O Estado da Bahia, por vários anos, destaca-se na produção de mandioca no Brasil, sendo a Região Sudoeste uma das principais produtoras. Em 2003 e 2004, o município de Cândido Sales foi o maior produtor baiano e o segundo maior produtor do Brasil. Entretanto, sua produtividade, assim como a de outros municípios da região, é baixa. As causas para este baixo desempenho são as mais diversas e de difícil detecção, principalmente quando o sistema de produção assume características locais. Com o objetivo de diagnosticar o manejo de solos cultivados com mandioca em 13 municípios da Região Sudoeste da Bahia, foram aplicados 848 questionários, durante o primeiro semestre de 2005, nos municípios de Vitória da Conquista, Barra do Choça, Planalto, Poções, Ribeirão do Largo, Encruzilhada, Cândido Sales, Belo Campo, Tremedal, Piripá, Condeúba, Anagé e Caraíbas. A amostragem foi realizada em cada município, com coleta de informações sobre preparo do solo, utilização de práticas conservacionistas e uso de calagem e adubação. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de freqüência simples. Constatou-se baixa adoção de práticas de conservação do solo, calagem e adubação, predominando nos municípios o preparo do solo manual.

Inhibiting seedling vegetative growth may be a strategy for improving modulation against biotic and abiotic stresses after transplanting. The objective of this study was to evaluate morphological responses of yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) seedlings to growth inhibition resulted from the application of an inhibitor of gibberellin biosynthesis. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse using seedlings grown in 290 cm3 polyethylene tubes. At 40 days after emergence, trays containing the seedlings were immersed in solutions at concentrations of 0, 40, 80, 120 and 160 mg (Paclobutrazol) PBZ L-1 up to substrate saturation. These five treatments were laid out in a randomized block design with four replicates. At 15, 30 and 45 days after PBZ application (DAA), basal stem diameter was measured; at 45 DAA, stem diameter, individual leaf area, specific leaf area, root diameter and root volume were measured, lignin content and the anatomy of leaves, stems, and roots were analyzed. Triazole-induced anatomical alterations in stems, leaves and roots cause morphological traits and intensify the specific reagent staining of phenolic compounds and lignin in yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) seedlings.

The objective of this study was to estimate the carbon stock in the different designs of biodiverse agroforestry systems (AFSs) in the region of the Environmental Protection Area (EPA) of Pratigi, Bahia, Brazil. Phytosociology aspects related to the potentiality of carbon stock of 10 farms were evaluated using plots of 10 x 50 m allocated in each AFS, inventorying 928 individuals of 17 families and 37 species, established in 2013. The biomass above and below the soil of the arboreal individuals were estimated by indirect method, using specific allometric equations for each species or group of species, with diameter above 1 cm. Carbon stock (CS) was estimated from the biomass. Cacao (Theobroma cacao) and rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) were the dominant species in all of the designs, which also contained fruit trees, and native and exotic shade trees. There was variation of the estimate of carbon stock (8.01-1.42 Mg ha^-1) between the types of AFSs. The designs with a larger relative density of fruit and shade trees led to larger carbon storage, influenced by the wealth and diversity of species in the initial phase of establishment of biodiverse AFSs.

The objective of this study, carried out from October to December 2006, was to analyze the effects of increasing doses of nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) as well as the interaction between these elements on the growth of sweet basil plants cultivated under field conditions. The experimental design was split plots, holding in the main plots the N doses and in the subplots the K rates. Doses of 0, 50, 100 and 150 kg ha-1 were established for N and K, applied as urea and potassium chloride, respectively. The seedlings were transplanted to beds, in 40 x 30 cm spacing, and each plot had 24 plants. The evaluations at 45 days after transplanting detected no effect of N levels in stem diameter, Spad index and number of internodes. A quadratic polynomial model was defined for the relationship between N rates and the referred characteristics. A NK interaction for total leaf area was observed, indicating that, on the absence of K fertilization, increasing N doses resulted in higher total leaf area. Higher doses of N decreased total leaf area of plants under greater K doses.