-This study aimed to evaluate the effect of substrate on growth, emergence, nutrition, and quality of Anacardium othonianum Rizz. (cerrado cashew tree) seedlings. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at the Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory on the Rio Verde campus. The following substrates were used: 1) Bioplant ® , 2) Mecplant ® (MP) + carbonized rice husk (CRH) (7:3), 3) fine-grained vermiculite (FGV), 4) FGV+CRH (3:1), 5) FGV+CRH (1:1), 6) FGV+CRH (1:3), and 7) sugarcane bagasse (SB) + sugarcane mill filter cake (FC) (3:2). Emerged seedlings were counted at 2-day intervals for 38 days following emergence of the first seedling. At 39, 64, and 89 days after seeding (DAS), the following variables were measured: stem length (SL), stem diameter (SD), and number of leaves (NL). Accumulated dry weight, quality indices, and leaf macro-and micronutrient levels were determined at 89 DAS. Plants grown in the FGV and FGV+CFH (1:3) substrates had shorter stem lengths than the plants grown in other substrates. Increases in seedling growth were smaller between 64 and 89 DAS compared to the initial period of the experiment. The highest leaf N concentrations were found in the SB+FC substrate treatment group; P and K concentrations were higher for the MP+CRH (7:3), SB+FC, and Bioplant ® treatments; and Ca levels were higher for the SB+FC and MP+CRH (7:3) substrate treatments. The MP+CRH (7:3) substrate treatment group had the highest leaf B and Mn micronutrient concentrations, and plants from the Bioplant ® substrate group had the highest leaf B micronutrient content. Mg, S, Cu, Zn, and Fe concentrations did not differ among the different substrates. The plant traits that differed most among the treatments included stem length for the FGV and FGV+CRH (1:3) substrate groups and leaf nutrient concentrations, which were higher for the SB+FC group followed by the MP+CRH and Bioplant ® treatments.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality and photosynthetic metabolism of Eugenia dysenterica DC. seedlings grown in different substrates. The seed were sown in the following substrates: MecPlant  (MP), rice husks (RH), subsoil (SB), fine vermiculite (FV), coarse sand (CS), tanned cattle manure (CM), decomposed corn silage (CS), and soil collected from around parent plants (SN). The volume-based substrates were formulated as follows:

Residues from agricultural activities might be used as substrates for production of seedlings. In this study it was aimed to evaluate the physiology, nutrition and quality of Eugenia dysenterica DC. seedlings grown in substrates derived from agricultural organic wastes. The wastes used were as follows: rice husks (RHs); fermented cattle manure (FCM); cattle manure compost (CMC), which contained corn silage and FCM; sugarcane bagasse (SCB); filter cake from sugar-alcohol mills (FC); and subsoil (SB). Four substrates were formulated from the wastes, namely SB+RH (1:1; v:v), SB+CMC (1:1), SB+FCM (3:1) and SCB+FC (3:2) and Bioplant  substrate was also used. The following characteristics were evaluated: the emergence and vigor percentages, biometric characteristics, seedling quality indices, gas exchange, chlorophyll a fluorescence and leaf nutrient levels. The seedling emergence was similar for all the substrates. The highest vigor was found in seedlings that were cultivated in SCB+FC, which was equal to the vigor observed in Bioplant  . In general, the use of the SB+CMC substrate gave better seedling results for the biometric and nutritional characteristics, followed by SCB+FC. Most of the biometric characteristics showed a correlation with photosynthesis, electron transport rate and effective quantum yield of photosystem II, thus showing that these characteristics can be alternatives to the traditional quality indexes used for seedlings. The use of CMC, SCB and FC was shown to be appropriate for the production and nutritional supply of seedlings' specie. The composition SB (subsoil)+CMC (1:1) proved to be the most suitable to produce E. dysenterica seedlings.

The use of cover crops in intercropping is an important strategy for soil management and conservation, the improvement of edaphic conditions, and the optimization of cultivation of intercropped plants of commercial interest. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the water content and soil nutrient as well as initial growth of some fruit trees native to the Cerrado, Brazil. That is, Eugenia dysenterica Mart. ex DC., Dipteryx alata Vogel and Caryocar brasiliense Camb., when intercropped with Arachis pintoi L., Crotalaria spectabilis Roth., Dolichos lablab L., and Urochloa decumbens Stapf., with nitrogen (81 kg N ha -1 ) and Urochloa decumbens without nitrogen (Urochloa decumbens Stapf.) treatments. Fruit tree nutrient uptake, the biomass production of the cover crops, and the effects of the cover crops on soil moisture were evaluated. It was noted that C. spectabilis and D. lablab were less effective at maintaining soil moisture, but resulted in the highest nitrogen concentrations in E. dysenterica and D. alata leaves SO, these cover plants are recommended for these native species. The highest nitrogen concentrations in C. brasiliense were measured in response to N fertilizer. A. pintoi produced less biomass than the remaining cover crops tested, but resulted in the lowest soil moisture losses, justifying its use for soil moisture conservation.

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