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The importance of maintaining straw on the soil surface is a subject widely discussed and proven in the literature. However, the effects of this straw on planting efficiency and quality still lack information. In this sense, both time and method of the black oat management influence the permanence of the straw on the soil and, thus, can interfere in the next crop's germination and plantability of the seed drill. This study aimed to evaluate methods and times of black oat management and their implications on the plantability and development of the corn crop in succession in two harvests. A randomized block design with twelve treatments was used, consisting of the combination of three methods of management (crushed, rolled, and desiccated) and four times of management (0, 10, 20, and 30 days before the corn sowing) of black oat straw, arranged in a 3 x 4 factorial scheme, with four replications. The black oat management carried out 30 days before the corn sowing provides the highest corn emergence rate. Management methods that promote greater fragmentation of straw tend to offer less mechanical impediment to seedling development and result in a greater initial and final plant population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Onion production is conditioned to the adopted techniques during the cultivation. Sowing depth, soil preparation and cultivars are determinant factors for productivity to be increased. Two experiments were developed, the first with the objective of evaluating the effect of sowing depths and soil preparation methods on the germination and development of onion seedlings, while the objective of the second was to evaluate the productivity of onion cultivars as a soil preparation function. In experiment I, the split plot scheme was adopted, where the main plots consisted on soil tillage methods (total area and bed) and in the subplots, the sowing depths (0.5; 1.0; 1.5 and 2.0 cm), with six replicates. Experiment II was carried out in a split plot scheme, in which the main plots consisted on soil tillage methods (total area and bed) and in the subplots, such as onion cultivars (Itajubá, Rainha, Salto Grande, Ômega, Mulata and BR29), with four replicates. The 1.5 cm sowing depth provided greater speed of germination and plant stand. Raising beds offers the best initial seedling development. The onion cultivation under beds offers the highest vegetative development and productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The technical inspection of agricultural sprayers is responsible for generating important subsidies to inform and guide their users. In this sense, the aim of this study was to evaluate the working conditions of boom sprayers regarding their conservation status in order to identify the problems that interfere with quality sprayings. Sixty-three agricultural sprayers from rural properties were evaluated in the micro-region of Pato Branco, PR. Less than half of applicators (42.9%) performed some type of training and 58.7% of the operators had knowledge about the working pressure indicated by the spray tip manufacturer, but 24.3% of them were working with the pressure out of the recommended or with a damaged manometer. The manometer was present and operative in only 71.4% of the sprayers. Only 54% of the collected flows were in accordance with that informed by the operator. Most of the interviewed producers still do not have adequate criteria for choosing spray tips nor frequency of their replacement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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