The conservation of okra landraces [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench] in gene banks is essential for the success of their use in breeding programmes. This study evaluated the genetic diversity among okra landraces in Brazil based on morphoagronomic descriptors and AFLP markers. We studied 30 accessions of the vegetable gene bank of the Universidade Federal de Viçosa. To this end, 17 morphoagronomic descriptors and five combinations of AFLP primers were used. Genetic parameters were estimated for the quantitative traits and the accessions were grouped by Ward’s method, using the Gower’s and Jaccard’s distance measures, respectively, for the morphoagronomic and molecular data. Polymorphisms were observed for all qualitative traits, while the quantitative traits were significant by deviance analysis. The genetic parameters confirmed the existence of variability among accessions, and high accuracy and heritability indices were found for the traits related to fruit and plant height. Ward’s grouping showed no relationship between the clusters formed with the morphoagronomic and molecular data and the geographical origin of the accessions. No association between morphoagronomic descriptors and AFLP markers was observed. The lack of correlation suggests that both approaches of characterization are important to understand and differentiate the okra accessions.

The adoption of cultures tolerant to synthetic auxins can increase the occurrence of drift of these herbicides, interfering in the development of naturally sensitive cultures, such as beans. The aim of this study was to evaluate the germination and initial development of bean seedlings, using sub-doses of the herbicide 2,4-D. The design of experiment I was completely randomized, with eight treatments and four replications, except for germination, with eight replications. The seeds were sowed in 100 mL of water with concentrations of 0.

Soybean and maize are some of the main drivers of Brazilian agribusiness. However, biotic and abiotic factors are of great concern, causing huge grain yield and quality losses. Phosphorus (P) deficiency is important among the abiotic factors because most Brazilian soils have a highly P-fixing nature. Thus, large amounts of phosphate fertilizers are regularly applied to overcome the rapid precipitation of P. Searching for alternatives to improve the use of P by crops is essential to reduce the demand for P input. The use of multifunctional rhizobacteria can be considered one of these alternatives. In this sense, the objective of the present work was to select and validate bacterial strains with triple action (plant growth promoter, phosphate solubilizer, and biocontrol agent) in maize and soybean, aiming to develop a multifunctional microbial inoculant for Brazilian agriculture. Bacterial strains with high indole acetic acid (IAA) production, phosphate solubilization, and antifungal activity against soil pathogenic fungi (Rhizoctonia solani, Macrophomina phaseolina, and Fusarium solani) were selected from the maize rhizosphere. Then, they were evaluated as growth promoters in maize under greenhouse conditions. Based on this study, strain 03 (Ag75) was selected due to its high potential for increasing biomass (root and shoot) and shoot P content in maize. This strain was identified through genomic sequencing as Bacillus velezensis. In field experiments, the inoculation of this bacterium increased maize and soybean yields by 17.8 and 26.5%, respectively, compared to the control (25 kg P2O5). In addition, the inoculation results did not differ from the control with 84 kg P2O5, indicating that it is possible to reduce the application of phosphate in these crops. Thus, the Ag75 strain has great potential for developing a multifunctional microbial inoculant that combines the ability to solubilize phosphate, promote plant growth, and be a biocontrol agent for several phytopathogenic fungi.

Increasing phosphorus (P) use efficiency in agricultural systems is urgent and essential to significantly reduce the global demand for this nutrient. Applying phosphate-solubilizing and plant growth-promoting bacteria in the rhizosphere represents a strategy worthy of attention. In this context, the present work aimed to select and validate bacterial strains capable of solubilizing phosphorous and promoting maize growth, aiming to develop a microbial inoculant to be used in Brazilian agriculture. Bacterial strains from the maize rhizosphere were evaluated based on their ability to solubilize phosphate and produce indole acetic acid. Based on these characteristics, 24 strains were selected to be further evaluated under laboratory, greenhouse, and field conditions. Among the selected strains, four (I04, I12, I13, and I17) showed a high potential to increase maize root growth and shoot P content. Strains I13 (Ag87) and I17 (Ag94) were identified by genomic sequencing as Bacillus megaterium and Lysinibacillus sp., respectively. These strains presented superior yield increments relative to the control treatment with 30% P. In addition, combining Ag87 and Ag94 resulted in even higher yield gains, indicating a synergistic effect that could be harnessed in a commercial inoculant for Brazilian agriculture.