579RSF) were identified by the Unweighted Pair-Group method Arithmetic Mean, as suitable either as a shaded crop or, as parental materials in breeding programs.

ABSTRACT During experiment planning, determining the number of replicates for tested treatments is important because it directly affects the accuracy of the obtained results. This study was conducted to determine the number of measurements (repetitions) necessary to evaluate the yield traits and soluble solids in Cantaloupe and Gália melon hybrid trials. The study comprised twenty-one experiments, nine for evaluating eight Cantaloupe melon hybrids, and twelve for evaluating nine Galia melon hybrids, conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replicates each. Analysis of variance was performed, and repeatability and genotypic determination coefficients were estimated for each experiment. The use of three repetitions allowed identification of superior genotypes with 83.6 and 80.7% predictions of the real values for the yield and soluble solids, respectively, for Cantaloupe melons. Evaluating the trials with Galia melon using three repetitions allowed prediction of the true value of the genotypes with 86.1 and 98.6% accuracy for fruit yield and soluble solids, respectively. Therefore, the use of three replicates was determined to be sufficient for detecting superior genotypes both for fruit yield and soluble solid content, with more than 80% certainty for their true values.

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate intake, digestibility and performance in dairy heifers fed diets containing increasing levels of babassu cake (0, 100, 200 and 300 g kg-1 dry matter - DM) as a substitute for sugarcane treated with calcium oxide. Twenty-four heifers with an initial mean weight of 190.8 + 40.8 kg were used, distributed in a completely randomised design. The dry matter intake (DMI), neutral detergent fibre intake (NDFI) and acid detergent fibre intake (ADFI), as %BW and g BW-0.75 , showed an increasing linear response. The organic matter intake (OMI) showed a linear increase of 40 g day-1, 0.017%BW and 0.66 g BW-0.75 for each 10 g kg-1 increase in babassu cake in the diet. The apparent digestibility of the dry matter (ADDM) and organic matter (ADOM) showed a quadratic response (P < 0.05), with a minimum of 493 g kg-1 DM for 150 g kg-1 DM and 526.5 g kg-1 DM for 320 g kg-1 DM as a substitute for the sugarcane, respectively. The final mean weight was not altered, presenting a value of 299.7 + 45.5 kg. Daily weight gain (DWG) showed a quadratic response, with the highest value at a substitution level of 190 g kg-1 DM. The feed conversion rate of the DM was not affected by the addition of babassu cake, with an average of 4.6 + 0.74 kg DM kg-1 in weight gain. Babassu cake can substitute hydrolysed sugarcane in heifer diets up to 300 g kg-1 DM, with the greatest weight gain seen at a substitution level of 190 g kg-1 DM.

ABSTRACT Brazil is a benchmark in sugarcane production, with the state of São Paulo standing out as the largest Brazilian producer. However, for sugarcane suppliers and mills to sustain this activity, there is a need to improve productivity per hectare and reduce production costs. In this regard, this study aimed to propose fuzzy systems to estimate sugarcane productivity based on planted area (Area) and total cost of soil tillage (TCST) for raw material suppliers and mills. To this end, two fuzzy inference systems were constructed for the output variable (productivity) from two input variables (Area and TCST), considering five membership functions (very low, low, medium, high, and very high). Additionally, a survey on 42 sugarcane suppliers and 31 mills in the state of São Paulo was used for model construction. The results showed that the relationship between Area and TCST reflects on the productivity of sugarcane suppliers and mills in distinct ways. For suppliers, an increase in productivity is observed when there is an almost negative relationship between both input variables. For mills, productivity rises when these variables fluctuate in the same direction. Therefore, the proposed method is viable and provides relevant information for conjecturing survival strategies for agents in the sugarcane energy sector.

ABSTRACT In this study, chemical changes during the development of acerola, cultivar Okinawa, were evaluated. The biochemical alterations during the development of the acerola cultivar Okinawa were evaluated, to determine the peroxidase activity (POD) and its thermal stability. Peroxidase (POD) has been considered the main enzyme responsible for the quality deterioration of fruits. Additionally, characteristics evaluated in this study can be important postharvest quality criteria for fruit processing, screening and breeding. Changes in physiological development were evaluated by the determination of moisture content, ascorbic acid, ashes, total and reducing sugars, pectin, chlorophyll a and b, amounts of anthocyanins, flavonols and total carotenoids. These biochemical determinations may serve as a basis for further improvement of techniques for predicting and modeling the optimal harvesting time. The values of chlorophylls, anthocyanins, flavonols, and carotenoids were higher in the peel rather than in the pulp (p < 0.05). Acerola presents high levels of ascorbic acid. The development of acerola (from opening of flowers to maturation of fruits) was of 25 days. The increase of the values for total and reducing sugars, anthocyanins, carotenoids, the solubilization of pectic acid and degradation of chlorophyll suggested that physiological maturation and harvest day occurred on days 19 and 23 after anthesis, respectively. The specific activity of POD was higher in the green stage. Maximum POD activity was observed at pH 6.5 and 45 ºC. Total inactivation was not achieved, suggesting the presence of isoenzymes with high thermal resistance. A loss of 50% of activity occurred after 4 minutes of treatment at 80 °C.

ABSTRACT The physical and microbiological characteristics of the soil are indicators considered in the assessment of the conditions of anthropized areas and are tools to identify levels of degradation, define the best crops, and thus, propose actions that help the producer to choose the appropriate soil management. In this regard, the aim of this work was to analyze the physical and microbiological properties of the soil in different agricultural production systems and in a preserved area. The research was carried out at a property located in the municipality of Campo Novo do Parecis - MT, Cerrado`s Biome. For the physical analysis, samples at depths of 0-0.10 m, 0.10-0.20 m and 0.20-0.30 m in five locations were collected randomly, within each production system and in the forest fragment. To evaluate the microbial activity of the soil, soil samples were collected at the 0-0.10 m layer also in five locations. All uses showed changes in physical characteristics, when compared to natural conditions. In the microbiological analysis, the integrated systems did not present significant differences in relation to the organic matter and the basal respiration of the soil when compared with the conventional systems and the forest fragment. The carbon of the microbial biomass of the soil and the metabolic quotient showed a difference between the systems of use and the preserved area.

ABSTRACT Second-generation glyphosate-tolerant maize (Roundup Ready 2, RR2) is characterised by the expression of the cp4epsps gene. Despite some studies suggesting possible undesirable effects from the application of glyphosate in RR2 maize, other reports have demonstrated glyphosate selectivity for RR2 plants, with minor damage symptoms, if any, and with no negative effects on the chlorophyll indices. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different types of glyphosate management, formulations and rates of application on chlorophyll indices and the agronomic performance of an RR2 maize genotype expressing the cp4epsps gene. Five experiments were conducted in a full factorial design (2 x 5 x 5) to evaluate two types of management, two formulations and five rates of glyphosate. Damage symptoms, chlorophyll indices and variables related to agronomic performance (plant height, stem diameter, yield and 100-grain weight) were evaluated. Similar crop responses were found for each of the glyphosate formulations (potassium salt and isopropylamine salt) and types of management (single application and sequential application) under test, indicating that the use of glyphosate-based commercial products affords flexibility in terms of formulation and frequency of application. Glyphosate formulated as potassium salt or isopropylamine salt and applied to RR2 maize either in a single application (full rate) or in two sequential applications (each at half rate) has a similar effect and may therefore be used without distinction. However, it is important to consider the rate of application since high rates of glyphosate (especially greater than 1,440 g ae ha-1) may affect the development and production of RR2 maize.