Plants with citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC), a disease caused by the xylem-limited bacteria Xylella fastidiosa, have leaves with water deficiency symptoms and are associated with decreases on the net photosynthesis and transpiration rates. Using healthy and CVC-affected 'Pêra' sweet orange plants on 'Rangpur' lime rootstock, the leaf gas exchange variables were measured with an open-gas portable photosynthesis system. All plants were watered and the leaf water potential (Ψ w ) was measured by isopiestic thermocouple psychrometric technique. The net photosynthesis (A) vs. internal leaf CO 2 concentration (A/Ci curves) was analyzed. The relative effect of stomatal resistance on photosynthesis (S%) and the estimation of carboxylation efficiency were calculated. The rates of photosynthesis and transpiration, stomatal conductance, and internal leaf CO 2 concentration (Ci) were also measured while varying the photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD). The S% values were approximately 30 % greater in infected plants when compared to healthy ones. The light compensation point for diseased plants was higher than in the healthy ones, and the saturation light point in plants with CVC was twofold lower. The lower Ψ w in diseased plants favours the hypothesis of xylem occlusion, which probably caused a lower water supply to the mesophyll, thus decreasing the photosynthesis and transpiration rates. Nevertheless, there was also a reduction in the photosynthetic metabolic activities, represented by lower carboxylation efficiency and photochemical disturbances that were detected in diseased plants.Key words: A/Ci curves, citrus variegated chlorosis, Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck, photosynthetic photon flux density, photosynthetic metabolism, stomata.Assimilação do CO 2 , curvas de resposta fotossintética à luz e relações hídricas de plantas da laranja doce 'Pêra' infectadas com Xylella fastidiosa: Plantas com clorose variegada dos citros (CVC), uma doença causada pela bactéria Xylella fastidiosa, restrita ao xilema, apresentam folhas com sintomas de deficiência hídrica, associados com diminuição na fotossíntese líquida e na taxa de transpiração. Utilizando-se plantas sadias e com CVC de laranjeira 'Pêra' sobre limoeiro 'Cravo', as variáveis de trocas gasosas foram medidas com sistema portátil aberto de fotossíntese. Todas as plantas foram irrigadas e o potencial da água na folha (Ψ w ) medido pela técnica psicrométrica de termopar isopiéstico. Fotossíntese líquida (A) vs. concentração interna de CO 2 na folha (curvas A/Ci) foram analisadas. O efeito relativo da resistência estomática sobre a fotossíntese (S%) e a estimativa da eficiência de carboxilação foram calculados. Taxas de fotossíntese e transpiração, condutância estomática e concentração interna de CO 2 na folha (Ci) foram também medidas quando se variou a densidade de fluxo de fótons fotossinteticamente ativos (DFFFA). Os valores de S% foram 30 % maiores nas plantas doentes, comparados às sadias, e seu ponto de compensação de luz também foi maior e o ponto de saturação de...

Soybean is an important crop in Brazil. Nonetheless, there are no reports on the use of plant growth regulator potential in relation to this crop in the national literature. To better understand the role of these compounds, a pot experiment was carried out to study effects of GA 3 and cytokinin on the vegetative growth of the soybean. GA 3 (50 mg L -1 ) was applied as seed treatment, leaving plants with water application as control. GA 3 (100 mg L -1 ) and cytokinin (30 mg L -1 ) were sprayed on leaves at the physiological stage V3/ V4, and 15 days after, cytokinin (30 mg L -1 ), also as foliar spray. Seed treatment decreased plant emergence and initial soybean root growth, but as the season progressed, differences in root growth disappeared; plants were shorter, and presented a decrease in the number of nodes, in stem diameter, in leaf area and in dry matter yield. Conversely, foliar application of GA 3 led to an increase in plant height, first node height and stem diameter. Leaf area and dry matter production also increased as a result of GA 3 foliar application. There was no effect of exogenous gibberellin and cytokinin on the number of soybean leaves, number of stem branches and root dry matter. Joint application of gibberellin and cytokinin tended to inhibit gibberellin effects. Cytokinin applied to leaves during soybean vegetative growth was not effective in modifying any of the evaluated plant growth variables. Key words: Glycine max, gibberellic acid, gibberellin, aminopurin, plant growth regulator GIBERELINA E CITOCININA NO CRESCIMENTO DA SOJA RESUMO: A soja é uma das principais culturas no Brasil, porém não há relatos do potencial de utilização dos fitorreguladores nessa cultura na literatura nacional. Para saber mais sobre estes compostos, um experimento em vasos foi conduzido para estudar o efeito do GA 3 e citocinina (CK) sobre o crescimento vegetativo e floração da soja. GA 3 (50 mg L -1 ) foi aplicado como tratamento de sementes. Plantas somente com aplicação de água foram aplicadas como controle. Foram feitas duas aplicações foliares, sendo na primeira aplicado 100 mg L -1 de GA 3 , associado ou não a 30 mg L -1 de CK, e na segunda 30 mg L -1 de CK. O tratamento de sementes diminuiu a emergência de plântulas e o comprimento de raiz, porém, com o decorrer do experimento, a diferença no crescimento radicular desapareceu. Além destes efeitos, as plantas foram menores e apresentaram uma diminuição no número de nós, diâmetro de caule, área foliar e produção de matéria seca. A aplicação foliar de GA 3 aumentou a altura da planta, altura do primeiro nó e diâmetro de caule. A área foliar e a produção de matéria seca também aumentaram com a aplicação foliar de GA 3 . Não foi verificado efeito de GA 3 e CK exógenas sobre o número de folhas, número de ramificações e matéria seca da raiz. A aplicação conjunta de giberelina e citocinina tendeu a diminuir os efeitos da giberelina. Citocinina aplicada às folhas durante o crescimento vegetativo da soja, não apresentou efeito sobre quaisquer variáveis a...

No abstract

Strobilurins are fungicides with beneficial physiological effects on crop yield due to promotion of net carbon assimilation, nitrate reductase enzyme activity, stress tolerance and hormonal balance. The carboxamides complement the action of the strobilurins when applied alternately or together. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of application of pyraclostrobin, azoxystrobin and boscalid on grafted and ungrafted Japanese cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) in order to analyze the effects of these fungicides on plant physiology and increased fruit production. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 2 × 5 factorial scheme, with grafted and ungrafted cucumber plants and 5 fungicide treatments: control; azoxystrobin 60 g a.i ha −1 ; boscalid 50 g a.i ha −1 ; pyraclostrobin 50 g a.i ha −1 ; and boscalid 100 g a.i ha −1 + pyraclostrobin 50 g a.i ha −1 , applied 18 days after transplanting and then at intervals of seven days. The effect of the treatments was evaluated based on the average yield and fruit mass, in addition to observations of gas exchange, lipid peroxidation, and the activities of peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase and nitrate reductase. Based on the results obtained, it was concluded that the fungicide treatments resulted in different responses between the grafted and ungrafted plants. The physiological benefits were more evident in the grafted plants treated with pyraclostrobin or boscalid alone, and these benefits manifested in terms of fruit production and increased the activity of the antioxidative system, thereby reducing stress. The higher productivity probably occurred due to the better physiological performance of these plants, mainly at the beginning of development, presenting greater activity of the enzyme nitrate reductase, in addition to the higher net CO 2 assimilation and carboxylation efficiency.

Nitrogen (N) is the most limiting nutrient for corn production. Thereby, the goal of the paper was to evaluate inoculation methods of Azospirillum brasilense in order to partially supply N required by the crop. The experiment was carried out in Guarapuava, PR, Brasil, in 2011/2012

RESUMO: Resultados de pesquisa envolvendo aspectos fisiológicos da pupunheira (Bactris gasipaes Kunth), fruteira nativa da América Tropical, são escassos. Procurando completar essa lacuna, um experimento sob deficiência hídrica foi conduzido em casa de vegetação, durante um período de 13 dias, utilizando plantas de 12 meses de idade. O objetivo principal foi avaliar as respostas da pupunheira à deficiência hídrica. As variáveis observadas foram: taxa de assimilação de CO 2 , transpiração, condutância estomática e potencial de água das folhas. As coletas dos dados foram realizadas diariamente em laboratório e sob fluxo de 1200 µm -2 s -1 . Os resultados foram submetidos à análise de variância e de regressão. Verificou-se decréscimo no potencial de água da folha e nas trocas gasosas quando a irrigação foi interrompida por mais de seis dias. Valores mínimos foram obtidos no décimo dia, com redução de 92% da fotossíntese líquida, 87% da condutância estomática e 70% da transpiração. O menor potencial de água nas folhas (-1,9 MPa) foi também observado nesse período. Houve recuperação total de todas as variáveis dois dias após reirrigação, com exceção da condutância estomática. A diminuição da condutância estomática e a queda mais rápida da taxa de transpiração que a queda na fotossíntese, indicam a existência de mecanismos de aclimatação em pupunheira, no sentido de diminuir as perdas de água, quando sob condição de estresse hídrico moderado. Palavras-chave: Bactris gasipaes, deficiência hídrica, fotossíntese PHOTOSYNTHESIS, STOMATAL CONDUCTANCE AND TRANSPIRATION IN PEACH PALM UNDER WATER STRESSABSTRACT: Research results on physiological aspects of peach palm (Bactris gasipaes Kunth), a native fruit tree from tropical America, are scarce. Trying to fill this gap, a water deficit experiment was performed under nursery conditions during 13 days, utilizing 12 months old plants. The main objective was to evaluate peach palm responses to water deficit. The measured variables were: CO 2 assimilation rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance and leaf water potential. Data were collected daily in a laboratory, under a photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) of 1200 µm -2 s -1 , and studied by variance and regression analysis. Significant decreases of leaf water potential values and gas exchange rates were verified when water was withhold for more than six days.The smallest values were found at the tenth day without water replacement, with a reduction of 92% of the net photosynthetic rate, 87% of the stomatal conductance and 70% of the transpiration. By that time, the smallest measured leaf water potential was -1.9 MPa. Recovering from water stress was accomplished two days after rewatering, except for stomatal conductance. The partial closing of the stomata (decrease in stomatal conductance) and the reduction of photosynthesis, suggest the existence of an acclimation mechanism of the peach palm, diminishing water loss under moderate stress.

Resumo -O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da cinetina e do cálcio sobre as características fisiológicas e produtivas de plantas de soja submetidas a estresses por deficit hídrico e sombreamento na fase de florescimento. Utilizou-se o delineamento de blocos ao acaso, em arranjo de parcelas subdivididas com quatro repetições. Plantas de soja cultivadas em vasos de 38 dm 3 foram submetidas à aplicação de cálcio e cinetina, de forma isolada e combinada, no início do florescimento e, em seguida, submetidas a estresse por deficit hídrico e por sombreamento por 12 dias. Após o período de estresse, as plantas foram conduzidas até a maturação com suprimento adequado de água e radiação. A aplicação de cálcio e cinetina promoveu a manutenção do conteúdo relativo de água nas plantas, após quatro dias de deficit hídrico. O extravasamento de eletrólitos celulares, medido ao final do período de estresse, foi menor em plantas tratadas com cálcio e cinetina. A assimilação de CO 2 foi reduzida pela imposição do estresse, principalmente do deficit hídrico, e a produção de grãos nos dois ambientes foi reduzida na mesma intensidade. Termos de indexação:Glycine max, ácido abscísico, assimilação de CO 2 , florescimento, hormônios vegetais. Physiology and yield of soybean treated with kinetin and calcium under drought and shade conditionsAbstract -The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of kinetin and calcium applications on the physiologic and productive traits of soybean plants, subjected to drought and shade conditions, at flowering. A randomized complete block design was used, in a split-plot arrangement, with four replicates. Soybean plants cultivated in 38 dm 3 pots were sprayed with calcium and kinetin, alone or mixed, and subjected to drought and shade during 12 days. After stress period, plants were cultivated under appropriate water and light availability. Calcium and kinetin application resulted in maintenance of the relative water content after four days of drought beginning. Membrane damage, measured at the end of stress period, was lower in plants sprayed with calcium and kinetin. CO 2 assimilation diminished by stress condition, mainly under drought, and grain yield decreased at the same intensity in both environments.

The effect of ultrasound and osmotic dehydration pretreatments on papaya drying kinetics was investigated. The ultrasound pretreatment was carried out in an ultrasonic bath at 30°C. The osmotic pretreatment in sucrose solution was carried out in an incubator at 34°C and agitation of 80 rpm for 210 min. The drying process was conducted in a fixed bed dryer at 70°C. Experimental data were fitted successfully using the Page model for dried fresh and pretreated fruits, with coefficient of determination greater than 0.9992 and average relative error lower that 14.4 %. The diffusional model was used to describe the moisture transfer, and the effective water diffusivity was identified in the order of 10 -9 m 2 s -1 . It was found that drying rates of osmosed fruits were the lowest due to the presence of infused solutes, while the ultrasound pretreatment contributed to faster drying rates. Evaluation of the dried fruit was performed by means of total carotenoids retention. Ultrasound treatments in distilled water prior to air-drying gave rise to dried papayas with retention of carotenoids in the range 30.4-39.8 % and the ultrasonicassisted osmotic dehydration of papayas showed carotenoids retention values up to 64.9 %, whereas the dried fruit without pretreatment showed carotenoids retention lower than 24 %.