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This study evaluated pasture productivity and nutritional characteristics of Urochloa decumbens in silvopastoral systems (SPS) with different eucalyptus cultivars and spatial arrangements providing differing levels of shade. SPS were arranged to provide 46 % shade (eucalyptus trees arranged in 2 double rows 2 m apart, with trees every 3 m in each row, and 20 m between double rows), 60 % shade (eucalyptus trees arranged in 2 double rows 2 m apart, with trees every 2 m in each row in double rows and 9 m between double rows) and 57 % shade (eucalyptus trees arranged in a single row, with trees every 2 m in the row and 9 m between rows) using eucalyptus cultivars ‘GG100’, ‘I144’ or ‘VM58’. Two full sun pastures treated as managed (soil pH correction and N, P and K fertilizer application) or non-managed (no correction or fertilizer application) were evaluated in addition to the 3 SPS arrangements. Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) was 1,439 μmol/m2/s in full sun compared with a mean of 715 μmol/m2/s under different SPS arrangements. Leaf area index of U. decumbens was 28 % higher in 46 % shade and lower in all shade arrangements compared with full sun managed pasture. The dry matter yield was 58 % lower in 46 % shade and 86 % lower in 60 % shade compared with full sun managed pasture. The crude protein content in SPS pastures was higher than in the full sun pastures, with higher values in 57 % and 60 % shade. SPS significantly reduced the PAR and forage yield. These results indicate that in systems where the main objective is animal production, spacing between tree rows greater than 20 m should be used to provide sufficient high-quality grass.

Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the agronomic attributes and production efficiency of corn silage and grains in an integrated crop-livestock-forestry (ICLF) system, with intercropping of eucalyptus, corn, and Urochloa cultivars during three crop years. The experimental design was completely randomized, in 2x5x3 split-split plots with four replicates. The plots consisted of corn cropped between eucalyptus rows (ICLF) and in full sun; the subplots, of the forage grasses U. brizantha 'Marandu', U. brizantha 'Xaraés', U. brizantha 'Piatã', U. ruziziensis, and U. decumbens 'Basilisk'; and the split-split plots, of the 2011/2012, 2012/2013, and 2013/2014 crop years. There was no effect of eucalyptus on the silage and grain yields of corn when intercropped with forages in 2011/2012. The production efficiency of silage and grains decreased by 25 and 48%, respectively, in 2012/2013 (12-month-old eucalyptus). There was also a 56% reduction in grain yield in 2013/2014 (24-month-old eucalyptus), compared with full sun. In the year the ICLF system is established, the production efficiency of corn silage and grains is not affected by eucalyptus, but decreases with the development of the trees in the subsequent crop years.

The use of biofertilizers in agriculture is a promising alternative to mineral fertilizers and as a destination of manure. The objective of this study was to evaluate the morphological characteristics, biomass production and leaf nutrient content of irrigated corn and millet fertilized with swine biofertilizer. Two experiments were conducted between June and September 2011 using corn and millet grown on a Red-Yellow Latosol in a randomized block design consisting of six treatments and four repetitions: swine biofertilizer doses to provide 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg/ha P2O5 and one additional treatment using NPK 4-14-8 mineral fertilizer. Each dose of phosphorus provided by the swine biofertilizer was compared by the Dunnett test to the additional treatment with mineral fertilizer and significance was defined when P2O5, silage production and leaf nutrient content of corn and millet were similar to those obtained with the mineral fertilizer.

O contexto imposto pela Revolução Industrial e suas práticas, fez com que os recursos naturais, sempre utilizados pela humanidade com vista a sua sobrevivência, passassem a ser utilizado de modo intenso, sem planejamento e irracional. Dentre estes recursos destaca-se a água, essencial para a manutenção da vida humana e animal. Assim, faz-se necessário pensar e conhecer as questões que envolvem os recursos hídricos das nascentes das grandes bacias hidrográficas. Diante da importância e/ou da ausência dos estudos referentes às nascentes realizou-se uma pesquisa de campo sobre nascente do curso d’água denominado rio Riachão, com o objetivo de conhecer a realidade na qual a mesma está inserida. A partir de tal visita foi possível perceber as medidas tomadas para a sua preservação, o uso do recurso natural e as atividades realizadas próximas a nascente. Por fim afirma-se a necessidade de conhecer a nascente dos cursos de água, pois é a partir da preservação e manutenção destas, que será possível pensar e atuar na preservação das bacias hidrográficas, pois a degradação ou secamento da nascente implica diretamente na vazão dos rios e na disponibilidade de água para o consumo humano.

Os objetivos desta pesquisa foram verificar os artrópodes fitófagos e seus predadores em 20 acessos de bucha vegetal Luffa sp. (Cucurbitaceae), a distribuição destes no dossel das plantas em cultivo orgânico e a produção de frutos dos acessos. O experimento foi em blocos casualizados com 20 tratamentos e quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram os acessos P159, P304, P466, P03, P570, P569, P467, P30, P446, P495, P125, P263, P644 e P32, provenientes da Embrapa (CENARGEN, DF), e P01, P02, P04, P05, P06 e P07, obtidos em Porteirinha-MG. As parcelas foram compostas por quatro plantas de Luffa sp. A maior abundância de Diabrotica speciosa (Germar) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) foi observada nas folhas do acesso P467 em referência aos demais acessos de Luffa sp. Trigona spinipes (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) foi mais observada nas flores dos acessos P01, P03, P30, P32, P263 e P569 e menos abundantes nos acessos P05, P125, P159, P304, P446 e P570. Os acessos de Luffa sp. com maior número de frutos/planta foram P01, P03, P05, P06, P07, P30, P32, P125, P263, P446 e P570. Os predadores aranhas e Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) bem como o fitófago Cicadellidae (Hemiptera) preferiram atacar a face adaxial, sendo que não se detectou diferença estatística entre as faces para os demais artrópodes. T. spinipes esteve mais presente na parte apical do dossel das plantas. Com esses resultados, o acesso P06 é o mais indicado para o cultivo, pois foi um dos que apresentou maiores produtividades e menores taxas de ataque de insetos.The objectives of this research were to verify the phytophagous arthropods and their predators in 20 accesses of vegetable loofah Luffa sp. (Cucurbitaceae), the distribution of the canopy of the plants in organic system and the production of fruits of the accesses. The experiment was in randomized blocks designed with 20 treatments and four replicates. The treatments were the accesses P159, P304, P466, P03, P570, P569, P467, P30, P446, P495, P125, P263, P644 and P32, from Embrapa (CENARGEN, DF, Brazil) and P01, P02, P04, P05, P06 and P07, obtained in Porteirinha, MG, Brazil. Each plot consisted of four plants Luffa sp. The greatest abundance of Diabrotica speciosa (Germar) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) was observed in leaves of the access P467 in reference to the others accessions of Luffa sp.. Trigona spinipes (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) was observed in most flowers of accesses P01, P03, P30, P32, P263 and P569 and less abundant in accesses P05, P125, P159, P304, P446 and P570. The accesses of Luffa sp. highest number of fruits per plant were P01, P03, P05, P06, P07, P30, P32, P125, P263, P446 and P570. The spiders and predatory Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) and the phytophagous Cicadellidae (Hemiptera) preferred to attack the adaxial side, but no statistical difference was detected between the faces to the other arthropods. T. spinipes was present in the apical part of the plant canopy. With these results, access P06 is the most suitable for cultivation, because it was one of those with higher yields and lower rates of insect attack.

A utilização de biofertilizante na agricultura é uma alternativa promissora aos fertilizantes minerais e de destino de dejetos. Objetivou-se neste estudo avaliar características morfológicas, produção de biomassa e teores de nutrientes foliares do milho e do milheto irrigados e adubados com biofertilizante suíno. Foram conduzidos dois experimentos, com milho e com milheto no período de junho a setembro de 2011 em um latossolo vermelho amarelo, em delineamento de blocos casualizados, com seis tratamentos e quatro repetições, a saber: doses de biofertilizante suíno para fornecer 0, 50, 100, 150 e 200 kg/ha de P2 O5 , e um tratamento adicional com adubo mineral NPK 4-14-8. Cada uma das doses de fósforo fornecida pelo biofertilizante suíno foi comparada, pelo teste de Dunett, ao tratamento adicional com adubo mineral, e a significância foi declarada quando P