Seeds of maize (Zea mays L.) and sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.] were submitted to different osmotic potential levels induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG) with the objective of evaluating the effects of drought stress on seed germination and early seedling growth. Seeds were arranged in paper rolls and soaked in PEG solutions prepared with osmotic potentials 0.0 (control), -0.2, -0.4, and -0.8 MPa and kept into a seed germinator, at 25 °C for 18 days. A completely randomized design in a 2 × 4 factorial scheme with four replications of 50 seeds each was used. The results showed that by increasing of the osmotic potential level, germinated seed number, germination rate index, root and shoot length, shoot and root dry matter, and seedling vigor index (SVI) decreased, while mean germination time (MGT) and root: shoot ratio (RSR) increased in both crops. Additionally, the maize was more susceptible than sorghum to drought stress, with germination response declining more rapidly with decreasing osmotic potential. Sorghum crop tolerates water stress of up to -0.2 MPa, without reducing germination of the seeds; however, the growth of shoots and roots are inhibited. Drought stress limits the process of seed germination and early growth of maize seedlings.

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Aluminum (Al 3+) toxicity is a major limiting factor to crop productivity in acid soils. The effects of aluminum on root and shoot growth of physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) young plants and, the uptake and distribution of phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and aluminum in the roots and shoots were investigated in the present study. Plants were grown in 2.5L pots in a greenhouse. After fourteen days of adaptation to nutrient solution, plants were exposed to Al concentrations of 0, 370, 740, 1,100 and 1,480 μmol L -1 , corresponding to an active Al 3+ solution of 13.3, 35.3, 90.0, 153.3 and 220.7 μmol L -1 , respectively. The dry matter partitioning between roots, stems and leaves, and the concentrations of P, Ca, Mg and Al in plant tissue, were measured after 75 days exposure to Al. The increasing level of Al 3+ activity in solution progressively decreased the growth of the shoot and root of physic nut plants, and at the two highest active Al 3+ levels, plants showed morphological abnormalities typical of the toxicity caused by this metal. Higher Al 3+ activity reduced P concentrations in leaves and Ca and Mg in leaves and roots of physic nut, demonstrating the effect of Al on the uptake, transport and use of these nutrients by plants. The Al accumulated preferentially in the roots of physic nut, whereas only a small amount was transported to shoots. Key words: Jatropha curcas, aluminum toxicity, aluminum tolerance Resumo

Seed size is an important indicator of physiological quality, since it may affect seed germination and seedling growth, especially under stress conditions. This study aimed to investigate the effects of seed size on germination and initial seedling growth, under salinity and water stress conditions. The treatments were arranged in a completely randomized design, in a 3 × 3 factorial scheme: three seed size classes (small, medium and large) and three stress treatments (control, saline or water stress), with four replicates. Water and salt stresses do not reduce the germination rate of medium and large seeds; however, the germination rate of small seeds is reduced under salt stress conditions. Drought stress drastically reduces the shoot growth of seedlings regardless of seed size, whereas root growth is higher in seedlings from medium and large seeds under water stress conditions. Under non-stressful environments, the use of large seeds is preferable, resulting in more vigorous seedlings with a greater dry matter accumulation. Medium-size seeds are more adapted to adverse environmental conditions and, therefore, should be used under conditions of water shortage and salt excess in the soil at sowing time. Seedlings are more tolerant to salinity than to water stress during the germination stage and initial growth under laboratory conditions.

A B S T R A C TSeeds of wheat (Triticum aestivum L., cv. Jadeíte 11) and black oat (Avena strigosa Schreb., cv. Agro Planalto) were submitted to different osmotic potential levels induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG) with the objective of evaluate the effects of drought stress on seed germination and early seedling growth. Seeds were arranged in paper rolls and soaked in PEG solutions prepared with osmotic potentials from 0.0 (control), -0.2, -0.4, and -0.8 MPa and kept into a seed germinator, at 25°C for 15 days. A completely randomized design in a 2 × 4 factorial scheme with four replications of 50 seeds each was used. The results showed that by increasing of the osmotic potential level, germinated seeds number, germination rate index, root and shoot length, shoot and root dry matter, and seedling vigor index decreased, while mean germination time (MGT) and root:shoot ratio (RSR) increased in both crops. Additionally, black oat is more susceptible than wheat to drought stress, with germination response declining more rapidly with decreasing osmotic potential. Wheat crop tolerates water stress of up to -0.8 MPa, without reducing germination of the seeds; however, the growth of shoots and roots is drastically inhibited by the highly negative osmotic potential. The initial growth of black oat crop is progressively reduced with the rise of osmotic potential levels.Keywords: Avena strigosa Schreb., Triticum aestivum L., osmotic potential, PEG, water stress. R E S U M OSementes de aveia -preta (Avena strigosa Schreb., cv. Agro Planalto) e trigo (Triticum aestivum L., cv. Jadeíte 11) foram submetidas a diferentes potenciais osmóticos simulados com polietileno glicol (PEG 6000) com o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos do stress hídrico na germinação e no crescimento inicial das plântulas. As sementes foram dispostas em rolos de papel Germitest ® , devidamente umedecidos com soluções de PEG preparadas com potenciais osmótico de 0,0 (controle); -0,2; -0,4; e -0,8 MPa e mantidos em germinador, a 25°C durante 15 dias. O delineamento utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 2 × 4, com quatro repetições de 50 sementes. Os resultados evidenciaram que o aumento do nível de potencial osmótico resultou na redução da porcentagem de germinação, índice de velocidade de germinação, comprimento e matéria seca da parte aérea e das raízes e do índice de vigor das plântulas, enquanto que o tempo médio de germinação e a relação entre a matéria seca das raízes: parte áerea aumentou em ambas as culturas. A cultura da aveia--preta é mais suscetível que o trigo ao déficit hídrico, com resposta de germinação declinando mais rapidamente com a redução do potencial osmótico. A cultura do trigo pode tolerar até -0,8 Mpa de déficit hídrico, sem reduzir a germinação das sementes; no entanto, o crescimento da parte aérea e das raízes é drasticamente reduzido pelo potencial osmótico altamente negativo. O crescimento inicial das plântulas de aveia -preta é progressivamente reduzido com o aumento dos níveis de potencial osmótico. Pala...

O presente trabalho objetivou avaliar os efeitos de doses crescentes de nitrogênio sobre as características morfogênicas, estruturais e produtivas das gramíneas Panicum maximum cvs. Mombaça e Tanzânia, e Brachiaria sp. Mulato. O experimento foi conduzido em condições de campo. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi de blocos casualizados em esquema fatorial 3x4, com três forrageiras (Panicum maximum cvs. Tanzânia e Mombaça e Brachiaria sp. cv. Mulato), quatro doses de N (0, 40, 80 e 160 kg ha -1 ), com três repetições. Foram avaliados os seguintes parâmetros: produção de massa verde (PMV), produção de massa seca (PMS), altura de planta, porcentagem de massa seca, folhas por perfilho, taxa de acúmulo de massa seca (TAMS) e eficiência de uso de nitrogênio (EUN). Os capins Mombaça e Tanzânia apresentaram resultados semelhantes, e ambos foram superiores ao capim Mulato quanto à produção de matéria verde e seca. As três espécies forrageiras responderam a aplicação de nitrogênio, com aumento na produção de MS, MV, TAMS, altura e número de perfilhos. A eficiência máxima no uso do N foi obtida com a dose de 120 kg ha -1 . Palavras-chave: Brachiaria, Panicum, taxa de acúmulo DOI: 10.5433/1679 AbstractThis study aimed to evaluate the effects of increasing doses of nitrogen on the morphogenesis, structural and productive grass Panicum maximum cvs. Mombaca and Tanzania, and Brachiaria sp. Mulato. The experiment was conducted under field conditions. The experimental design was randomized blocks in a 3x4 factorial design with three forages (Panicum maximum cvs. Tanzania and Mombaca and Brachiaria sp. cv. Mulato), four N rates (0, 40, 80 and 160 kg ha -1 ) with three replications. Were evaluated the following parameters: fresh matter production (FMP), dry matter production (DMP), plant height, percentage of dry matter, leaves per tiller, dry matter accumulation rate (DMAR) and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Grasses Mombasa and Tanzania showed similar results, and both were superior

Beneficial effects of silicon (Si) in the plants growth under conditions of drought stress have been associated with to uptake and accumulation ability of element by different species. However, the effects of Si on soybean under water stress are still incipient and inconclusive. This study investigated the effect of Si application as a way to confer greater soybean tolerance to drought stress. The experiment was carried out in 20-L pots under greenhouse conditions. Treatments were arranged in a randomized block design in a 2 × 4 factorial: two water regimes (no stress or water stress) and four Si rates (0, 50, 100 and 200 mg kg -1 ). Soybean plants were grown until beginning flowering (R1) growth stage with soil moisture content near at the field capacity, and then it started the differentiation of treatments under drought by the suspension of water supply. Changes in relative water content (RWC) in leaf, electrolyte leakage from cells, peroxidase activity, plant nutrition and growth were measured after 7 days of drought stress and 3 days recovery. The RWC in soybean leaves decreased with Si rates in the soil. Silicon supply in soil with average content of this element, reduced dry matter production of soybean under well-irrigated conditions and caused no effect on dry matter under drought stress. The nitrogen uptake by soybean plants is reduced with the Si application under drought stress. The results indicated that the Si application stimulated the defense mechanisms of soybean plants, but was not sufficient to mitigate the negative effects of drought stress on the RWC and dry matter production. Key words: Glycine max. Water deficit. Electrolyte leakage from cells. Peroxidase activity. ResumoOs efeitos benéficos do silício (Si) no crescimento das plantas sob condições de déficit hídrico têm sido associados com a capacidade de absorção e acumulação deste elemento pelas diferentes espécies de plantas. No entanto, os efeitos de Si na cultura da soja em condições de déficit hídrico ainda são incipientes e inconclusivos. Este estudo investigou o efeito da aplicação de Si, como forma de conferir maior tolerância da soja ao estresse hídrico. O experimento foi conduzido em vasos de 20 L em condições de casa de vegetação. Os tratamentos foram dispostos em um delineamento em blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial 2 × 4: dois regimes hídricos (sem ou com estresse hídrico) e quatro doses de Si (0, 50, 100 e 200 mg kg -1 ). As plantas de soja foram cultivadas até o início do florescimento (R1) com a teor

The germination and growth of melon (Cucumis melo L.) plants can be severely affected by excess salts in the soil or irrigation water; however, negative effects of salt stress can be attenuated using appropriate methods of seed priming. Thus, effects of osmopriming as inducer of salt stress tolerance in melon seeds exposed to salinity levels were investigated in this study. Seeds were soaked for 22 h at 25 °C in the dark in distilled water (hydropriming) or 0.5% KNO3 solution (osmopriming), and after drying, were distributed in plastic boxes with blotter paper containing different NaCl solutions prepared with osmotic pressure of 0.0 MPa (control), -0.3 MPa (mild stress), and -0.6 MPa (severe stress). Unprimed dry seeds were taken as control. The plastic boxes were kept into a seed germinator, at 25 °C for 14 days. A completely randomized design in a 3 × 3 factorial schemes with four replicates of 25 seeds was used. Results showed that the seed priming with water and KNO3 may be successfully applied on melon seeds to alleviate the adverse effects of saline stress in initial stages of plant growth. However, under severe salt stress conditions, hydropriming should be used because it results in higher germination and initial growth rate of the seedlings when compared to the osmopriming. Use of unprimed seeds should not be adopted in cultivation areas affected by salinity because they result in low germination rate and reduced initial plant growth.