O maracujá amarelo (Passiflora edulis Sims. f. flavicarpa Deg) é uma das espécies frutíferas mais cultivadas no Brasil, mais vigorosa e mais adaptada aos dias quentes. Objetivou-se avaliar a utilização de diferentes materiais refletores em bancadas de cultivo, visando melhor aproveitamento da luz no interior do ambiente protegido, para obtenção de mudas de maracujazeiro vigorosas e de elevada qualidade. O experimento foi conduzido em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com 5 tratamentos e 6 repetições. Foram testados os seguintes tratamentos: T1: testemunha (bancada metálica de cor cinza, sem material refletor); T2: bancada metálica coberta com papel alumínio; T3: bancada metálica coberta com tecido “falso paetê”; T4: bancada metálica coberta com espelho; T5: bancada metálica coberta com bandeja de papel laminada. Foram avaliados o índice de velocidade de emergência, altura média de plantas, número de folhas, teor de clorofila na folha, matéria seca da parte aérea, matéria seca da raiz, matéria seca total, taxa de crescimento relativo e taxa de crescimento absoluto. Dentre as radiações refletidas pelos materiais de cobertura da bancada, o espelho apresentou a maior média. Mudas produzidas sobre o espelho apresentaram maior taxa de crescimento, matéria seca da parte aérea quando comparadas com as produzidas sobre o tecido. No final das avaliações foi observado maior acúmulo de clorofila nas mudas que utilizaram o espelho como material refletor. O uso do tecido como material refletor não é recomendado.

Ambientes distintos podem exercer influência sobre o crescimento e desenvolvimento de mudas devido à diferença entre as variáveis micrometeorológicas. Objetivou-se desta forma, monitorar e comparar as variáveis micrometeorológicas no interior de ambientes protegidos, na Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul, Unidade Universitária de Cassilândia, MS, no período de 28 de junho a 27 de agosto de 2017. Os ambientes avaliados foram: 1. estufa agrícola coberta com filme de polietileno com tela lateral e frontal de 30% de sombreamento, com tela termorrefletora aluminizada móvel (42/50%); 2. estufa agrícola coberta com filme de polietileno com tela lateral e frontal de 30% de sombreamento, com tela termorrefletora aluminizada móvel (22/30%); 3. telado agrícola com tela termorrefletora aluminizada de 35% de sombreamento; 4. telado agrícola com tela de monofilamento preta de 30% de sombreamento; 5. telado agrícola com tela de monofilamento preta de 18% de sombreamento; 6. externo. Os dados de temperatura (T°C), umidade relativa (UR%) e radiação global (RG) foram comparados pelo teste de Tukey a 5%. A T°C e UR% não diferiram nos ambientes durante o inverno. Os ambientes 1, 2, 3, 4 e 5 reduziram, respectivamente, 71, 61, 49, 49 e 52% da radiação solar externa disponível no período de inverno.

Biological control is considered the only viable integrated disease management practice for controlling the widely distributed and destructive foliar blight and sudden death disease caused by the fungus Rhizoctonia solani AG-1 IA on signal grass (Urochloa brizantha) pastures. Since major signal grass varieties are highly susceptible and fungicide sprays are not labeled for grass pasture cropping systems, biological control is sought as an alternative for managing this fungal disease. In this study, 24 fluorescent Pseudomonas isolates obtained from naturally suppressive soils from the Amazon biome were bio-prospected for their role as biocontrol agents against R. solani AG-1 IA. Based on in vitro antagonism, three isolates (Amana, Poti, and Yara) were selected for further in vivo assays. Multilocus phylogenetic analysis indicated that Amana and Yara were grouped into the Pseudomonas putida group while Poti was grouped into the Pseudomonas asplenii group, and could well constitute a new Pseudomonas species. For in vivo biocontrol assays, the biocontrol agents were applied either via seed-treatment or via foliar spray. All three isolates produced siderophores and solubilized phosphate, while Amana and Poti showed protease and chitinase in vitro activity. Foliar application of P. putida Amana from Amazonian suppressive soils resulted in a significant reduction of the foliar blight disease severity on signal grass. We discuss further steps for the development and labeling of Pseudomonas-based biofungicides for managing the foliar blight disease on signal grass pastures in Brazil.

The objective was to evaluate the quality of ornamental pepper seedlings, cultivar Pyramid, in different substrate volumes, with foliar application of paclobutrazol (PBZ).The experiment was carried out at the Mato Grosso do Sul State University -UEMS, in Cassilândia -MS. The experimental design was completely randomized, in a 2 x 2 factorial scheme (growth container x foliar application of PBZ) with four replicates of 36 seedlings each. Plastic trays (cells with a volume of 50 mL) and polystyrene trays (Isopor ® , 100 mL cells) were used as containers. The treatments were: polystyrene tray with PBZ application; polystyrene tray without PBZ application; plastic tray with PBZ application and plastic tray without the application of PBZ. Plant height, root length, stem diameter, shoot dry mass, root dry mass, total dry mass, height/stem diameter ratio (H/D), shoot/root ratio (S/R) and Dickson quality index were evaluated. Foliar application of paclobutrazol resulted in robust pepper seedlings with reduced size, suitable and desirable characteristics for ornamental purposes. The polystyrene trays with higher volume cells (100 mL) contributed to the higher quality of ornamental pepper seedlings.

The successful establishment of a Garcinia humilis orchard depends on planting high-quality seedlings. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the shading level (0 %, 18 % and 50 %) and substrate composition on the formation of G. humilis seedlings. Four substrates (S) were evaluated combining different proportions (v:v) of soil (SO), cattle manure (CM), commercial substrate (CS), sand (SA) and fine grain vermiculite (FV): S1 = 0 % SO + 45 % CM + 20 % CS + 20 % SA + 15 % FV; S2 = 15 % SO + 30 % CM + 20 % CS + 20 % SA + 15 % FV; S3 = 30 % SO + 15 % CM + 20 % CS + 20 % SA + 15 % FV; S4 = 45 % SO + 0 % CM + 20 % CS + 20 % SA + 15 % FV. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design in each environment, being the environments compared by a joint analysis. The G. humilis seedlings with the highest quality were obtained in the environment with a 50 % shading screen. G. humilis seedlings do not grow when exposed to full sunlight and, therefore, the seedling production of this species with direct solar radiation, without some shading level, should not be recommended. Different combinations from the mixture of soil, cattle manure, commercial substrate, sand and fine grain vermiculite may be used in the formulation of substrates for G. humilis seedlings.

The study aimed to evaluate the influence of reflective materials on the cultivation bench and the use of rice husks over the substrate in the formation of Dipteryxalata seedlings. The experiment was carried out in the experimental area of the Mato Grosso do Sul State University, in Cassilândia-MS, from November 1st, 2016 to January 26th, 2017. A completely randomized design in a 5 x 2 factorial scheme was used, with five replications and five plants per plot. Four reflective material for the cultivation bench and treatment without reflective material (control), combined with or without rice husks over the substrate (0.5 cm layer), were evaluated. Laminated paper tray, mirror, reflective fabric (known as “fake sequin fabric”), and aluminum foil were used as reflective materials. The reflecting materials did not differ in the reflectance of photosynthetically active radiation. However, the mirror and the aluminum foil reflected more than the control. The use of rice husk over the substrate did not increase the Dipteryxalata seedlings' quality. The mirror as a reflective material produced Dipteryxalata seedlings of higher quality than the system without material reflector called control.

This study aimed to evaluate the quality of Hevea brasiliensis seedlings, a GT1 clone, produced in protected environments in a variety of substrates. The treatments consisted of 13 substrates composed of combinations of cattle manure, soil from a ravine, medium vermiculite, superfine vermiculite and washed fine sand and two environments: a greenhouse with 50% shade using aluminized screen and a plant nursery with 50% shade using a Sombrite® screen. There were no replications of the environments; therefore, each one was considered an experiment. For each environment, a completely randomized experimental design with five replications was used to evaluate the substrates. Subsequently, the average squares of the residuals of individual variance analyses of these treatments (substrates) were evaluated, and because they did not exceed an approximate ratio of 7:1, a combined analysis of experiments was performed with Sisvar software. Two hundred eighty days after sowing, the dry weight, plant height, stem diameter, diameter at five centimeters above soil and the seedling quality indices were evaluated. Results indicated that substrates with a low amount of manure and sand and a high amount of vermiculite (S9 and S13) produced rubber tree seedlings of high-quality. The environment with greater radiation availability was better for the development of high-quality rubber tree seedlings.

Improving environmental conditions in the production of seedlings by expanding the distribution of photosynthetically active radiation in abaxial leaves and protecting the substrate with straw can promote the production of higher quality seedlings. This study aimed to evaluate the reflective materials over the cultivation bench and the use of rice straw over the substrate in the formation of papaya seedlings of the group ‘Formosa’. The joint analysis was performed considering a completely randomized experimental design in a 3 x 2 factorial scheme, with five replications and six seedlings per plot. The use of aluminized screen (Aluminet®) and aluminum foil with an area of 1 m x 1.2 m as reflective material on the cultivation bench and treatment without reflective material were evaluated. Also, the presence and absence of a rice straw layer with 5 cm height, as covering over the substrate were evaluated. In the benches with aluminum foil and without reflective material, the seedling production without rice straw over the substrate provided papaya seedlings of higher quality than the rice straw over the substrate. The aluminum foil produced high-quality papaya seedlings in the treatments with rice straw over the substrate. The aluminized screen on the cultivation bench was not favorable for the papaya seedlings production.