Bacterial volatile organic compounds induce adverse ultrastructural changes and DNA damage to the sugarcane pathogenic fungus Thielaviopsis ethacetica.

Due to an increasing demand for sustainable agricultural practices, the adoption of microbial volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as antagonists against phytopathogens has emerged as an eco-friendly alternative to the use of agrochemicals. Here, we identified three Pseudomonas strains that were able to inhibit, in vitro, up to 80% of mycelial growth of the phytopathogenic fungus Thielaviopsis ethacetica, the causal agent of pineapple sett rot disease in sugarcane. Using GC/MS, we found that these bacteria produced 62 different VOCs, and further functional validation revealed compounds with high antagonistic activity to T. ethacetica. Transcriptomic analysis of the fungal response to VOCs indicated that these metabolites downregulated genes related to fungal central metabolism, such as those involved in carbohydrate metabolism. Interestingly, genes related to the DNA damage response were upregulated, and micro-FTIR analysis corroborated our hypothesis that VOCs triggered DNA damage. Electron microscopy analysis showed critical morphological changes in mycelia treated with VOCs. Altogether, these results indicated that VOCs hampered fungal growth and could lead to cell death. This study represents the first demonstration of the molecular mechanisms involved in the antagonism of sugarcane phytopathogens by VOCs and reinforces that VOCs can be a sustainable alternative for use in phytopathogen biocontrol.

Phosphorus sources residual effects on Tifton 85 production and nutritive value cultivated in a tropical weathered soil / Efeito residual de fontes de fósforo na produção e valor nutricional do Tifton 85 cultivado em solo tropical

Acid reactions and low available phosphorus in tropical soils limit forage yield. The aim was to evaluate soil chemical characteristics pH, P and Mg, forage nutritive values, critical soil and plant P levels and the residual effect of each source. The experiment was in a greenhouse with a Rhodic Haplustox, loam texture. Experimental design was a 5 x 4 factorial with five replicates which phosphate fertilizers were triple superphosphate, reactive rock phosphates Gafsa and Arad, and fused magnesium phosphate powder and coarse, applied at rates of 30, 60, 90 and 120 mg kg-1 P and a control treatment without P. The effectiveness of rock phosphates increased due to their residual effect. The coarse fused magnesium phosphate resulted in the lowest efficiency. The P critical level in soil and plant were 18 mg kg-1 and 2.4 g kg-1, respectively. The increase of phosphorus rates provided an increase in crude protein content

Reações ácidas e baixo fósforo disponível em solos tropicais limitam a produção de forragem. O objetivo foi avaliar as características químicas do solo pH, P e Mg, valores nutritivos das forragens, níveis críticos de P no solo e nas plantas e o efeito residual de cada fonte. O experimento foi realizado em casa de vegetação com Latossolo vermelho distrófico, textura média. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualisado em fatorial 5 x 4, com cinco repetições cujos adubos fosfatados eram superfosfato triplo, fosfatos de rocha reativa Gafsa e Arad e fosfato de magnésio em pó e grosso, aplicados nas doses de 30, 60, 90 e 120 mg kg-1 de P e um tratamento controle sem P. A eficácia dos fosfatos rochosos aumentou devido ao seu efeito residual. O fosfato de magnésio fundido grosso resultou na menor eficiência. O nível crítico de P no solo e na planta foi de 18 mg kg-1 e 2,4 g kg-1, respectivamente. O aumento das taxas de fósforo proporcionou um aumento no teor de proteína bruta

Long-term prospects for the environmental profile of advanced sugar cane ethanol.

This work assessed the environmental impacts of the production and use of 1 MJ of hydrous ethanol (E100) in Brazil in prospective scenarios (2020-2030), considering the deployment of technologies currently under development and better agricultural practices. The life cycle assessment technique was employed using the CML method for the life cycle impact assessment and the Monte Carlo method for the uncertainty analysis. Abiotic depletion, global warming, human toxicity, ecotoxicity, photochemical oxidation, acidification, and eutrophication were the environmental impacts categories analyzed. Results indicate that the proposed improvements (especially no-til farming-scenarios s2 and s4) would lead to environmental benefits in prospective scenarios compared to the current ethanol production (scenario s0). Combined first and second generation ethanol production (scenarios s3 and s4) would require less agricultural land but would not perform better than the projected first generation ethanol, although the uncertainties are relatively high. The best use of 1 ha of sugar cane was also assessed, considering the displacement of the conventional products by ethanol and electricity. No-til practices combined with the production of first generation ethanol and electricity (scenario s2) would lead to the largest mitigation effects for global warming and abiotic depletion. For the remaining categories, emissions would not be mitigated with the utilization of the sugar cane products. However, this conclusion is sensitive to the displaced electricity sources.

Calagem e adubação potássica para o capim-tifton 85 / Liming and potassium fertilization for tifton 85 grass

A despeito da alta exigência nutricional do capim-tifton 85, frequentemente a importância da calagem e adubação potássica para essa forrageira tem sido negligenciada. Com o objetivo principal de avaliar os efeitos dessas práticas na produção de massa seca da parte aérea e perfilhamento dessa forrageira, conduziu-se um experimento em casa-de-vegetação, por dois cortes, utilizando-se amostras de um Latossolo Vermelho distrófico textura média e um Neossolo Quartzarênico órtico típico. Procurou-se ainda, determinar parâmetros para subsidiar recomendações de calagem e adubação potássica. Adotou-se o delineamento inteiramente casualizados, com quatro repetições, em esquema fatorial 4x4x2, sendo quatro doses de K (0, 60, 120 e 180 mg kg-1 de K), quatro valores de pH (original; 4,9; 5,9 e 6,4) e dois tipos de solo. A adubação potássica e a calagem promoveram aumentos significativos na produção de massa seca e no perfilhamento do capim-tifton 85, em ambos os solos e cortes. As maiores produções de massa seca estiveram associadas a uma saturação por bases de 56% e pH 5,2. Os níveis críticos de K no solo e na planta foram 1,7 mmolc dm-3 e 14,0 g kg-1 , respectivamente.

Despite the high nutritional requirements of Tifton 85 grass, often the importance of liming and potassium fertilization for this forage has been neglected. In order to evaluate the effects of such practices on shoots dry matter and tillering of this forage, was carried out an experiment in green-house conditions, by two cuts, using samples of an Oxisol medium texture and a sandy soil. Efforts were also made to determine parameters to support recommendations for liming and potassium fertilization. Was adopted the completely randomized design with four replications in a factorial scheme 4x4x2, with four K rates (0, 60, 120 and 180 mg kg-1 K), four pH values (original, 4.9, 5.9 and 6.4) and two soils. Potassium fertilization and liming promoted a significant increase in shoot dry matter and tillering in Tifton 85 grass, in both soils and cuts. The highest yields of shoot dry matter were associated with a base saturation of 56% and pH 5.2. The critical levels of K in soil and plant were 1.7 mmol dm-3 and 14.0 g kg-1, respectively.

Perda de nitrogênio pela Brachiaria decumbens após a antese: relação com a umidade do solo / Nitrogen loss through Brachiaria decumbens after anthesis stage: relation with soil moisture

Com o objetivo de avaliar a perda de N por plantas de Brachiaria decumbens no estádio da pós-antese relacionada com a umidade do solo, realizou-se um experimento em casa-de-vegetação, em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com três tratamentos e seis repetições. Os tratamentos do estudo constaram da colheita de plantas nos seguintes estádios e condições de umidade do solo: (a) A60: estádio de antese e com umidade do solo mantida a 60 por cento da capacidade máxima de retenção de água; (b) PA60: estádio de pós-antese ou maturidade com umidade do solo mantida a 60 por cento da capacidade máxima de retenção de água; e (c) PA20: pós-antese com umidade estabelecida após a antese de 20 por cento da capacidade máxima de retenção de água do solo. As plantas de Brachiaria decumbens, cultivadas em vasos preenchidos com solo arenoso, foram fertilizadas com sulfato de amônio-15N (800mg vaso-1 de N). As plantas dos tratamentos pós-antese (PA60 e PA20) foram colhidas após 17 dias do início do florescimento. O balanço de N do sulfato de amônio (15N) no sistema solo-planta indicou perdas de N, presumivelmente pela parte aérea das plantas de Brachiaria decumbens, no estádio de pós-antese (tratamento PA60), da ordem de 25 por cento em relação ao de antese (A60). A perda de N na pós-antese avaliada no tratamento com déficit hídrico (PA20) foi reduzida comparativamente ao PA60, sendo da ordem de 11 por cento em relação ao tratamento A60.

The objective of this research work was to evaluate the N loss through Brachiaria decumbens in the stage of post-anthesis related to the soil moisture. The experiment was carried out in green-house condition and the experimental design was a completely randomized, with three treatments and six replications. Plants of grass-Brachiaria were cultivated in pots filled out with sandy soil. The soil of each pot was fertilized with ammonium sulfate-15N (800mg vaso-1 of N). The treatments consisted of harvest of plants in the stages and soil moisture conditions, as following: (a) A60: stage of anthesis and with soil moisture maintained to 60 percent of the maximum water retention capacity; (b) PA60: post-anthesis stage or maturity with soil moisture maintained to 60 percent of the maximum retention capacity, and (c) PA20: post-anthesis stage with soil moisture of 20 percent of the maximum water retention capacity established after the anthesis stage. The plants of the treatments post-anthesis (PA60 and PA20) were harvested after 17 days beginning of the flowering stage. The balance of N from ammonium sulfate (15N) in the soil-plant system indicated losses of N, presumably from the aerial part of grass-Brachiaria plants in the post-anthesis stage (treatment PA60). These values were of the order of 25 percent in relation to the anthesis treatment (A60). The N loss in the post-anthesis stage as evaluated in the treatment with water deficits (PA20), it was minimized comparatively to the PA60 and it was of the order of 11 percent in relation to the treatment A60.