Abstract Abstract: The formononetin biostimulant may be an option for reducing P fertilization once it stimulates mycelial growth of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and increases plant ability to take up nutrients through the roots, especially phosphorus. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of formononetin associated with phosphorus fertilization in maize. Field experiments were conducted in a randomized block design with a 3 × 4 factorial arrangement (0, 50 or 70, and 140 kg ha-1 P2O5; and formononetin application rates: 0, 25, 50, and 100 g ha-1), with four replications. Formononetin (100 g ha-1) increased the mycorrhizal colonization rate up to 30% in maize in the first four weeks after emergence when no P fertilizer was applied, and to 17% when 50 or 70 kg ha-1 of P2O5 were applied. The application of 50 and 100 g ha-1 of formononetin significantly increased plant height, ear height, and grain yield (22% - 76%) when no P fertilizer was applied. The use of formononetin in the field stimulates mycorrhizal colonization, has a positive effect on maize yield, and reduces the need for P fertilizer application in maize. However, this effect was evident only at low P soil contents.

No presente trabalho avaliou-se e selecionou-se plantas resistentes aos nematóides das galhas (Meloidogyne spp) e tolerantes ao calor quanto ao florescimento, a partir de oito populações F2 de alface. Em um primeiro experimento, fez-se a avaliação para nematóides das galhas. Além das oito populações F2, utilizaram-se como testemunhas as cultivares Regina 71 (suscetível) e Grand Rapids (resistente). De acordo com uma escala de notas de 1 a 5, referentes à incidência de galhas nas raízes de cada planta, estabeleceu-se um ponto de truncagem baseado no número de plantas das cultivares Regina 71 e Grand Rapids para cada nota, que no caso foi a nota 2. Plantas das populações F2 com notas 1 e 2 foram consideradas resistentes, sendo selecionadas. Tomaram-se aleatoriamente 80 plantas de cada população, entre as selecionadas, e das cultivares Regina 71 e Grand Rapids, as quais foram transplantadas para estufa. Avaliou-se nesta etapa, o número de dias decorridos da semeadura até a primeira antese em cada planta, obtendo-se a distribuição de freqüência das plantas da cultivar Regina 71 (tolerante ao florescimento precoce) e Grand Rapids (suscetível ao florescimento precoce). Estabeleceu-se da mesma forma que no experimento anterior, um ponto de truncagem, que neste caso foi de 111 dias. Este número foi utilizado como limite mínimo para seleção de plantas tolerantes ao florescimento precoce. Foi possível selecionar 13,46% das plantas, que floresceram a partir dos 111 dias, as quais já haviam sido selecionadas para resistência a nematóides. O efeito aditivo e a herdabilidade alta para o caráter de resistência a nematóides, assim como para a tolerância ao pendoamento precoce, permitem antever a possibilidade de obtenção de linhagens superiores, a partir de plantas selecionadas para estas características.

Plants resistant to the southern root knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) and tolerant to the early bolting were evaluated and selected, starting from eight F2 generations. In the first experiment, these F2 generations, Regina 71 (nematode-susceptible) and Grand Rapids (nematode-resistant) cultivars were evaluated for the southern root knot nematodes. A truncation point was established with base in a scale of notes from 1 to 5, referring to the galls incidence in the root system of each plant of the Regina 71 and Grand Rapids cultivars. This truncation point corresponded to note 2. Plants of the F2 generation with notes 1 and 2 were selected. Eighty plants of each F2 generation, Regina 71 and Grand Rapids cultivars were transplanted in a greenhouse. Bolting tendency of each of the plants was recorded as the number of days from sowing to the first anthesis. Plant frequency distribution of the Regina 71 (late-bolting) and Grand Rapids (early-bolting) were obtained. A truncation point was established. This truncation point corresponded to 111 days. This number was used as the minimum limit for selection of the tolerance to early flowering of plants. It was possible to select 13,46% of the plants, which bloomed starting from the 111 days and which had already been selected for the southern root knot nematodes resistance. The addictive effect and the high heritability for the characteristics, permit to foresee the possibility of obtaining lines selected for these characteristics.