RESUMOSubmitted on 02/20/2014 and approved on 01/20/2016 Growth of sugar cane varieties under salinityLarge salty areas in the Brazilian semi-arid region have limited farming in Northeastern Brazil. One example is the sugar cane cultivation, which reinforces the need of selecting varieties that are more tolerant to salinity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of salinity on growth of ten varieties of sugar cane. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, set in the experimental field of Embrapa Semiárido, in Petrolina, Pernambuco State. The experimental design was randomized blocks arranged in a 6 X 10 factorial arrangement, comprised of six levels of salinity (0, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 and 8.0 dS m -1 ) and ten sugar cane varieties (VAT 90212; RB 72454; RB 867515; Q 124; RB 961003; RB 957508; SP791011; RB 835089; RB 92579 and SP 943206). Salt levels of irrigation water were obtained by adding NaCl, CaCl 2 .2H 2 O and MgSO 4 .7H 2 O to achieve an equivalent ratio among Na:Ca:Mg of 7:2:1. Sixty days later, plant height, stem diameter (base), number of leaves, stalks and sprouts, leaf area and fresh and dry mass of the aerial part and roots were all measured. The varieties of sugar cane showed similar responses for growth reduction as soil salinity increases, being considered moderately sensitive to salinity.

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RESUMO -O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a influência de três sistemas de irrigação sobre as trocas gasosas e as qualidades tecnológicas da cana-de-açúcar, variedade RB 92579, por três ciclos consecutivos, cultivada em dois tipos de solos na região do Submédio do São Francisco. Os experimentos foram instalados utilizando delineamento experimental em blocos casualizados, com seis repetições, em áreas com solo arenoso e argiloso. Os sistemas de irrigação foram: sulco, gotejamento superficial e gotejamento subsuperficial. Avaliaram-se as características fisiológicas das plantas: fotossíntese líquida, condutância estomática, transpiração e temperatura foliar. Para análises tecnológicas foram determinados o teor de sólidos solúveis, porcentagem de fibra industrial, pureza do caldo, porcentagem de açúcar bruto, açúcares redutores e umidade. Verificou-se que a irrigação por gotejamento subsuperficial em solo arenoso interfere negativamente nas trocas gasosas da cultura. Os sistemas de irrigação não influenciaram na qualidade tecnológica dos colmos quando cultivada em solo arenoso e, no argiloso, o sulco interfere negativamente no processo de maturação dos colmos. Palavras-chave:ABSTRACT -The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of three irrigation systems on the gas exchange and technological qualities of the sugarcane variety RB 92579, for three consecutive cycles, grown in two types of soil in the Lower Basin region of San Francisco in Brazil. The experiments were set up in a randomised-block design, with six replications, in areas of sandy and clayey soil. The irrigation systems used were: furrow, surface drip and subsurface drip. The following physiological characteristics of the plants were evaluated: net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration and leaf temperature. In the technological analyses, levels were determined for soluble solids, percentage of industrial fibre, juice purity, percentage of raw sugar, reducing sugars and moisture. It was found that subsurface drip irrigation in sandy soil impairs the gas exchange of the crop. The irrigation systems did not influence the technological quality of the stalks when grown in sandy soil. In clay soil, furrow irrigation impairs the maturation process of the stems.

R E S U M OO objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a tolerância à salinidade de seis variedades de sorgo forrageiro a partir da porcentagem de germinação e do crescimento inicial das plântulas submetidas a seis níveis de salinidade. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 6 x 6, com quatro repetições contendo 25 sementes. Germination and initial growth of varieties of forage sorghum under saline stress A B S T R A C TThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the salt tolerance of six varieties of forage sorghum, based on germination percentage and seedling growth subjected to six salinity levels. The treatments were arranged in a completely randomized design, according to a factorial arrangement 6 x 6 with four replications containing 25 seeds. The treatments were six varieties (V) of forage sorghum [F305 (V1), BRS 655 (V2), BRS 610 (V3), Volumax (V4), 1.015.045 (V5), 1.016.005 (V6)] and six salinity levels [0 (distilled water), 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0 and 12.5 dS m -1 ]. Experiment was conducted at the Laboratory of Seed Analysis of Embrapa Semiárido in August 2012. The variables assessed were percentage of germination, shoot (PA) and root (R) length, ratio PA/R, shoot and root fresh mass, shoot and root dry mass. Salinity levels did not affect the seed germination of varieties of forage sorghum until the conductivity of 10 dS m -1 . The salinity levels between 3 and 5 dS m -1 favored the growth of shoots and roots, showing good tolerance to salinity of forage sorghum varieties, especially F305, Volumax and 1.015.045.

Salt stress is one of the most limiting environmental factors for agricultural yields in the Semiarid region of Brazil. Considering the expansion of areas with sugarcane crops in this region, the selection of more adapted plant varieties to this environment is an essential tool for the sustainability of this activity. Thus, the objective of the present work was to evaluate the physiological and biochemical responses of plants of ten sugarcane varieties to salt stress. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse using a randomized block design, in a 6×10 factorial arrangement consisting of six salinity levels in the irrigation water (0, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0, and 8.0 dS m-1) and ten sugarcane varieties (VAT 90212, RB 72454, RB 867515, Q 124, RB 961003, RB 957508, SP 791011, RB 835089, RB 92579, and SP 943206), with three replications. Salt waters were applied every two days to increase the soil moisture to field capacity and promote leaching. The gas exchange, chlorophyll content, and total soluble and reducing sugars of leaves were evaluated at 90 days after planting. The highest chlorophyll contents were found in plants of the varieties Q 124, RB 96103, RB 835089, and SP 943206. The effect of salinity on the sugarcane plants affected their leaf gas exchanges and total soluble and reducing sugar contents, denoting the adaptability of plants to the stress conditions evaluated. The decrease of stomatal conductance resulted in decreases in photosynthetic rates in plants of all sugarcane varieties evaluated, except for RB 867515.

The objective of this study was to identify sorghum varieties that have growth and grain yield potential under saline conditions. The study was conducted in 2016 at a greenhouse of the Embrapa Semiárido, in Petrolina, state of Pernambuco, Brazil (9° 8’ 8.9’’ S, 40° 18’ 33.6’’ W, and altitude of 373 m). A randomized block experimental design, with a 6 × 5 factorial arrangement, and three replications was used. The treatments consisted of six grain sorghum varieties (1011-IPA, 2502-IPA, 2564-IPA, 2600-IPA, Ponta Negra, and Qualimax), and five salinity levels of the irrigation water (ECw = 0, 1.5, 3.0, 6.0, and 12.0 dS m-1). Plant height, stem diameter, dry matter yield, width and length of the +3 leaf, total leaf area, water use efficiency, and grain yield were evaluated. The sorghum varieties 2502-IPA and 1011-IPA presented the highest grain yields when using an ECw of 6.0 dS m-1, followed by Ponta Negra, Qualimax, and 2600-IPA. The 2564-IPA, 2600-IPA, and Qualimax varieties were more sensitive to the salinity effects, with reductions of 50% of the production with ECw of 3.52, 2.75, and 4.38 dS m-1, respectively.

A B S T R A C TThis study aimed to evaluate the cultivation of forage sorghum subjected to different leaching fractions with saline effluent from fish-farming under semiarid conditions. The experiment was set in a randomized block design, with four blocks, in split plots, composed of four leaching fractions (0; 5; 10 and 15%) and three forage sorghum varieties ('Volumax' , 'F305' and 'Sudão'). Irrigation was performed using saline effluent from fish farming with electrical conductivity of 2.5 dS m -1 . The analyzed variables were: plant height; stem diameter; width, length and number of leaves; fresh and dry matter yield, and relative contents of potassium and sodium in the shoots. Forage sorghum under saline effluent irrigation and leaching fraction of 15% shows a yield increase of 25%, in comparison to sorghum without the leaching fraction. The variety 'Volumax' was more sensitive to salinity than the others, since it showed lower shoot growth and low values of leaf area, fresh matter and dry matter.Cultivo de variedades de sorgo forrageiro irrigado com efluente salino da piscicultura em condições semiáridas R E S U M O O presente trabalho objetivou avaliar o cultivo de variedades de sorgo forrageiro submetido a diferentes frações de lixiviação com efluente salino da piscicultura em condições semiáridas. Foi adotado o delineamento experimental em blocos ao acaso, com quatro blocos, em parcelas subdivididas compostas por quatro frações de lixiviação (0; 5; 10 e 15%) nas parcelas e três variedades de sorgo forrageiro (Volumax, F305 e Sudão) nas subparcelas. A irrigação foi realizada com efluente salino da piscicultura (CE de 2,5 dS m -1 ). As variáveis avaliadas foram altura da planta; diâmetro do colmo; largura, comprimento e número de folhas; produtividade de massa fresca e seca, além de teores de sódio e potássio na parte aérea. Observou-se que o sorgo forrageiro irrigado com efluente salino, com fração de lixiviação de 15% apresentou um aumento percentual de até 25% na produtividade quando comparada à do sorgo sem fração de lixiviação. A variedade Volumax mostrou-se mais sensível à salinidade que as demais em virtude de apresentar o menor crescimento da parte aérea e baixos valores de área foliar e matéria fresca e seca.

Chemical fertilizing is one of the main inputs that increase watermelon production costs. Watermelon grafting with compatible rootstocks and a vigorous root system may increase the efficiency of nutrients absorption. This study aimed at determining the accumulation of dry matter and nutrients, as well as the agronomic performance of grafted watermelon. The triploid 'Precious Petite' watermelon was used as graft and the Line BGCIA941 (Citrullus lanatus var. citroides) as rootstock. The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks, in a split-plot, with six replicates. The 'Precious Petite' grafted onto Line BGCIA941, ungrafted 'Precious Petite' and ungrafted Line BGCIA941 were evaluated in the plot, while the subplot corresponded to the sampling time (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70 days after transplanting). 'Precious Petite' grafted onto Line BGCIA 941 accumulated more macro and micronutrients than the ungrafted plants, increasing fruit yield, flesh firmness and rind thickness, but it did not affect the soluble solids contents. The decreasing order for nutrient accumulation in the grafted plants was N > K > Ca > Mg > P > S > Fe > Mn > Zn > B > Cu, whereas for ungrafted 'Precious Petite' it corresponded to N > K > Ca > Mg > P > S > Mn > Fe > B > Zn > Cu.