Climate change has emerged as a challenge for soybean cultivation around the world, stimulating the development of technological alternatives that aim to mitigate the damage caused by water deficit. From this perspective, algae extract-based biostimulants have been tested to reduce water stress in several crops, but little is known about their effects on soybean. Thus, we hypothesize that a commercial biostimulant based on Ascophyllum nodosum can improve the physiological performance and water relations of Glycine max plants subjected to water deficit. To test this hypothesis, we set up an experiment in controlled conditions in a greenhouse, considering five treatments (control; application of biostimulant; water deficit (WD); WD + application of biostimulant; and WD + split application of biostimulant). The experiment was designed in completely randomized blocks with four replications per treatment and conducted in polyethylene pots containing 10 L of soil and three plants per pot. The irrigation was carried out daily; the water deficit was 50% soil moisture at field capacity, starting at the R₁ stage (beginning of flowering, where there is at least one flower open at any node on the plant) and maintained for ten days. The biostimulant was applied concurrently with the onset of water deficit. We confirmed the hypothesis that foliar application of 1.0 L ha⁻¹ of the biostimulant reduces the deleterious effects of the common water deficit at the beginning of the reproductive stage of soybean through the reduction of damage from oxidative stress (reduction of malondialdehyde synthesis by 31.2% in relation to the WD plants), maintenance of water potential and cellular homeostasis (10.2% increase in relative water content when compared with WD plants), and conservation of the contents of chlorophyll in leaves and stimulation of photosynthesis and carboxylation (68% increase in net photosynthetic rate and 49.3% increase in carboxylation efficiency in relation to WD plants). However, when applied in installments, the biostimulant was not efficient in reducing soybean water stress. Therefore, we conclude that the application of a biostimulant based on A. nodosum can help reduce the harmful effects of water deficit on soybean plants, opening up perspectives for the mass use of this extract in agricultural crops produced on a large scale.

Melissa officinalis L., Lamiaceae, is an herb with great growth prospects in the cosmetic industry due to its essential oil. In order to improve its production, it is necessary to study related agricultural practices. This study evaluated the effect of organic and mineral fertilization on the chemical composition of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) essential oil. The assay was conducted at the "Fazenda Experimental do Glória" of the Federal University of Uberlândia, and essential oil extraction and GC/MS analyses were completed by the Centre for Research and Development on Plant Genetic Resources of the Campinas Agronomic Institute. The assay was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The tested treatments were six types of fertilization (0, 1, 2, 4, 8 kg.m-2 of cattle manure and mineral fertilizing with 60 g.m-2 of NPK 4-14-8 + 4 g.m-2 of boric acid) with four replications. The essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation in a modified Clevenger apparatus. The chemical composition was analyzed by GC/MS. The essential oil presented the same compounds for all treatments; however, the relative proportion of some chemical constituents was altered according to the treatment. Neral, geranial, and citronellal were the major constituents

A major constraint to agricultural production in acid soils of tropical regions is the low soil P availability, due to the high adsorption capacity, low P level in the source material and low efficiency of P uptake and use by most of the modern varieties grown commercially. This study was carried out to evaluate the biomass production and P use by forage grasses on two soils fertilized with two P sources of different solubility. Two experiments were carried out, one for each soil (Cambisol and Latosol), using pots filled with 4 dm³ soil in a completely randomized design and a 4 x 2 factorial scheme. The treatments consisted of a combination of four forage plants (Brachiaria decumbens, Brachiaria brizantha, Pennisetum glaucum and Sorghum bicolor) with two P sources (Triple Superphosphate - TSP and Arad Reactive Phosphate - ARP), with four replications. The forage grasses were harvested at pre-flowering, when dry matter weight and P concentrations were measured. Based on the P concentration and dry matter production, the total P accumulation was calculated. With these data, the following indices were calculated: the P uptake efficiency of roots, P use efficiency, use efficiency of available P, use efficiency of applied P and agronomic efficiency. The use of the source with higher solubility (TSP) resulted, generally, in higher total dry matter and total P accumulation in the forage grasses, in both soils. For the less reactive source (ARP), the means found in the forage grasses, for use efficiency and efficient use of available P, were always higher when grown in Latosol, indicating favorable conditions for the solubility of ARP. The total dry matter of Brachiaria brizantha was generally higher, with low P uptake, accumulation and translocation, which indicated good P use efficiency for both P sources and soils. The forage plants differed in the P use potential, due to the sources of the applied P and of the soils used. Less than 10 % of the applied P was immobilized in the forage dry matter. Highest values were observed for TSP, but this was not reflected in a higher use efficiency of P from this source.

Biomass sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is a very promising renewable source to produce energy obtained by cogeneration and fermentation processes. However, some aspects of the fertilizer management for this crop should be better understood. This study aimed to determine the accumulation progress of dry matter and macro and micronutrients in phenological stages of the biomass sorghum (Palo Alto 2562) crop, as well as to establish the accumulation order. The experiment was performed in a randomized block design, with four replicates. In order to determine the dry matter and nutrient accumulation curves, the plants were sampled in nine phenological stages (V1, V3, V5, V7, V9, V11, booting, flowering and harvest). Dry matter and N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn accumulations were analyzed. The maximum dry matter accumulation was 24,853 kg ha^-1. K was the nutrient absorbed in the highest amount (447 kg ha^-1), what demonstrates the high capacity of the plant to absorb this nutrient. N was the second most accumulated nutrient by the plant (289 kg ha^-1) and its absorption pattern suggests that it should be supplied up to the V7 stage. It was also possible to conclude that the order of extraction and accumulation of macro and micronutrients for the biomass sorghum crops is: K > N > Ca > Mg > S > P > Fe > Zn > Mn > Cu.

Avaliou-se o efeito de concentrações de P e épocas de coleta sobre o crescimento, nutrição mineral e teor de óleo essencial da menta (Mentha piperita L.). O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados com parcelas subdivididas, em esquema fatorial 2x5, sendo 2 épocas de coleta (65 e 95 dias de cultivo (DC)) e 5 concentrações de P na solução nutritiva (6; 12; 18; 24 e 30 mg L-1), com 4 repetições. Foi determinada a massa seca de folhas (MSF), caules (MSC), raízes (MSR) e total (MST) e as relações folha:caule (F:C) e parte aérea:raiz (PA:R). Também, foi determinado o teor de óleo essencial em folhas frescas. Os níveis críticos foliares e acúmulo de nutrientes na parte aérea da menta foram estimados por meio da análise química das folhas e caules. As concentrações de P na solução influenciaram o crescimento e a produção de óleo essencial pela menta. Na coleta realizada aos 65 DC, apenas a MSF foi influenciada pelo P, não se observando efeito sobre os teores de óleo essencial. Aos 95 DC, o aumento da concentração de P promoveu aumentos significativos na massa seca das partes e do total da menta e, também, nos teores de óleo essencial, sendo o teor máximo (2,192 dag kg-1) obtido com 19,50 mg L-1 de P. As maiores concentrações de P avaliadas (24 e 30 mg L-1), promoveram aumentos na produção de matéria fresca e seca da parte aérea da menta, mas, reduziram os teores de óleo essencial, devido ao efeito de diluição, não significando, portanto, ganhos de produção de óleo por planta. Os teores foliares dos nutrientes associados ao teor máximo de óleo aos 95 DC foram em g kg-1: N=37,2; =3,9; K=21,2; Ca=9,3; Mg=3,8; S=3,0; e, em mg kg-1: B=35; Cu=8; Fe=323; Mn=145 e Zn=22. A exigência nutricional aos 95 DC relacionada ao teor máximo de óleo essencial seguiu a seqüência: N>K>Ca>P>Mg>S>Fe>Mn>B>Zn>Cu.

As plantas diferem quanto à preferência pela forma de N mineral a ser absorvida e metabolizada. No arroz, essa preferência parece variar com o estádio de crescimento da cultura. O presente trabalho objetivou avaliar o efeito de proporções de N-nitrato e de N-amônio sobre o crescimento e a produção de grãos das cultivares de arroz de terras altas BRS Colosso e BRSMG Conai em solução nutritiva, em dois experimentos, um com cada cultivar. Em ambos os experimentos o delineamento utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado, com quatro repetições, em esquema de parcelas subdivididas no tempo. As parcelas primárias foram constituídas por cinco relações N-nitrato (N-NO3-):N-amônio (N-NH4+) (100:00, 80:20, 60:40, 50:50 e 40:60), e as subparcelas, por estádios de crescimento do arroz (início do perfilhamento, diferenciação do primórdio floral e início da emissão de panículas). O fornecimento de N na forma exclusiva de nitrato, ou de amônio em maiores proporções que o nitrato, diminuiu a produção de matéria seca das cultivares de arroz, principalmente na época da emissão de panículas, alterando também a produção de grãos. A máxima produção de matéria seca da parte aérea das cultivares de arroz ocorreu para proporções de nitrato entre 58 e 68 %. Para a produção de grãos, os máximos foram obtidos com proporções de nitrato entre 75 e 78 %. A causa do menor crescimento e da produção das cultivares de arroz quando se forneceu apenas nitrato foi o acúmulo excessivo dessa forma nos tecidos das plantas na fase inicial do seu crescimento, devido à baixa atividade da redutase do nitrato nessa fase. Entretanto, houve efeito prejudicial também pelo excesso de amônio, quando este se encontrava em maiores proporções que o nitrato na solução nutritiva.