ABSTRACT Vast areas of the Brazilian Amazon have been deforested for the expansion of livestock and the agricultural frontier, which has resulted in soil exhaustion. It is therefore urgent to reduce deforestation and encourage sustainable land use to promote social and economic development in the region. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of different land use systems (an agroforestry system, cassava cultivation, non-degraded pasture, native forest) on the chemical properties of the soil (0-40 cm) in the mesoregion of the Juruá Valley, in the state of Acre, Brazil. Principal component analysis showed the soil in the forested area (reference) has greater values for P, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Na+, sum of bases, and cation exchange capacity; while hierarchical cluster analysis suggested little dissimilarity to the soil in the agroforestry system, and high dissimilarity to the soil in the areas of cassava cultivation and pasture. The results therefore support agroforestry as the most sustainable land use system, compared to cassava cultivation or pasture.

ABSTRACT Soil properties and classes can influence the occurrence of plants and the production of Brazil nut fruits and may have a different distribution between sites. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship of plants’ occurrence, production of Brazil nut fruits, and spatial variability of the properties in different soil classes in two Brazil nut stand in the state of Acre, Brazil. The study was conducted in two plots in two native Brazil nut stand, Cachoeira (CP01 and CP02 - plots 1 and 2) and Filipinas (FP01 and FP02 - plots 1 and 2). The soil profiles were described morphologically. Sixty soil samples were collected in each plot. The chemical properties, granulometry, soil density, particle density, and estimated total porosity were determined. The average fruit production was calculated by counting the fruits in a sample of Brazil nut trees. Subsequently, the trees were divided into three classes of production: low (≤1.5 can; the can unit has 18-L, which is able to hold 59 and 77 fruits, respectively, for Cachoeira and Filipinas), medium (1.6 to 3.9 cans), and high (≥4.0 cans). The can unit is the traditional measure of volume in the region and varies according to the locality. Cluster analysis was performed to determine whether there was a difference between Brazil nut stands and soil profiles, and geostatistics was used to evaluate the spatial dependence of soil properties. The highest occurrence of Brazil nut trees with high fruit production (≥4.0 cans) was found in the Latossolo Vermelho Distrófico argissólico (Oxisol) and Argissolo Vermelho-Amarelo Distrófico típico (Ultisol). However, the Argisol also hosted the plants with the lowest productions (≤1.5 can). The pH, total organic carbon, sum of bases, P, N, granulometry, and porosity showed a greater spatial variability, and FP02 showed a greater number of properties with high spatial variability compared to the other areas. Although the occurrence of plants and the production of Brazil nut fruits ( Bertholletia excelsa ) were associated with the classes and the physical and chemical properties of the soil, pyxidium production differed between areas. In general, soil physical properties were limiting factors for Brazil nut production and/or higher tree occurrence. Filipinas environment showed a low fruit production and a greater spatial variability of soil properties compared to Cachoeira.

RESUMO A busca por alternativas para aumentar a produtividade e a sustentabilidade da pecuária na região Amazônica sem aumentar o desmatamento é desafiadora. Pastagens consorciadas de gramíneas com amendoim forrageiro (Arachis pintoi) têm mostrado impactos econômicos positivos. Porém, lacunas no conhecimento da biologia reprodutiva do amendoim forrageiro tem limitado o desenvolvimento de novas cultivares adaptadas as variações ambientais na Amazônia brasileira. Pastos consorciados de Brachiaria humidicola com amendoim forrageiro (cv. Mandobi) apresentaram cerca de 42% de aumento na produtividade do ganho de peso. Novas cultivares mais adaptadas ao clima amazônico, poderão trazer ganhos ainda maiores. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar o sistema reprodutivo em vinte acessos de A. pintoi e aproximadamente 40 progênies por acesso, genotipadas com oito microssatélites (ou marcadores). Os parâmetros de diversidade genética e endogamia, taxa de cruzamento e coancestria foram calculados. A heterozigosidade observada foi significativamente maior e o índice de fixação foi significativamente menor nos adultos comparado às progênies. A taxa de cruzamento foi variável entre os genótipos (2 a 80%) e a média da taxa de cruzamento foi 36%. Esses resultados indicam que a presença de polinizadores em pastagens pode influenciar o fluxo gênico em A. pintoi mais do que o esperado. Arachis pintoi apresentou um sistema de cruzamento misto com predominância de autofecundação e as famílias apresentaram endogamia e diferentes níveis de parentesco. Novas estratégias de conservação de genótipos são necessárias para evitar polinizadores mediadores de cruzamento entre os acessos.

ABSTRACT The search for alternatives to increase productivity and sustainability of livestock production in the Amazon region without increasing deforestation is challenging. Mixed pastures of grasses with forage peanut (Arachis pintoi) have shown positive economic impacts. However, gaps in the knowledge of the reproductive biology of A. pintoi have limited the development of new cultivars adapted to the environmental variations in the Brazilian Amazon. Pasture consortiums of Brachiaria humidicola with forage peanuts (cv. Mandobi) resulted in a 42% increase in weight gain productivity. New cultivars better adapted to the Amazon climate should bring even greater gains. We evaluated the mating system in twenty A. pintoi accessions, and approximately 40 offspring per accession genotyped with eight microsatellites (or markers). The parameters of genetic diversity and inbreeding, the outcrossing rate and coancestry were calculated. The observed heterozygosity was significantly higher and the fixation index was significantly lower in adults compared with the offspring. The crossing rate was variable among genotypes (2 to 80%), and the mean outcrossing rate was 36%. These results indicate that pollinator presence in pastures can influence gene flow in A. pintoi more than expected. Arachis pintoi presented a mixed mating system with a predominance of selfing, and families presented inbreeding and different levels of relatedness. New strategies of genotype conservation are needed to avoid pollinator-mediated crossing between accessions.

O Sistema Integrado de Diagnose e Recomendação (DRIS) é uma ferramenta usada para avaliação do estado nutricional de plantas. Diferentes fórmulas DRIS têm sido propostas para melhorar a eficiência do diagnóstico nutricional de culturas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi comparar o diagnóstico nutricional das fórmulas de Beaufils (1973), de Jones (1981) e de Elwali & Gascho (1984), por meio do grau de concordância para pomares comerciais de árvores de Theobroma grandiflorum. Amostras foliares de árvores de cupuaçu foram coletadas de 153 pomares comerciais com idade variando entre 5 e 18 anos, cultivados em sistemas agroflorestais ou monocultivos, no Estado de Rondônia. Relações bivariadas entre as concentrações dos nutrientes de árvores sadias foram usadas para calcular as normas DRIS. Os índices DRIS foram calculados pelas diferentes fórmulas interpretadas pelo método do Potencial de Resposta à Adubação em cinco categorias. As normas DRIS, o cálculo dos índices DRIS e sua interpretação foram feitos pelo aplicativo computacional Dris Cupuaçu (www.dris.com.br). As diferentes fórmulas DRIS resultaram em diagnósticos similares, com grau de concordância maior que 90 % para os nutrientes N, P, K, Ca e Mg.

DRIS, an Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System, is a tool to evaluate the nutritional status of plants. Different DRIS formulas have been proposed to improve the efficiency of the crop nutrition diagnoses. The objective of this study was to compare the nutritional diagnosis of the formulas of Beaufils (1973), of Jones (1981) and of Elwali and Gascho (1984), based on the degree of agreement in commercial orchards of Theobrama grandiflorum trees. Leaf samples of 5 to 18 year-old cupuaçu trees were collected from 153 commercial orchards in agroforestry and monoculture systems in the state of Rondonia, Brazil. Bivariate relationships between nutrition concentrations in healthy trees were used to calculate DRIS norms. DRIS indices were calculated based on the different formulas and interpreted by the Potential Fertilizer Response method, in five categories. The DRIS norms, DRIS index calculations and their interpretations were developed using the DRIS Cupuaçu computer program (www.dris.com.br). The different DRIS formulas resulted in similar diagnoses with a degree of agreement of > 90% for the nutrients N, P, K, Ca, and Mg.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a performance de normas DRIS específicas ou gerais no diagnóstico do estado nutricional do cupuaçuzeiro (Theobroma grandiflorum), na Amazônia Sul-Ocidental. Amostras foliares de cupuaçu foram coletadas de 153 pomares comerciais, com idade entre 5 e 18 anos, cultivados em monocultivo ou em sistemas agroflorestais. Foram geradas normas DRIS específicas para cada sistema de produção e normas gerais, obtidas para o conjunto da população monitorada. Na obtenção das normas, foi considerada a relação nutricional entre N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn e Mn. A maioria das médias das relações bivariadas entre nutrientes e dos diagnósticos produzidos pelas normas DRIS específicas não diferiu em relação aos produzidos com o uso da norma DRIS genérica. Portanto, a avaliação do estado nutricional de cupuaçuzeiros pode ser realizada com o uso de normas DRIS genéricas, que independem do sistema de cultivo.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the performance of specific or generic DRIS norms regarding diagnosis of the nutritional state of cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum) orchards, in Southwestern Amazonia. Cupuaçu leaf samples were collected from 153 commercial orchards with ages ranging from 5 to 18 years, cultivated either in monoculture or in agroforestry systems. Specific DRIS norms, obtained for each production system, and generic norms, for the entire population, were generated. DRIS norms were obtained considering the nutritional relationship between N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn. The majority of bivariate relation means between nutrients and diagnostics obtained from the specific DRIS norms did not differ in comparison to the ones obtained when the generic DRIS norm was used. The evaluation of the nutritional state of cupuaçu orchards can be done using generic DRIS norms, which do not take into account the production system.

O arroz (Oryza sativa L.) é uma espécie autógama com taxa de cruzamento natural de até 3%, sendo as variações influenciadas pelos genótipos e ambientes. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a taxa e a distância de cruzamento natural entre as cultivares de arroz-de-sequeiro Guarani e IAC 201. O estudo foi desenvolvido nos municípios de Carpina e do Recife, no Estado de Pernambuco nos anos agrícolas de 2001 e de 2002 respectivamente. Na cultivar Guarani observa-se pilosidade nas folhas condicionada por alelos dominantes HLHL e essa característica foi utilizada como marcador morfológico. Já na cultivar IAC 201 não, por ser portadora dos alelos recessivos (hlhl). Os experimentos foram compostos por quatro blocos, constituídos de dez linhas circunscritas da cultivar em estudo, espaçados a 50 cm entre si, e no centro de cada bloco plantou-se a cultivar Guarani. A taxa e a distância de cruzamento natural foram avaliadas nas plantas provenientes das sementes da cultivar IAC 201, oriundas do cruzamento natural, expressando pilosidade nas folhas. Após a avaliação das plantas referentes às duas primeiras linhas do experimento desenvolvido em Carpina e das três primeiras linhas do experimento de Recife, constatou-se que apenas na primeira linha (0,5 m) houve plantas resultantes de cruzamento natural. Nessa distância, verificou-se que a taxa média de cruzamento natural de 0,30% em Carpina e de 0,35% no Recife.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is an autogamous species that shows natural crossing rates of up to 3%, where the variations are influenced by genotypes and environments. The present work aimed to evaluate the rates and distances of natural crossing between the upland rice cultivars Guarani and IAC 201. The study was done in the counties of Carpina and Recife, in the State of Pernambuco during the agricultural years of 2001 and 2002, respectively. The Guarani cultivar presents leaf pilosity conditioned by the dominant alleles HLHL and this character was used as a morphologic tracer. On the other hand, the IAC 201 cultivar does not show pilosity because it carries the recessive alleles (hlhl). The experiments were composed of four blocks, constituting of ten circunscribed rows of the cultivar under study, spaced 50 cm between themselves, and in the center of each block the Guarani cultivar was planted. The natural crossing rate and distance were evaluated in the plants resulting from the seeds of the IAC 201 cultivar from natural crossing, expressing pilosity in the leaves. After the evaluation of the plants arising from the first two rows of the experiment carried out in Carpina and the first three rows of the experiment done in Recife, it was concluded that in the first row (0.5 m) there were plants resulting from natural crossing. At this distance, the average crossing rate in Carpina was 0.30% while that in Recife was 0.35%.