ABSTRACT Background: The water deficit characteristic of semi-arid regions can cause negative changes in plant physiology. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi can meet water needs by associating with plant roots, improving seedling quality. The physiological parameters and the quality of the seedlings of Parkia platycephala Benth. were evaluated as a result of the association of isolated strains of Gigaspora rosea, Gigaspora margarita, Acaulospora koskei, Acaulospora morrowiae, intercalated strains (a mixture of the four strains mentioned above) and a control (without inoculation) under two conditions of water regime (with and without stress). Results: Artificial inoculation of AMF is a promising management technique in the production of P. platycephala Benth seedlings for improving the physiological state, increasing seedling quality, and drought resilience. Under restriction water restriction conditions, the seedlings showed lower values of net CO2 assimilation, leaf transpiration, stomatal conductance, and higher values of internal CO2 concentration. Under these conditions, the G. rosea strain stood out with the lowest rate of net CO2 assimilation (A), leaf transpiration (E), and stomatal conductance (gs) with increases of 34, 49, and 70 %, respectively, compared to the control. Conclusion: Stomatal closure is a strategy used by Parkia platycephala Benth. seedlings to prevent excessive water loss, and the Gigaspora rosea strain is responsible for mediating the best physiological conditions and better quality seedlings. Background semiarid semi arid physiology roots margarita koskei morrowiae above stress. stress . stress) Results P state resilience CO concentration G A, A , (A) E, E (E) gs (gs 34 49 7 % respectively Conclusion loss (A (E 3 4

ABSTRACT The objectives of this work were to determine the optimum plot size and number of repetitions to evaluate the fresh matter weight of vetch (Vicia sativa L.) in sowing densities. Fortyeight uniformity trials of 6 m × 6 m were conducted. Sixteen trials were evaluated in each sowing density (40, 60, and 80 kg∙ha−1). Each trial was divided into 36 basic experimental units (BEU) of 1 m × 1 m, totaling 1,728 BEU. In each BEU, the fresh matter was weighed. The optimum plot size was determined by the method of maximum curvature of the coefficient of variation model. The means were compared among sowing densities by the Scott-Knott’s test. The number of repetitions — for experiments with completely randomized and randomized block designs, in scenarios of i treatments (i = 3, 4, …, 50) and d minimal differences between treatments means being detected as significant with 5% probability by Tukey’s test, expressed in percentage of the experiment average (d = 10%, 11%, …, 20%), was determined by iterative process until convergence. The optimum plot size to evaluate the fresh matter weight of vetch is 4.52 m2 at the 3 sowing densities. Four repetitions, to evaluate up to 50 treatments, in completely randomized and randomized block designs, are enough to identify as significant, at 5% probability by Tukey’s test, differences between treatment means of 29.15% of the experiment average.

Abstract Phyllochron and leaf appearance rate are both important parameters in the production efficiency of agricultural crops. The objectives of this study were to determine the phyllochron and leaf appearance rate in 4 oat cultivars (Avena sativa L.) in 3 sowing dates and verify the variability of phyllochron and leaf appearance rate among cultivars and sowing dates. The experimental design was the completely randomized with 12 treatments and 20 repetitions. Treatments were formed by the combination of 4 cultivars (URS Charrua, URS Taura, URS Estampa, and URS Corona) and 3 sowing dates in 2014 (April 28, May 28, and July 14). In each plant (repetition) of each treatment, the number of expanded leaves (NEL) was counted 3 times per week from the first leaf emission until flowering. For each plant, cultivar, and sowing date, linear regression was adjusted between NEL and accumulated thermal time (ATT) and between NEL and number of days after emergence (DAE). Phyllochron was determined by the inverse of the angular coefficient of the linear regression between the NEL and ATT. The leaf appearance rate was determined by the inverse of the angular coefficient of the linear regression between NEL and DAE. In oat, there is variability of phyllochron and leaf appearance rate among cultivars and sowing dates. Phyllochron oscillates between 95.88 and 117.70 °C day∙leaf−1 and leaf appearance rate, between 6.41 and 9.65 days∙leaf−1. The oat cropping management in function of phyllochron and leaf appearance rate is dependent on cultivars and sowing dates.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar atributos nutricionais, quantificados na polpa e na casca dos frutos, que melhor discriminam quanto à severidade de "bitter pit" em maçãs 'Gala'. Depois de quatro meses de armazenamento em atmosfera normal (0-1°C; 90-95% UR), os frutos foram separados em quatro lotes, de acordo com a severidade de incidência de "bitter pit": nula (nenhuma lesão por fruto), baixa (1-2 lesões por fruto), moderada (3-4 lesões por fruto) e alta (5-13 lesões por fruto). Foram determinados os teores de Ca, Mg, K e N na casca e na polpa em frutos individuais (doze frutos de cada lote). A análise univariada mostrou que os frutos com sintomas de "bitter pit" apresentaram menor teor de Ca na casca e na polpa, maior teor de K na casca e maiores valores das relações K/Ca, Mg/Ca, N/Ca, (K+Mg)/Ca e (K+Mg+N)/Ca, tanto na casca como na polpa. Todavia, quando todos os atributos nutricionais avaliados na casca e na polpa foram submetidos à análise canônica discriminante (análise multivariada), a melhor discriminação entre frutos sem "bitter pit" e frutos com severidade de incidência de "bitter pit" de baixa a alta é obtida com a relação K/Ca na casca, seguido, em menor grau, pelas relações Mg/Ca e N/Ca na polpa.

The objective of this work was to identify nutritional attributes, assessed in the flesh and skin tissues, that provide a better discrimination regarding bitter pit severity in 'Gala' apples. After four months in regular cold storage (0-1°C; 90-95% RH), fruits were segregated into four lots with different levels of bitter pit severity: null (none pit per fruit), low (1-2 pits per fruit), moderate (3-4 pits per fruit), and high (5-13 pits per fruit). Nutritional analysis (Ca, Mg, K and N) in the skin and in the flesh tissues were performed on twelve individual fruits of each severity level. The univariate analysis showed that fruits with bitter pit symptoms had lower concentration of Ca in the skin and flesh tissues, a higher concentration of K in the skin tissue, and higher values for K/Ca, Mg/Ca, N/Ca, (K+Mg)/Ca, and (K+Mg+N)/Ca ratios in the skin and flesh tissues than fruits without bitter pit. However, the canonical discriminant analysis (multivaried analysis) showed that, out of all nutritional attributes assessed in the skin and flesh tissues, K/Ca ratio in the skin provides the best discrimination between fruit with bitter pit and fruit without the disorder, followed by Mg/Ca and N/Ca ratio in the flesh tissue.

Maçãs 'Catarina', colhidas na maturação comercial em pomar no município de São Joaquim-SC, foram separadas em quatro lotes de 14 frutos, de acordo com a severidade de incidência de "bitter pit": nula (nenhuma lesão/fruto), baixa (1-2 lesões/fruto), moderada (3-5 lesões/fruto) e alta (6-18 lesões/fruto). Foram determinadas as concentrações de Ca, Mg, K e N na casca e na polpa de cada fruto. Foram verificadas relação linear (P < 0,05) negativa entre os valores médios de Ca na casca, e positiva entre as relações Mg/Ca, (K+Mg)/Ca e (K+Mg+N)/Ca também na casca, com o número médio de manchas/fruto nas diferentes categorias de severidade de "bitter pit". Para a polpa, o aumento na severidade de "bitter pit" foi acompanhado de redução apenas nas concentrações de Ca e Mg. A análise multivariada (análise canônica discriminante) mostrou que a relação Mg/Ca na casca foi o atributo mineral que melhor discriminou frutos com diferentes níveis de severidade ao "bitter pit", e que, portanto, elevados valores desta relação são indicativos de frutos com alta suscetibilidade a esse distúrbio na cultivar Catarina.

'Catarina' apples were harvested at the commercial maturity in an orchard in São Joaquim-SC and segregated in four lots of 14 fruits with different levels of bitter pit severity: null (none pit/fruit), low (1-2 pits/fruit), moderate (3-5 pits/fruit), and high (6-18 pits/fruit). Nutritional analysis (Ca, Mg, K, and N) in the skin and flesh tissues were performed on individual fruits of each severity level. The average number of pits/fruit (calculated for each lot of bitter pit severity) showed a negative linear relationship (P < 0.05) with the skin Ca content, and a negative linear relationship (P < 0.05) with the ratios of Mg/Ca, (K+Mg)/Ca, and (K+Mg+N)/Ca in the skin. For the flesh, the increasing of bitter pit severity was accompanied by significant reduction of Ca and Mg contents. The multivariate analysis (canonical discriminant analysis) showed that the Mg/Ca ratio in the skin provided the best discrimination between the lots of fruit with different levels of bitter pit severity. Therefore, for 'Catarina' apples, increasing values of the Mg/Ca ratio in the skin are indicative of fruits with increasing bitter pit susceptibility.