Fortification and bioavailability of zinc in potato.

BACKGROUND: Most agricultural soils have low zinc (Zn) content available to crops, which results in a significant decrease in productivity and in public health problems. However, the priming of potato tubers in solutions with Zn can be an effective strategy for their fortification. In order to evaluate the effect of Zn concentrations and tuber priming time on the fortification and bioavailability of Zn, potato tubers were primed in solutions containing 0, 10, 20 and 30 mg mL-1 Zn during 12, 16, 20, and 24 h, respectively. The dry matter and the content of Zn and phytic acid (PA) in tubers were assessed in order to obtain the PA:Zn molar ratio. RESULTS: Longer priming time increased the Zn content in the cortex of the tubers. High Zn concentration in the solution increased the content of Zn linearly in both the cortex and the central region of the tuber, whereas in the periderm the content levels adjusted to the non-linear logistical model, showing saturation at a minimum of 10 mg mL-1 Zn in the solution. An increase in the bioavailability of Zn was verified when there was higher Zn concentration in the solution. CONCLUSION: A substantial increase in Zn bioavailability was obtained by priming the tubers for 12 h in 10 mg mL-1 Zn. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Agronomic viability of New Zealand spinach and kale intercropping

ABSTRACT The intercropping is a production system that aims to provide increased yield with less environmental impact, due to greater efficiency in the use of natural resources and inputs involved in the production process. An experiment was carried out to evaluate the agronomic viability of kale and New Zealand spinach intercropping as a function of the spinach transplanting time. (0, 14, 28, 42, 56, 70, 84 and 98 days after transplanting of the kale). The total yield (TY) and yield per harvest (YH) of the kale in intercropping did not differ from those obtained in monoculture. The spinach TY was influenced by the transplanting time, the earlier the transplanting, the higher the TY. The spinach YH was not influenced by the transplanting time, but rather by the cultivation system. In intercropping, the spinach YH was 13.5% lower than in monoculture. The intercropping was agronomically feasible, since the land use efficiency index, which was not influenced by the transplanting time, had an average value of 1.71, indicating that the intercropping produced 71% more kale and spinach than the same area in monoculture. Competitiveness coefficient, aggressiveness and yield loss values showed that kale is the dominating species and spinach is the dominated.

Phosphorus Over-Fertilization and Nutrient Misbalance of Irrigated Tomato Crops in Brazil.

Over the past 20 years, the use of center-pivot irrigation has increased tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) yields in Brazil from 42 Mg ha-1 to more than 80 Mg ha-1. In the absence of field trials to support fertilizer recommendations, substantial amounts of phosphorus (P) have been applied to crops. Additional P dosing has been based on an equilibrated nutrient P budget adjusted for low-P fertilizer-use efficiency in high-P fixing tropical soils. To document nutrient requirements and prevent over-fertilization, tissue samples and crop yield data can be acquired through crop surveys and fertilizer trials. Nevertheless, most tissue diagnostic methods pose numerical difficulties that can be avoided by using the nutrient balance concept. The objectives of this study were to model the response of irrigated tomato crops to P fertilization in low- and high-P soils and to provide tissue diagnostic models for high crop yield. Three P trials, arranged in a randomized block design with six P treatments (0-437 kg P ha-1) and three or four replications, were established on a low-P soil in 2013 and high-P soils in 2013 and 2014, totaling 66 plots in all. Together with crop yield data, 65 tissue samples were collected from tomato farms. We found no significant yield response to P fertilization, despite large differences in soil-test P (coefficient of variation, 24%). High- and low-yield classes (cutoff: 91 Mg fruits ha-1) were classified by balance models with 78-81% accuracy using logit and Cate-Nelson partitioning models. The critical Mahalanobis distance for the partition was 5.31. Tomato yields were apparently not limited by P but were limited by calcium. There was no evidence that P fertilization should differ between center-pivot-irrigated and rain-fed crops. Use of the P budget method to arrive at the P requirement for tomato crops proved to be fallacious, as several nutrients should be rebalanced in Brazilian tomato cropping systems.

Agronomic efficiency of intercropping tomato and lettuce

Four experiments were carried out at the São Paulo State University, Brazil, with the aim of determining the agronomic viability of intercropping tomato and lettuce, under greenhouse conditions. The studied intercropping systems were established by transplanting lettuce at 0, 10, 20 and 30 days after transplanting (DAT) tomato and by transplanting tomato at 0, 10, 20 and 30 DAT lettuce. Intercropped tomato and lettuce were evaluated during two seasons and compared to their sole cropping. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with nine treatments. The productivity and the classification of the tomato fruits were not influenced by having lettuce intercropped with it, but lettuce production was lowered when tomato was intercropped with it. The longer the delay in lettuce transplanting, the greater the reduction in its productivity. There was an effect of cropping season on the extent of the agronomic advantage of intercropping over sole cropping. In the first cropping season, intercropping established by transplanting lettuce during the interval between 30 days before up to 20 DAT tomato yielded land use efficiency (LUE) indices of 1.63 to 2.22. In the second period, intercropping established with the transplanting of lettuce up to 30 days before tomato yielded LUE indices of 1.57 to 2.05.

Quatro experimentos foram conduzidos na Unesp, Brasil, com o objetivo de determinar a viabilidade agronômica de cultivos consorciados de alface e tomate em ambiente protegido. Consórcios estabelecidos por transplantes da alface aos 0, 10, 20 e 30 dias após o transplante (DAT) do tomate e de tomate aos 0, 10, 20 e 30 DAT da alface, foram avaliados em duas épocas e comparados às suas monoculturas. Cada experimento foi conduzido em delineamento de blocos ao acaso, com nove tratamentos. Verificou-se que a produtividade do tomate e a classificação dos frutos não foram influenciadas pela alface, mas a produção da alface foi menor em consórcio. Quanto mais atrasado o transplante da alface menor foi a sua produtividade. Houve efeito de época de cultivo sobre a dimensão da vantagem agronômica do consórcio sobre a monocultura. Na primeira época de cultivo, os consórcios estabelecidos com o transplante da alface de 30 dias antes e até 20 dias após o transplante do tomate proporcionaram índices de eficiência do uso da área (EUA) de 1,63 a 2,22. Na segunda época, os consórcios estabelecidos com o transplante da alface antes do tomate, em até 30 dias, proporcionaram índices EUA de 1,57 a 2,05.

Agronomic efficiency of intercropping tomato and lettuce.

Four experiments were carried out at the São Paulo State University, Brazil, with the aim of determining the agronomic viability of intercropping tomato and lettuce, under greenhouse conditions. The studied intercropping systems were established by transplanting lettuce at 0, 10, 20 and 30 days after transplanting (DAT) tomato and by transplanting tomato at 0, 10, 20 and 30 DAT lettuce. Intercropped tomato and lettuce were evaluated during two seasons and compared to their sole cropping. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with nine treatments. The productivity and the classification of the tomato fruits were not influenced by having lettuce intercropped with it, but lettuce production was lowered when tomato was intercropped with it. The longer the delay in lettuce transplanting, the greater the reduction in its productivity. There was an effect of cropping season on the extent of the agronomic advantage of intercropping over sole cropping. In the first cropping season, intercropping established by transplanting lettuce during the interval between 30 days before up to 20 DAT tomato yielded land use efficiency (LUE) indices of 1.63 to 2.22. In the second period, intercropping established with the transplanting of lettuce up to 30 days before tomato yielded LUE indices of 1.57 to 2.05.

Economic analysis of cucumber and lettuce intercropping under greenhouse in the winter-spring.

The economical analysis complements the evaluation of the intercrop systems efficiency, considering besides the physical production of crops, the price of products according to their quality classification and time of the year. Intercropping systems of lettuce and cucumber in two plant populations under greenhouse were economically evaluated in winter-spring, in Jaboticabal City, São Paulo State, Brazil. The total operating cost (TOC) of cucumber and lettuce as sole crop and intercropping were estimated, as well as gross revenue (GR) and operating profit (OP). The labor for the crops was the component with greater participation in the TOC of crops in intercropping and single crop. Greater GR and OP were observed in intercrops established by transplanting lettuce and cucumbers on the same day. Considering the operating profit and the land efficient ratio, it is recommended the intercropping of lettuce transplanted until 10 days after the transplanting (DAT) of cucumber with two rows per plot, and at 0 DAT of cucumber grown with a row plot.

Economic analysis of cucumber and lettuce intercropping under greenhouse in the winter-spring

The economical analysis complements the evaluation of the intercrop systems efficiency, considering besides the physical production of crops, the price of products according to their quality classification and time of the year. Intercropping systems of lettuce and cucumber in two plant populations under greenhouse were economically evaluated in winter-spring, in Jaboticabal City, São Paulo State, Brazil. The total operating cost (TOC) of cucumber and lettuce as sole crop and intercropping were estimated, as well as gross revenue (GR) and operating profit (OP). The labor for the crops was the component with greater participation in the TOC of crops in intercropping and single crop. Greater GR and OP were observed in intercrops established by transplanting lettuce and cucumbers on the same day. Considering the operating profit and the land efficient ratio, it is recommended the intercropping of lettuce transplanted until 10 days after the transplanting (DAT) of cucumber with two rows per plot, and at 0 DAT of cucumber grown with a row plot.

A análise econômica complementa a avaliação da eficiência dos cultivos consorciados, considerando além da produção física das culturas, o preço dos produtos segundo sua classificação qualitativa e época do ano. Avaliou-se economicamente consórcios de alface crespa e pepino, em duas populações de plantas, no inverno-primavera, em casa de vegetação, em Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil. Foram calculados o custo operacional total (COT), a receita bruta (RB) e o lucro operacional (LO) das culturas do pepino e alface em monocultura e em consórcio. A mão-de-obra foi a componente com maior participação no COT das culturas em consórcio e monocultura. Maiores RB e LO foram observadas nos cultivos consorciados estabelecidos com o transplante da alface e do pepino no mesmo dia, independente da densidade populacional. Considerando-se o lucro operacional e o índice de uso eficiente da área, recomenda-se o cultivo consorciado com transplante da alface até 10 dias após o transplante (DAT) do pepino, com duas linhas, e ao 0 DAT do pepino cultivado com uma linha no canteiro.