Moist tropical forests in Amazonia and elsewhere are subjected to increasingly severe drought episodes through the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and possibly through deforestation‐driven reductions in rainfall. The effects of this trend on tropical forest canopy dynamics, emissions of greenhouse gases, and other ecological functions are potentially large but poorly understood. We established a throughfall exclusion experiment in an east‐central Amazon forest (Tapajós National Forest, Brazil) to help understand these effects. After 1‐year intercalibration period of two 1‐ha forest plots, we installed plastic panels and wooden gutters in the understory of one of the plots, thereby excluding ∼890 mm of throughfall during the exclusion period of 2000 (late January to early August) and ∼680 mm thus far in the exclusion period of 2001 (early January to late May). Average daily throughfall reaching the soil during the exclusion period in 2000 was 4.9 and 8.3 mm in the treatment and control plots and was 4.8 and 8.1 mm in 2001, respectively. During the first exclusion period, surface soil water content (0–2 m) declined by ∼100 mm, while deep soil water (2–11 m) was unaffected. During the second exclusion period, which began shortly after the dry season when soil water content was low, surface and deep soil water content declined by ∼140 and 160 mm, respectively. Although this depletion of soil water provoked no detectable increase in leaf drought stress (i.e., no reduction in predawn leaf water potential), photosynthetic capacity declined for some species, the canopy thinned (greater canopy openness and lower leaf area index) during the second exclusion period, stem radial growth of trees <15 m tall declined, and fine litterfall declined in the treatment plot, as did tree fruiting. Aboveground net primary productivity (NPP) (stemwood increment and fine litter production) declined by one fourth, from 15.1 to 11.4 Mg ha−1 yr−1, in the treatment plot and decreased slightly, from 11.9 to 11.5 Mg ha−1 yr−1, in the control plot. Stem respiration varied seasonally and was correlated with stem radial growth but showed no treatment response. The fastest response to the throughfall exclusion, and the surface soil moisture deficits that it provoked, was found in the soil itself. The treatment reduced N2O emissions and increased CH4 consumption relative to the control plot, presumably in response to the improved soil aeration that is associated with soil drying. Our hypothesis that NO emissions would increase following exclusion was not supported. The conductivity and alkalinity of water percolating through the litter layer and through the mineral soil to a depth of 200 cm was higher in the treatment plot, perhaps because of the lower volume of water that was moving through these soil layers in this plot. Decomposition of the litter showed no difference between plots. In sum, the small soil water reductions provoked during the first 2 years of partial throughfall exclusion were sufficient to lower aboveground NPP, including th...

Plant-microbe interactions have been the subject of several biotechnological studies, seeking sustainable development and environmental conservation. The inoculation of plant growth-promoting microbes (PGPM) in agricultural crops is considered an environmental-friendly alternative to chemical fertilization. Microbial inoculants are mainly inoculated onto seeds, roots and soil. PGPM improve plant growth by enhancing the availability of nutrients, the regulation of phytohormones, and by increasing plant tolerance against biotic and abiotic stresses. One of the main obstacles with PGPM research are the inconsistent results, which may be the result of inoculation methods and abiotic factors, such as soil (nutrient or heavy metal contents and pH), water availability, light intensity and temperature. This review addresses how the PGPM inoculants act on plant growth, what mechanisms they use to survive under stressful environmental conditions, and how inoculation methods and abiotic factors can interfere on the success of microbial inoculation in plants, serving as a basis for research on plants-microorganisms interaction.

Forage grasses in tropical pastures can be subjected to considerable diurnal and seasonal reductions in available light. To evaluate the physiological behavior of the tropical forage grasses Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu and B. humidicola to low light, the photosynthetic light response and chlorophyll contents of these species were compared for plants grown outdoors, on natural soil, in pots, in full sunlight and those shaded to 30 % of full sunlight, over a 30-day period. Both species showed the ability to adjust their photosynthetic behavior in response to shade. Photosynthetic capacity and light compensation point were lower for shade plants of both species, while apparent quantum yield was unaffected by the light regime. Dark respiration and chlorophyll a:b ratio were significantly reduced by shading only in B. humidicola. B. humidicola could be relatively more adapted to succeed, at least temporarily, in light-limited environments.

-The growth and biomass allocation responses of the tropical forage grasses Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu and B. humidicola were compared for plants grown outdoors, in pots, in full sunlight and those shaded to 30% of full sunlight over a 30-day period. The objective was to evaluate the acclimation capacity of these species to low light. Both species were able to quickly develop phenotypic adjustments in response to low light. Specific leaf area and leaf area ratio were higher for low-light plants during the entire experimental period. Low-light plants allocated significantly less biomass to root and more to leaf tissue than high-light plants. However, the biomass allocation pattern to culms was different for the two species under low light: it increased in B. brizantha, but decreased in B. humidicola, probably as a reflection of the growth habits of these species. Relative growth rate and tillering were higher in high-light plants. Leaf elongation rate was significantly increased on both species under low light; however, the difference between treatments was higher in B. brizantha. These results are discussed in relation to the pasture management implications.Index terms: specific leaf area, growth rate, pastures, light regimes. CRESCIMENTO E ALOCAÇÃO DE BIOMASSA NAS GRAMÍNEAS C 4BRACHIARIA BRIZANTHA E B. HUMIDICOLA SOB SOMBREAMENTO RESUMO -O crescimento e a alocação de biomassa das gramíneas forrageiras tropicais Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu e B. humidicola foram comparados, em plantas cultivadas em vasos, a pleno sol e a 70% de interceptação da luz solar, durante um período de 30 dias. O objetivo foi avaliar a capacidade de aclimatação dessas espécies ao sombreamento. Ambas as espécies mostraram-se capazes de desenvolver rapidamente ajustes fenotípicos em resposta ao sombreamento. A área foliar específica e a razão de área foliar foram maiores durante todo o período experimental, nas plantas cultivadas à sombra. As plantas sombreadas alocaram significativamente menos biomassa nas raízes e mais nas folhas do que as plantas cultivadas à sombra. No entanto, a alocação de biomassa no colmo foi diferenciada entre as duas espécies sob sombreamento: aumentou em B. brizantha, mas diminuiu em B. humidicola, provavelmente como conseqüência do hábito de crescimento dessas espécies. A taxa de crescimento relativo e o perfilhamento foram maiores nas plantas a pleno sol. A taxa de elongação foliar foi significativamente aumentada sob sombreamento em ambas as espécies; no entanto, a diferença entre tratamentos foi maior em B. brizantha. Esses resultados são discutidos com relação às suas implicações para o manejo.Termos para indexação: área foliar específica, taxa de crescimento, pastagens, regime de luz.

-The physiological and morphological responses of the forage grasses Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, B. decumbens and B. humidicola were compared for plants grown in pots under flooding and well-drained conditions for 14 days. Flooding reduced specific leaf area and biomass allocation to roots in all species and enhanced leaf senescence in B. brizantha and B. decumbens. Relative growth rate was reduced by flooding in B. brizantha and B. decumbens, but not in B. humidicola. Leaf elongation rate was unaffected by flooding in B. decumbens and B. humidicola, but declined in B. brizantha since the first day of flooding. Net photosynthesis and leaf chlorophyll content were reduced by flooding in B. brizantha; however, no flooding effect could be detected in the other two species. For all species, there was a close relationship between net photosynthesis and stomatal conductance under flooding. These results show that the studied species have distinct degrees of tolerance to flood, B. brizantha is intolerant, B. decumbens is moderately tolerant and B. humidicola is tolerant. Because leaf elongation rate was immediately depressed by flooding only in B. brizantha, this measurement could be appropriate as an early detection mechanism for relative flood tolerance in Brachiaria spp.Index terms: Brachiaria brizantha, Brachiaria decumbens, Brachiaria humidicola, leaf area, chlorophyll, photosynthesis, biomass, growth rate.RESPOSTAS MORFOLÓGICAS E FISIOLÓGICAS DE BRACHIARIA SPP. AO ALAGAMENTO DO SOLO RESUMO -As respostas morfológicas e fisiológicas de Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, B. decumbens e B. humidicola foram comparadas em plantas cultivadas em vasos, sob solo alagado e bem drenado durante 14 dias. O alagamento reduziu a área foliar específica e a alocação de biomassa para as raízes em todas as três espécies e aumentou a senescência foliar em B. brizantha e B. decumbens. O alagamento reduziu a taxa de crescimento relativo em B. brizantha e B. decumbens, mas não em B. humidicola. A taxa de elongação foliar não foi afetada pelo alagamento em B. decumbens e B. humidicola, mas diminuiu em B. brizantha desde o primeiro dia de alagamento. A fotossíntese líquida e o conteúdo de clorofila foliar foram reduzidos pelo alagamento em B. brizantha; no entanto, nenhum efeito do alagamento pôde ser detectado nas outras espécies. Em todas as espécies, existiu uma estreita relação entre as taxas de fotossíntese líquida e a condutância estomatal. Esses resultados mostram que as espécies estudadas diferem quanto à tolerância ao alagamento. B. brizantha é intolerante, B. decumbens é moderadamente tolerante e B. humidicola é tolerante. Em virtude de a taxa de elongação foliar ter sido imediatamente afetada somente em B. brizantha, este parâmetro pode ser empregado como um mecanismo de detecção prematura da tolerância ao alagamento em Brachiaria spp.Termos para indexação: Brachiaria brizantha, Brachiaria decumbens, Brachiaria humidicola, área foliar, clorofila, fotossíntese, biomassa, taxa de crescimento.

No abstract

This is the first report on the effect of light intensity and plant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on the growth of a tropical forage grass, being a relevant study to improve pasture management in conventional farming and integrated crop‐livestock‐forestry systems. In this study, our aim was to evaluate the effects of light intensity and Burkholderia pyrrocinia and Pseudomonas fluorescens inoculation on Brachiaria brizantha cv. BRS Piatã growth, and phenotypic plasticity to shade. The experiment was conducted in a semi‐controlled environment. Seedlings of B. brizantha were allocated to full sun and shade. P. fluorescens and B. pyrrocinia were inoculated individually or co‐inoculated by soil drench, 14 days after seedling emergence. We evaluated morphogenesis, structural and growth parameters. Irrespective of the light regime, co‐inoculated plants had greater leaf area and SPAD index (chlorophyll content). Increase in total biomass production in co‐inoculated plants was over 100% and 300%, under full sun and shade respectively. Co‐inoculated P. fluorescens and B. pyrrocinia increased shade tolerance in B. brizantha, improving plant performance. Co‐inoculation promoted growth in B. brizantha under both sun and shade, indicating its potential as a bio‐fertilizer in conventional and integrated systems, especially in silvopastoral systems, where light availability to pasture growth may be limited.

Some physiological and morphological responses of five Brachiaria brizantha accessions (BRA000591 cultivar Marandu, BRA003441, BRA002844, BRA004308 and BRA004391) were compared for plants grown in pots under flooding and well-drained conditions for 14 days. Flooding caused a significant reduction in leaf dry mass production in all accessions, but, for root biomass, no differences between treatments could be detected in BRA003441 and BRA004391. No adventitious root production was observed in flooded BRA003441; all other accessions produced adventitious roots when flooded. Relative growth rate was reduced by flooding only in BRA000591 and BRA004308. Leaf elongation rate was reduced by flooding in all accessions, however, more severely in BRA003441. Net photosynthesis was reduced by flooding in all accessions, but with less intensity in BRA004391. For all accessions, there was a close relationship between net photosynthesis and stomatal conductance under flooding. The five accessions tested differed in tolerance to flooding. BRA004391 was the most tolerant. Accession BRA003441 was the most sensitive, followed by BRA000591 cultivar Marandu. Accessions BRA002844 and BRA004308 were classified as intermediate in flooding tolerance.Index terms: adventitious roots, photosynthesis, forage grasses, biomass allocation, growth rate. Tolerância ao alagamento em cinco acessos de Brachiaria brizanthaResumo Algumas respostas morfológicas e fisiológicas de cinco acessos de Brachiaria brizantha (BRA000591 cultivar Marandu, BRA003441, BRA002844, BRA004308 e BRA004391) foram comparadas em plantas cultivadas em vasos, sob condições de solo alagado e bem drenado, durante 14 dias. O alagamento reduziu significativamente a produção de massa seca foliar em todos os acessos, mas para a massa seca radicular, não foi possível encontrar diferenças entre tratamentos em BRA003441 e BRA004391. Somente BRA003441 não produziu raízes adventícias sob alagamento. A taxa de crescimento relativo foi reduzida pelo alagamento somente em BRA000591 e BRA004308. A taxa de elongação foliar foi reduzida pelo alagamento do solo em todos os acessos, porém, com maior severidade em BRA003441. O alagamento reduziu a fotossíntese líquida em todos os acessos, porém, menos intensamente em BRA004391. Em todos os acessos encontrou-se uma estreita relação entre as taxas de fotossíntese líquida e a condutância estomática sob alagamento. Os cinco acessos testados diferiram na sua tolerância relativa ao alagamento do solo. BRA004391 foi o mais tolerante. O acesso BRA003441 foi o menos tolerante, seguido por BRA000591 cultivar Marandu. Os acessos BRA002844 e BRA004308 foram considerados como intermediários em tolerância ao alagamento do solo.Termos para indexação: raízes adventícias, fotossíntese, gramíneas forrageiras, alocação de biomassa, taxa de crescimento.