The MON 87701 × MON 89788 soybean provides a high level of control against A. gemmatalis and P. includes, but a high-dose event only to A. gemmatalis.

The soybean product MON 87701 × MON 89788 expresses both the cry1Ac gene derived from Bacillus thuringiensis and the cp4 epsps (5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase) gene derived from Agrobacterium sp. strain CP4. Each biotechnology-derived trait confers specific benefits of insect resistance and glyphosate tolerance, respectively. The purpose of this study was to compare the composition of seed and forage from this combined-trait product to those of conventional soybean grown in geographically and climatically distinct regions. Field trials were conducted in the United States during the 2007 growing season, in Argentina during the 2007-2008 growing season, and in the northern and southern soybean regions of Brazil during the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 growing seasons. Results demonstrated that the compositional equivalence of MON 87701 × MON 89788 to the conventional soybean extended across all regions and growing seasons. Further evaluation of the data showed that natural variation (region and growing season) contributed more to compositional variability in soybean, particularly for such components as isoflavones, fatty acids, and vitamin E, than transgene insertion.

RESUMO -Com o objetivo de avaliar a resposta de pastagens degradadas de Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu ao uso de diferentes doses de fertilização com N e S, foi desenvolvido um experimento em campo durante dois anos, em área de cerrado em blocos ao acaso. Foram avaliados sete tratamentos, seis com diferentes combinações de doses de N e S e uma testemunha (pastagem degradada). As combinações foram: 70 kg ha -1 N sem enxofre, 140 kg ha -1 N sem enxofre, 210 kg ha -1 N sem enxofre, 70 kg ha -1 N e 77 kg ha -1 S, 140 kg ha -1 N e 153 kg ha -1 S, 210 kg ha -1 N e 230 kg ha -1 S. A reposta em produção de forragem ao uso de fertilização nitrogenada foi linear, com maior eficiência de uso do nitrogênio no segundo ano de manejo. A maior produção de forragem foi acompanhada por maior extração de N e queda nos teores de matéria orgânica no solo. A extração de enxofre foi menor que as doses de S empregadas. O critério da relação N:S na forragem na nutrição mineral da forrageira foi recomendado apenas na época das águas. Houve acúmulo de enxofre nas camadas subsuperficiais do solo.Palavras-chave: degradação, fertilizantes, uréia, sulfato de amônio, relação N:S, nutrientes N and S Fertilization and Recovery of Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu Pasture on Sandy SoilABSTRACT -An experiment was carried out during two years on Cerrado soil with the objective of evaluating the response of degraded Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu pastures to different N and S fertilization doses. Seven treatments, six with different N and S combinations and a control (degraded pasture), were compared in a randomized complete blocks design. The combinations were: 70 kg ha -1 N without sulphur, 140 kg ha -1 N without sulphur, 210 kg ha -1 N without sulphur, 70 kg ha -1 N and 77 kg ha -1 S, 140 kg ha -1 N and 153 kg ha -1 S, 210 kg ha -1 N and 230 kg ha -1 S. Herbage yield response to nitrogen rates was linear, and the best efficiency of nitrogen use was obtained in the second year. The highest herbage yield was associated with higher extraction of N and smaller soil organic matter content. The sulfur extraction was lower than S doses. The N:S ratio as a criterion of the forage mineral nutrition was effective only in the rainy season. There was sulphur accumulation in deeper layers of soil.

The compositions of a diverse range of commercially available conventional and genetically modified (GM; glyphosate-tolerant) soybean varieties from maturity groups 8 and 5, respectively, grown in the northern and southern soybean regions of Brazil during the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 growing seasons were compared. Compositional analyses included measurement of essential macro- and micronutrients, antinutrients, and selected secondary metabolites in harvested seed as well as measurement of proximates in both forage and harvested seed. Statistical comparisons utilized a mixed analysis of variance model to evaluate the relative contributions of growing season, soybean growing region, production site, phenotype (GM or conventional), and variety. The study highlighted extensive variability in the overall data set particularly for components such as fatty acids, vitamin E, and isoflavones. There were few differences between the GM and non-GM populations, and most of the variability in the data set could be attributed to regional and variety differences. Overall, the results were consistent with the expanding literature on the lack of any meaningful impact of transgene insertion on crop composition.

As part of an environmental risk assessment, the potential impact of genetically modified (GM) maize MON 87411 on non-target arthropods (NTAs) was evaluated in the field. MON 87411 confers resistance to corn rootworm (CRW; Diabrotica spp.) by expressing an insecticidal double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) transcript and the Cry3Bb1 protein and tolerance to the herbicide glyphosate by producing the CP4 EPSPS protein. Field trials were conducted at 14 sites providing high geographic and environmental diversity within maize production areas from three geographic regions including the U.S., Argentina, and Brazil. MON 87411, the conventional control, and four commercial conventional reference hybrids were evaluated for NTA abundance and damage. Twenty arthropod taxa met minimum abundance criteria for valid statistical analysis. Nine of these taxa occurred in at least two of the three regions and in at least four sites across regions. These nine taxa included: aphid, predatory earwig, lacewing, ladybird beetle, leafhopper, minute pirate bug, parasitic wasp, sap beetle, and spider. In addition to wide regional distribution, these taxa encompass the ecological functions of herbivores, predators and parasitoids in maize agro-ecosystems. Thus, the nine arthropods may serve as representative taxa of maize agro-ecosystems, and thereby support that analysis of relevant data generated in one region can be transportable for the risk assessment of the same or similar GM crop products in another region. Across the 20 taxa analyzed, no statistically significant differences in abundance were detected between MON 87411 and the conventional control for 123 of the 128 individual-site comparisons (96.1 %). For the nine widely distributed taxa, no statistically significant differences in abundance were detected between MON 87411 and the conventional control. Furthermore, no statistically significant differences were detected between MON 87411 and the conventional control for 53 out of 56 individual-site comparisons (94.6 %) of NTA pest damage to the crop. In each case where a significant difference was observed in arthropod abundance or damage, the mean value for MON 87411 was within the reference range and/or the difference was not consistently observed across collection methods and/or sites. Thus, the differences were not representative of an adverse effect unfamiliar to maize and/or were not indicative of a consistent plant response associated with the GM traits. Results from this study support a conclusion of no adverse environmental impact of MON 87411 on NTAs compared to conventional maize and demonstrate the utility of relevant transportable data across regions for the ERA of GM crops.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11248-015-9907-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

-In agricultural production systems where the glyphosate-resistant soybean crop (Glycine max) is grown and the practice of crop rotation with alternative herbicides is not adopted, the exclusive and continuous use of glyphosate has led to the occurrence of resistant weed populations that may limit or compromise the benefits of this technology. Thus, the efficacy of weed management programs, including the use of residual herbicides (sulfentrazone, flumioxazin, imazethapyr, diclosulan, chlorimuron and s-metolachlor) applied in preemergence and followed by in-crop postemergence applications of glyphosate (PRE-POST) were compared to glyphosate postemergence only programs -POST. The study was conducted across nine locations during the 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 growing seasons. PRE-POST programs were efficient in the control of Amaranthus viridis, Brachiaria plantaginea, Bidens pilosa, Commelina benghalensis, Eleusine indica, Euphorbia heterophylla and Raphanus raphanistrum, with the level of control being similar when comparing the program with two applications of glyphosate POST. Some PRE-POST programs were not efficient in controlling Cenchrus echinatus, Ipomoea hederifolia and Ipomoea triloba. Sulfentrazone and diclosulam PRE-POST programs improved the control of Ipomoea triloba compared to sequential applications of glyphosate alone. No significant differences in soybean yield were observed between any of the herbicide treatments or study locations. The use of residual herbicides in preemergence followed by glyphosate incrop postemergence provides consistent weed control and reducing early season weed competition. Furthermore, these programs utilize at least two herbicide modes of action for herbicide use diversity, which will be needed to stay ahead of resistance build-up, regardless of when weeds may appear. Keywords:Herbicide resistance management, mode of action, residual herbicides, weed management programs, preemergence, postemergence. Palavras-chave: manejo de resistência a herbicida, modo de ação, herbicidas residuais, programas de manejo de plantas daninhas, pré-emergência, pós-emergência. RESUMO -Em sistemas de produção agrícola onde a cultura da soja tolerante ao glyphosate (Glycine max) está inserida e onde não há a prática de rotação de culturas com herbicidas alternativos, o uso exclusivo e contínuo do glyphosate tem levado ao surgimento de populações de plantas daninhas resistentes, que podem limitar ou comprometer os benefícios dessa tecnologia. Nesse sentido, a eficiência de programas de manejo que envolvem herbicidas residuais (sulfentrazone, flumioxazin, imazethapyr, diclosulam, chlorimuron e s-metolachlor) aplicados na pré-emergência seguidos de glyphosate na pós-emergência da cultura (PRE-POST) foi comparada à de programas com apenas glyphosate na pós-emergência -POST. O estudo constituiu-se de nove experimentos

The efficiency of the symbiotic process between alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and Sinorhizobium meliloti can be drastically affected by soil nitrogen. This research evaluates how mineral fertilization affects the contribution of symbiosis to the yield and quality of alfalfa in two experiments under controlled conditions, and a third one in the field. Under controlled conditions, positive effect of nitrogen fertilizer was observed, whereas, in the field, negative effect of the mineral nitrogen (450 kg ha -1 year -1 ) on the symbiotic process was observed, with reduction of nodulation and nitrogenase activity. However, there was no effect on yield, total nitrogen concentration, crude protein, non-protein nitrogen and digestibility in relation to the treatment without mineral N. The cultivars showed similar performance under different conditions, with 'Crioula Brasileira' and 'Crioula Chilena' showing the highest yield and 'Pioneer-5454' the highest forage nutritive value. Key words: Medicago sativa L., biological nitrogen fixation PRODUÇÃO E QUALIDADE DE ALFAFA EM FUNÇÃODA ADUBAÇÃO NITROGENADA E DA SIMBIOSE COM Sinorhizobium meliloti RESUMO: A eficiência do processo simbiótico entre a alfafa (Medicago sativa L.) e a bactéria Sinorhizobium meliloti pode ser afetada pela presença de nitrogênio no solo. Avaliou-se a contribuição da simbiose em comparação à adubação nitrogenada em componentes da produção de alfafa, em dois experimentos sob condições controladas e um terceiro em campo. Sob condições controladas, verificou-se efeito positivo da adubação nitrogenada sobre as variáveis estudadas, sobre a produção de matéria seca, teor de nitrogênio e proteína. Em campo, verificou-se efeito negativo do N-mineral (450 kg ha -1 ano -1 ) sobre o processo simbiótico, com redução da nodulação e atividade da enzima nitrogenase, sem efeito sobre a produção de matéria seca, nitrogênio total, proteína bruta, nitrogênio não protéico e digestibilidade. O desempenho dos cultivares estudados foi semelhante nos dois ambientes de estudo, sendo os cultivares Crioula Brasileira e Crioula Chilena os mais produtivos e o cultivar Pioneer-5454 como o de melhor valor nutritivo da biomassa produzida. Adubação nitrogenada é dispensável para Medicago sativa inoculada com a bactéria fixadora de nitrogênio correspondente, uma vez que a simbiose pode garantir o fornecimento de nitrogênio em quantidade suficiente para a produção. Palavras-chave: Medicago sativa L., fixação biológica do nitrogênio

The reconstitution of soil fertility is essential in the process of pasture restoring, liming being the first action to be taken in this direction. The liming recommendation for pastures needs more technical information as the application method and rate. A field experiment was carried out to evaluate the liming and fertilization practices to restore a degraded Brachiaria decumbens pasture. The following factors were studied: liming method (incorporated in soil by disking or not); level of base saturation (40, 50 or 80%) and lime type (55, 70 or 90 of ECC). Liming and fertilization (NPK and micronutrients) increased both the forage yield and its root system, these being more evident in the second year, even using the same rates of lime and fertilizer used during the first year. After two years the levels of base saturation aimed for the 0 to 0.20 m soil layer were not achieved, neither was the neutralization of the Al. The disking impaired the development of the root system of B. decumbens and promoted the decrease of soil organic matter. The lime with the lowest ECC increased root growth and led to higher concentrations of Ca and Mg in the soil. Studies in other conditions are necessary to define liming requirements in established and degraded pastures. Key words: ECC, lime, restoration, base saturation, acid soils CALAGEM E ADUBAÇÃO NA RECUPERAÇÃO DE PASTAGEM DEGRADADA DE Brachiaria decumbens EM NEOSSOLO QUARTZARÊNICORESUMO: Na recuperação de pastagens é fundamental a reconstituição da fertilidade do solo, sendo a calagem a primeira ação nessa direção. A recomendação de calagem para pastagens necessita de maiores subsídios técnicos, como a forma de aplicação e a dose e o tipo de calcário a ser empregado. Um experimento de campo foi instalado para avaliar a calagem e a adubação como práticas para a recuperação de pastagens de Brachiaria decumbens degradadas. Os seguintes fatores foram estudados: a forma de aplicação do calcário (incorporado no solo com gradagem ou não incorporado), os níveis de saturação por bases de 40, 60 ou 80% e tipos de calcário (PRNT de 55, 70 ou 90). A calagem e a fertilização (NPK e micronutrientes) aumentaram as produções da forragem e do seu sistema radicular, sendo os efeitos mais acentuados no segundo ano, apesar do uso de mesmas doses de corretivos e fertilizantes do primeiro ano. Após dois anos não se conseguiu atingir os níveis de saturação por bases pretendidos na camada de 0 -0,20 m, bem como a neutralização do Al. A gradagem prejudicou o desenvolvimento do sistema radicular da forrageira e promoveu queda nos teores da matéria orgânica no solo. O calcário de PRNT mais baixo aumentou a produção de raízes e proporcionou as maiores concentrações de Ca e Mg no solo. Estudos em outras condições são necessários para se aprimorar a recomendação de calagem para pastagens estabelecidas e degradadas.