Essential plant nutrients are mainly applied to soil and plant foliage for achieving maximum economic yields. Soil application method is more common and most effective for nutrients, which required in higher amounts. However, under certain circumstances, foliar fertilization is more economic and effective. Foliar symptoms, soil and plant tissue tests, and crop growth responses are principal nutrient disorder diagnostic techniques. Soil applications of fertilizers are mainly done on the basis of soil tests, whereas foliar nutrient applications are mainly done on the basis of visual foliar symptoms or plant tissue tests. Hence, correct diagnosis of nutrient deficiency is fundamental for successful foliar fertilization. In addition, there are some more requirements for successful foliar fertilization. Foliar fertilization requires higher leaf area index for absorbing applied nutrient solution in sufficient amount, it may be necessary to have more than one application depending on severity of nutrient deficiency. Nutrient concentration and day temperature should be optimal to avoid leaf burning and fertilizer source should be soluble in water to be more effective. Foliar fertilization of crops can complement soil fertilization. If foliar fertilization is mixed with postemergence herbicides, insecticides, or fungicides, the probability of yield response could be increased and cost of application can be reduced.

Lowland rice is a staple food for more than 50% world population. Iron toxicity is one of the main nutritional disorders, which limits yield of lowland rice in various parts of the world. The toxicity of iron is associated with reduced soil condition of submerged or flooded soils, which increases concentration and uptake of iron (Fe 2+ ). Higher concentration of Fe 2+ in the rhizosphere also has antagonistic effects on the uptake of many essential nutrients and consequently yields reduction. In addition to reduced condition, increase in concentration of Fe 2+ in submerged soils of lowland rice is associated with iron content of parent material, oxidation-reduction potential, soil pH, ionic concentration, fertility level, and lowland rice genotypes. Oxidationreduction potential of highly reduced soil is in the range of -100 to -300 mV. Iron toxicity has been observed in flooded soils with a pH below 5.8 when aerobic and pH below 6.5 when anaerobic. Visual toxicity symptoms on plants, soil and plant tissue test are major diagnostic techniques for identifying iron toxicity. Appropriate management practices like liming acid soils, improving soil fertility, soil drainage at certain growth stage of crop, use of manganese as antagonistic element in the uptake of Fe 2+ and planting Fe 2+ resistant rice cultivars can reduce problem of iron toxicity.

No abstract

As pesquisas demonstram que as leituras de transmitância obtidas em clorofilômetro portátil podem indicar a época de maior demanda de nitrogênio (N) das plantas e se há ou não a necessidade de sua aplicação em cobertura. Este foi o objetivo do presente trabalho, que avaliou para a cultura do feijoeiro irrigado os seguintes manejos de N: M1: 240kg ha-1 de N (80kg na semeadura 80kg aos 15 dias após emergência (dae) + 80kg aos 30 dae), m²: 120kg ha-1 (30 de N na semeadura + 45kg aos 15 dae + 45kg aos 30 dae); M3: 30kg ha-1 de N na semeadura e aplicação em cobertura estabelecida com base no uso do clorofilômetro Minolta SPAD-502 e M4: testemunha sem a aplicação de N. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado com quatro tratamentos e cinco repetições. A produtividade de grãos no tratamento baseado nas leituras do clorofilômetro portátil (M3) foi semelhante a do tratamento normalmente recomendado para o feijoeiro irrigado (m²), porém, foram aplicados 60kg ha-1 de N a menos. Os níveis críticos mínimos de índice relativo de clorofila para obtenção de produtividade superior a 90% da máxima foram, respectivamente, de 43 e 46 aos 28 e 49 dias após emergência do feijoeiro.

RESUMO