Intrinsic soil fertility and the method of irrigation can affect the efficiency of nitrogen (N) fertilization, modify the yield goal, growth, and nutritional status of crops. A study was carried out with the objective of determining yield, growth, water use efficiency (WUE), agronomic efficiency of N (AEN), NO3- concentration in petiole cell extract (PCE) and chlorophyll index (SPAD) in a cotton crop by effect of N rates and two irrigation methods. The study consisted of two experiments established in soils of high fertility [˃13 g kg-1 organic matter (OM) and N-NO3- ˃ 30 mg kg], with varying N fertilization rates: a) flood irrigation (FRR, 11 and 220 kg N ha‑1), and b) drip irrigation (FRG, 11 to 440 kg N ha-1). Plant height and number of nodes were not affected by the applied treatments. SPAD values and NO3- concentrations in PCE were cubically related to crop yield. The highest yield and WUE was obtained in the experiment with drip irrigation. In the FRR experiment no response (P > 0.05) to N fertilization treatments was found. In the FRG experiment, application of 440 kg N ha‑1 reduced yield by 43% compared to the rest of the evaluated rates. AEN was statistically higher (P < 0.001) in treatments fertilized with 11 kg N ha‑1. The low yield response due to application of N in cotton was attributed to high concentrations of N-NO3- and OM that are present in the soils in which the experiments were conducted.
V. Tello, L. Díaz, and M. Sánchez. 2013. Side effects of the natural pesticide Spinosad (GF-120 Formulation) on Eretmocerus paulistus (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), a parasitoid of the whitefly Aleurothrixus floccosus (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), under laboratory conditions. Cien. Inv. Agr. 40(2):407-417. The side effects of the insecticide GF-120 NF 0.02 Naturalyte CB® were evaluated on adults of Eretmocerus paulistus Hempel, a parasitoid of Aleurothrixus floccosus (Maskell) in citrus orchards of northern Chile. LC 50 and LC 90 were determined by applying the insecticide using a Potter tower in decreasing doses from 0.96 to 0.1 mg a.i. L-1 (corresponding to 1% to 0.1% of the recommended dose, respectively). After 24 h of exposure, the results were fitted to a probit model, and the LC 50 and LC 90 were estimated at 0.21 and 0.79 mg a.i. L-1 , respectively. In feeding tests and evaluation of the toxic effect of dry residues of GF-120, it was determined that a high percentage of mortality (100%) was obtained using a combination of 24.0 mg a.i. L-1 x residues at 1 hour drying time. Residues at 96 h (4 days) drying time with concentrations of 38.4 or 24.0 mg a.i. L-1 caused mortalities over 60%. According to the classification of the IOBC (International Organization for Biological and Integrated Control of Noxious Animals and Plants) the manufacturer's recommended concentration of 96 mg a.i. L-1 was level 4, which is harmful (> 99%), as GF-120 concentrations can range from 0.77 to 72 mg a.i. L-1. The GF-120 residues applied on inert surfaces were harmful to E. paulistus with a high mortality rate under laboratory conditions. Field studies are needed to validate these results by evaluating parasitoid populations in insecticide-treated and untreated areas.
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