Pyrolysis conditions directly influence biochar properties and, consequently, influence the potential use of biochar. In this study, we evaluated the effects of different pyrolysis temperatures (450, 550, 650, 750, 850, and 950 °C) on the hydrogen potential, electrical conductivity, ash content, yield, volatile matter content, elemental analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy results, X-ray diffraction results, scanning electron microscopy results, specific surface area, and micropore volume of eucalyptus wood-derived biochar. The degree of linear association between pyrolysis temperatures and biochar properties was examined using the Pearson correlation coefficient. The results showed a positive correlation of the pyrolysis temperature with the hydrogen potential value, electrical conductivity, and elemental carbon. There was a negative correlation of the pyrolysis temperature with the yield, volatile matter content, elemental oxygen, elemental hydrogen, surface area, aromaticity, hydrophilicity, and polarity indexes. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy data indicated an increase in aromaticity and a decrease in the polarity of high-temperature biochar. The increased pyrolysis temperature caused the loss of cellulose and crystalline mineral components, as indicated by X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy images. These results indicated that changing the pyrolysis temperature enables the production of biochar from the same raw material with a wide range of physicochemical properties, which allows its use in various types of agricultural and environmental activities.

O nitrogênio é o nutriente mais requerido pelas plantas por assumir funções importantes no metabolismo vegetal. Na cultura do girassol, sua deficiência causa desordem nutricional, sendo o nutriente que mais limita a produção. Além disso, doses elevadas podem aumentar a incidência de pragas e doenças afetando a produção de grãos. Conduziu-se o experimento com o objetivo de avaliar a resposta da cultura do girassol (Helianthus annuus L.) irrigado, submetido a diferentes doses de nitrogênio aplicado parceladamente, em cobertura. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi em blocos casualizados, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram de quatro doses de nitrogênio (0, 20, 40 e 80 kg ha-1), na forma de uréia. A adubação nitrogenada em cobertura proporcionou um aumento em todas as características estudadas, sendo que a dose de N de máxima eficiência técnica para se ter uma boa produtividade é de 55 kg ha-1 de N para o cultivo do girassol, na região de Cassilândia-MS.

Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar os efeitos de diferentes ambientes e doses de Osmocote® na produção de mudas de tamarindeiro (Tamarindus indica L). Um experimento foi instalado no Pomar da Universidade Federal de Lavras-MG, empregando-se delineamento experimental em blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial 3 x 4, com quatro repetições e cinco plantas por parcela. Os tratamentos se constituíram dos diferentes ambientes de formação de mudas (casa de vegetação, telado e a céu aberto) e de quatro doses de Osmocote®: 0; 3; 6 e 9 kg m-3 de substrato. Avaliaram-se a altura da muda (cm), comprimento da raiz (cm), número de folhas/planta, matéria seca da parte aérea (g), matéria seca da raiz (g) e a matéria seca total (g). Os resultados demonstraram que o Osmocote® (15-10-10) pode ser recomendado para a formação de mudas de tamarindo, em doses de até 6,0 kg.m-3. O ambiente a céu aberto foi o que proporcionou melhor qualidade às mudas.

The large variation in the response of sunflower to nitrogen fertilization indicates the need for studies to better adjust the optimum levels of this nutrient for production conditions. Our objectives were to analyze the agronomic yield of sunflower cultivars as a function of nitrogen fertilization; indicate the cultivar with high nitrogen use efficiency; and measure the adequate N dose for sunflower through nutritional efficiency. The completely randomized block design with split plots was used to conduct the experiments. The treatments included five nitrogen rates being allocated in the plots and the four sunflower cultivars. To estimate the nutrient use efficiency in the sunflower, we measured agronomic efficiency (AE), physiological efficiency (PE), agrophysiological efficiency (APE), apparent recovery efficiency (ARE), and utilization efficiency (UE). The results indicate that all cultivars had a reduction in AE due to the increase in N doses in the first crop. For PE, the highest values were observed for Altis 99 during the 2016 harvest. In that same harvest, Altis 99 had the highest APE. The dose of 30 kg ha⁻¹ provided greater ARE for all cultivars in both crops, with greater emphasis on BRS 122 and Altis 99. The cultivation of cultivars Altis 99 and Multissol at a dose of 30 kg ha⁻¹ in is recommended semiarid regions.

Sunflower is an oleaginous plant of great importance worldwide that stands out in the production of edible oil and human food. The identification of differences between cultivars regarding the use of phosphorus and the production of achenes at different levels of phosphate fertilization is a viable strategy to allow its cultivation in soils with different concentrations of phosphorus, without compromising yield and reducing environmental damage associated with excessive applications of phosphate fertilizers. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate different levels of phosphorus fertilization and sunflower cultivars regarding the efficiency of phosphorus use in two agricultural crops. The experimental design was in randomized blocks with four replications in split-plots, where four doses of phosphorus (50, 100, 150, and 200 kg ha⁻¹ of P₂O₅) were allocated in the plots, and in the subplots three sunflower cultivars (Aguará 06, Altis 99, and BRS 122). The phosphorus use efficiency of sunflower cultivars was estimated through agronomic efficiency, vegetative efficiency, agrophysiological efficiency, apparent recovery efficiency, and utilization efficiency. The dose of 50 kg ha⁻¹ of P₂O₅ provided the best phosphorus efficiency indices for the different sunflower cultivars in the two studied crops. Cultivar Aguará 06 was more efficient in conditions with P₂O₅ supply below 150 kg ha⁻¹, regardless of the crop. Sunflower cultivars had the best efficiency indices of phosphorus applied in the 2016 harvest.

Red pitaya (Hylocereus costaricensis) is a promising species, with high cultivation potential due to the organoleptic and functional qualities of its fruits. However, irrigation water salinity can affect the crop yield. Therefore, materials rich in organic substances can minimize the damage caused by excess salts in soil and/or water. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of organic matter sources as attenuators of salt stress on the production and biochemical responses of red pitaya seedlings. A completely randomized design in 4 × 5 factorial scheme, with five sources of organic matter (humus, sheep manure, biofertilizer, organic compost and sand + soil) and four salinities (0.6, 2.6, 4.6 and 6.6 dS m^-1) with four replicates and two plants per plot was used. The shoot length, root length, cladode diameter, number of cladodes, number of sprotus, root volume, shoot dry mass, root dry mass and total dry mass, root and shoot dry mass ratio, chlorophyll a, b and total, amino acids and soluble sugars were evaluated at 120 days after the treatments began to be applied. Red pitaya is moderately tolerant to salinity (ECw from 4.0 to 6.0 dS m^-1). Organic compost and sheep manure attenuate the harmful effects of salinity on red pitaya seedlings. Under salt stress conditions, red pitaya plants increase their levels of proline, amino acids and total sugars.