Leaf concentration of macronutrients in oil palm plants fertilized with phosphorus, potassium and magnesium in the Eastern Amazon

The concentrations of nutrients in the leaves allow a better understanding of the nutritional status of oil palm plants, making it a tool for diagnosing the origins of nutritional problems and assisting in fertilizer recommendations. In this sense, the objective of the current research was to evaluate the leaf concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S in the oil palm under fertilization with phosphate, potassium and magnesium in edaphoclimatic conditions of Eastern Amazon. The experiment was conducted at the AGROPALMA® Company in the municipality of Tailândia, state of Pará, Brazil. The experimental design used was randomized blocks in a factorial scheme 4 x 2 x 3 x 2, with four levels of phosphorus, two sources of phosphorus (natural phosphate and triple superphosphate), three levels of potassium and two levels of magnesium. Phosphorus fertilization increased the leaf concentrations of N, P, Ca and Mg, providing higher levels when triple superphosphate was applied. However, in adult oil palm plants (12 years old), there was different on leaf concentrations of N, P, K and S between phosphorus sources aphid. Potassium and magnesium fertilization only increased the leaf concentrations of K and Mg, respectively. Fertilization with P, K and Mg promotes adequate leaf concentrations of K, Ca, Mg e S in oil palm plants grown in the Eastern Amazon.

Ação dos térmitas no solo / Termites action on the soil

A ordem Isoptera é bastante conhecida pelo seu potencial como praga, apesar dos cupins-praga constituírem a minoria dentro do grupo. Os cupins (térmitas) são invertebrados dominantes em ambientes terrestres tropicais e estão espalhados desde as florestas úmidas até as savanas, sendo encontrados até mesmo em regiões áridas, nos mais variados habitats. Esses insetos têm um papel destacado e ainda pouco estudado nos ecossistemas tropicais. Ciclagem de nutrientes, aeração, infiltração de água do solo, bioturbação, formação de agregados e decomposição de material orgânico, são processos influenciados pela ação dos térmitas, que vão, direta ou indiretamente, influenciar a formação dos solos e da paisagem onde se encontram. Sugerimos que uma maior abordagem deva ser dirigida em futuras pesquisas para a influência desses insetos no solo sob condições específicas de uso e manejo, na produção sustentável de alimentos e nas mudanças climáticas.

The order Isoptera is well known by its potential as a plague, although the number of species that are plagues is small within the group. Termites are the dominant invertebrates in tropical terrestrial environments and are spread from tropical rainforests to the savannahs, being found even in arid regions, in various habitats. These insects have a major role and are still little studied in tropical ecosystems. Nutrient cycling, aeration, water infiltration of soil, bioturbation, aggregates formation and organic material decomposition, are processes influenced by the action of termites, which , directly or indirectly, affect soil and landscape formation wherever they are. We suggest that a better approach must be addressed in future researches about these insects influence in the soil under specified conditions of use and management, in sustainable food production and climate changes.

Crescimento, nutrição mineral e nível crítico foliar de K em mudas de umbuzeiro, em função da adubação potássica / Growth, mineral nutrition and foliar critical level of K in umbuzeiro seedlings, in function of the potassium fertilization

O umbuzeiro (Spondias tuberosa Arr. Cam.) é uma frutífera originária da região nordeste do Brasil e se caracteriza pela alta tolerância à seca. O crescimento, a nutrição mineral e o nível crítico foliar de potássio em mudas de umbuzeiros crescidas num Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico, em função de doses de potássio, foram avaliados neste experimento. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos casualizados com quatro repetições e seis doses de potássio (0, 30, 60, 120, 240 e 480 mg dm-3). A adubação potássica foi realizada parceladamente, em quatro aplicações, tendo como fontes o sulfato de potássio e o cloreto de potássio. Enquanto para atingir a máxima produção de folhas a dose de potássio foi de 137 mg dm-3, a máxima produção de raízes só aconteceu na dose de 229 mg dm-3. Os teores foliares de potássio nas mudas do umbuzeiro aumentaram com a adubação potássica. O nível crítico de potássio nas folhas das mudas do umbuzeiro variou de 3,40 a 6,04 g kg-1.

The umbuzeiro (Spondias tuberosa Arr. Cam.) is original of the Northeast of Brazil and it is characterized by tolerance to the drought. The growth, the mineral nutrition and the foliar critical level of potassium in umbuzeiro seedlings, grown in distroferric Red Latosol, in function of potassium doses, were evaluated in this experiment. The experimental design was randomized blocks with four replications and six doses of potassium (0, 30, 60, 120, 240 and 480, mg dm-3). The potassium fertilization was accomplished in four applications, and the used sources were potassium sulfate and the potassium chloride. The highest production of leaves occurred in the dose of 137 mg dm-3 of potassium and the highest production of roots at the dose of 229 mg dm-3 of potassium. The foliar contents of potassium in the umbuzeiro seedlings increased with the potassium fertilization. The critical level of potassium in the leaves of the umbuzeiro seedlings ranged from 3.40 to 6.04 g kg-1.