The efficacy and safety of phytotherapeutic medicines are intrinsically related to the quality of their plant-based raw materials, which is directly influenced by agronomic cultivation practices. In this scenario, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of colored shade nets and foliar application of D-limonene on the growth and secondary metab-olism of Mikania laevigata Sch.Bip. ex Baker. The experiment followed a completely randomized 4 × 5 split-plot design, with three photoselective shade nets (red, blue and black) compared to full sunlight (control) and five D-limonene doses (0.00, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, and 2.00 mL L⁻¹). Our findings revealed significant effects on plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, and leaf dry matter. The red net promoted greater shoot biomass accumulation and increased leaf dry mass. Regarding secondary metabolites, the red and black nets enhanced coumarin content by 18.80% and 15.36%, respectively, compared to full sunlight cultivation. D-limonene positively influenced biometric traits up to 1.20 mL·L⁻¹, followed by a decline. These findings indicate that colored shade nets could be an effective approach to enhance the phytochemical yield of M. laevigata, while D-limonene contributes mainly to morphological development and biomass accumu-lation.

The efficacy and safety of phytotherapeutic medicines are intrinsically related to the quality of their plant-based raw materials, which is directly influenced by agronomic cultivation practices. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of colored shade nets and foliar application of ProLyks® on the growth and secondary metabolism of Mikania laevigata Sch. Bip. ex-Baker. The experiment followed a completely randomized 4 × 5 split-plot design, with three photoselective shade nets (red, blue, and black) compared to full sunlight (control) and five ProLyks® doses (0.00, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, and 2.00 mL·L⁻¹). Significant interactions between these factors were observed for plant height, number of leaves, leaf dry matter, and coumarin content. The red net promoted the highest biomass production and, when combined with the 1.5 mL·L⁻¹ ProLyks® dose, also maximized coumarin accumulation in leaves, indicating a possible elicitor effect under these conditions. A considerable positive correlation between plant height and coumarin content suggests that taller plants may serve as a practical field indicator of superior pharmaceutical quality. Additionally, an inverse correlation between total chlorophyll and flavonoid content highlights a trade-off between photosynthetic pigment synthesis and secondary metabolism. These findings demonstrate that red shade nets combined with the optimal ProLyks® dosage can enhance both biomass yield and phytochemical production in M. laevigata, while also providing useful indicators for field selection of high-quality materials for the national pharmaceutical industry.

The success of conservation agriculture in tropical environments depends on crop rotations that integrate species diversity with the production of high-quality mulch, essential for effective soil cover. This study aimed to evaluate the biomass decomposition and nitrogen (N) release from summer cover crop species, by employing distinct indices to characterize their plant residues in terms of nitrogen accumulated release (NAR) and remaining dry matter (RDM). The experiment was conducted at the “Luiz de Queiroz” College of Agriculture, using a randomized block design with five treatments and four replicates. The treatments consisted of plant residues from: sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.), jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC.), Congo grass (Urochloa ruziziensis L.), pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.), and maize (Zea mays L.). Biomass decomposition and N release were assessed using nylon litter bags, with samplings at 15, 30, 60, and 90 days after crop termination. The leguminous species showed the highest N release rates, while among grasses, pearl millet exhibited the highest values for both NAR and RDM after 90 days. A significant correlation was observed between the plant residue quality index (PRQI) and the rates of biomass decomposition and N release. Simultaneously, the residual biomass quality index (RBQI) proved effective in distinguishing tropical forage species as more efficient in balancing NAR and RDM throughout the experimental period.

Water deficit during the early development of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) can compromise seedling establishment and reduce crop uniformity. This study aimed to evaluate morphological responses and biomass allocation in eight cowpea genotypes, including four commercial cultivars and four landraces, under two water conditions (control and deficit). A randomized block design was applied in a 2 × 8 factorial scheme. Morphological traits of roots and shoots, including length, surface area, volume, and diameter, were measured using image-based analysis. Dry biomass and root-to-shoot ratio were determined through gravimetric methods. Significant genotype-by-environment interactions were observed. Commercial cultivars tended to maintain structural attributes such as stem and root diameter, while landraces, particularly “Marronzinha” and “Verdinha”, exhibited greater plasticity in root morphology and biomass accumulation under water restriction. Although the methodology allowed efficient early phenotyping, limitations such as the short stress duration and use of two-dimensional imaging may restrict broader inferences. Future studies should incorporate extended drought periods, field validation, and physiological assessments to enhance the identification of drought-resilient genotypes.

Unlike conventional crops, medicinal plants require continuous physiological monitoring, since their pharmacological compounds are synthesized through stress-sensitive secondary metabolism. In this context, accurate and non-destructive methods for determining chlorophyll content could be valuable tools for assessing the physiological status of these species. Thus, Mikania laevigata Sch. Bip. ex-Baker, widely used in herbal medicine, can benefit from chlorophyll monitoring to enhance its cultivation. This work was developed in order to evaluate the potential of the ClorofiLOG® index as a non-destructive predictor of leaf pigment concentrations in M. laevigata during the vegetative stage. Plants were cultivated for 60 days in greenhouse conditions, and both destructive (spectrophotometric) and non-destructive pigment measurements were collected from medium leaves. Linear regression equations were adjusted between the index and the concentrations of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoids. The adjusted models yielded high coefficients of determination for total chlorophyll and chlorophyll b, with a moderate value for carotenoids. Predictive performance of the adjustments, assessed by the ratio of performance to deviation, was classified as “very good” for total chlorophyll (2.91) and chlorophyll b (2.67), and “weak” for chlorophyll a (1.79) and carotenoids (1.43). Therefore, models based on the ClorofiLOG® index are suitable for non-destructive estimation of total chlorophyll and chlorophyll b in M. laevigata, supporting its application as a practical tool for the physiological monitoring of this species. This approach may assist in the early detection of plant stress, guide nutrient management decisions, and contribute to optimizing cultivation strategies for this medicinal species under both experimental and production-scale conditions.