How does the initial sward height and the grazing period influence the spatial variability of vegetation in deferred signal grass pastures?

The objective of this study was to evaluate the spatial variability of structural characteristics of deferred pastures of Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk (signal grass) subjected to associations of sward heights (10, 20, 30, and 40 cm) at the beginning of deferment and grazing periods (1, 28, 56, 85, and 113 days). The experiment was arranged in a split-plot and completely randomized-block design with two replicates. Pastures remained deferred from March to June 2010. From June to the beginning of October 2010, deferred pastures were utilized by steers under continuous grazing and at a fixed initial stocking rate of 3.5 AU ha-1. At the beginning of the deferment, the coefficient of variation (CV) for pasture height was reduced linearly with the pasture height. During the grazing period, in the winter, the CV for pasture height was not influenced by initial pasture height; however, it responded quadratically to the grazing period, with a maximum value of 36.4% at 71 days of the period of utilization. The CV for tiller height was reduced linearly with pasture height at the beginning of deferment but increased linearly along with the grazing period. The initial pasture height did not change the CV of the falling index. However, the latter was quadratically influenced by the grazing period, with a maximum value of 59.5% at 67 days of the utilization period. Signal grass pastures deferred at a lower height have a higher spatial variability of the vegetation. In the grazing period, there are changes in the spatial variability of the vegetation of the deferred signal grass.

Sowing depth and light intensity in the emergence and development of monocotyledonous weeds

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different sowing depths and light intensities on the emergence and development of the monocot weed species, Urochloa decumbens and Cenchrus echinatus, under field conditions. Each species constituted an experiment, and the experimental design was completely randomized with four replicates. The treatments were arranged in a 6 x 4 factorial scheme, with six sowing depths (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 8.0, and 12.0 cm) associated with four solar radiation intensities (100%, 70%, 50%, and 30%) obtained through the use of shading screens. Seedling emergence capacity was evaluated daily to obtain the emergence percentage and speed index. Plant height, floral induction time, and plant dry matter at flowering were measured. Even when subjected to different solar radiation intensities, U. decumbens and C. echinatus seedlings emerged at all the sowing depths. Sowing between 2.0- and 4.0-cm depths favored the emergence of seedlings of U. decumbens and C. echinatus. However, sowing at 12-cm depth reduced the emergence of both species regardless of the solar radiation intensity. Urichloa decumbens plants grown under conditions of greater shading showed the lowest values of height and dry matter accumulation during flowering. High levels of shading facilitated only the etiolation of C. echinatus plants. Increased shading flowering time in both species compared to full sunlight.

A comprehensive experimental assessment of glyphosate ecological impacts in riparian forest restoration.

Competition with invasive grasses is one of the most important drivers of tree planting failures, especially in tropical forests. A widely disseminated weeding approach has been glyphosate spraying, the most used herbicide globally in forestry and ecosystem restoration. However, glyphosate use in restoration is highly controversial and requires further studies to elucidate its effects on restoration processes and the environment. We evaluated the use of glyphosate in riparian forest restoration and its impacts on tree planting costs, weed control efficiency, planted seedling performance, herbaceous and woody species regeneration, soil bacteria, and environmental contamination, using mowing treatments as a reference and based on a controlled experiment established in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Glyphosate spraying reduced by one-half and one-third the accumulated aboveground biomass of, respectively, weeds in general and of the invasive grass Urochloa decumbens compared to mowing treatments, and it reduced the cost by half. The performance of planted tree seedlings was markedly favored by glyphosate spraying compared to mowing treatments, as expressed by improved seedling height (~twice higher), crown area (~5× higher), and basal area (~5× higher); the regeneration of both native woody and ruderal herbaceous plants were also enhanced. Neither glyphosate nor its metabolite Aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) residues were detected in either water runoff or soil samples, but they were found at relatively high concentrations in the runoff sediments (from 1.32 to 24.75 mg/kg for glyphosate and from 1.75 to 76.13 mg/kg for AMPA). Soil bacteria communities differed before and after glyphosate spraying in comparison to mowing plots (without glyphosate). Glyphosate spraying was far more cost effective than mowing for controlling U. decumbens and greatly improved the performance of planted tree seedlings and natural regeneration, while not leaving residues in soil and water. However, the changes in the structure of bacterial communities and high concentration of glyphosate and AMPA residues in runoff sediments highlight the need for caution when using this herbicide in riparian buffers. We present alternatives for reducing glyphosate use and minimizing its risks in tree planting initiatives.

Allele mining in diverse accessions of tropical grasses to improve forage quality and reduce environmental impact.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The C4Urochloa species (syn. Brachiaria) and Megathyrsus maximus (syn. Panicum maximum) are used as pasture for cattle across vast areas in tropical agriculture systems in Africa and South America. A key target for variety improvement is forage quality: enhanced digestibility could decrease the amount of land required per unit production, and enhanced lipid content could decrease methane emissions from cattle. For these traits, loss-of-function (LOF) alleles in known gene targets are predicted to improve them, making a reverse genetics approach of allele mining feasible. We therefore set out to look for such alleles in diverse accessions of Urochloa species and Megathyrsus maximus from the genebank collection held at the CIAT. METHODS: We studied allelic diversity of 20 target genes (11 for digestibility, nine for lipid content) in 104 accessions selected to represent genetic diversity and ploidy levels of U. brizantha, U. decumbens, U. humidicola, U. ruziziensis and M. maximum. We used RNA sequencing and then bait capture DNA sequencing to improve gene models in a U. ruziziensis reference genome to assign polymorphisms with high confidence. KEY RESULTS: We found 953 non-synonymous polymorphisms across all genes and accessions; within these, we identified seven putative LOF alleles with high confidence, including those in the non-redundant SDP1 and BAHD01 genes present in diploid and tetraploid accessions. These LOF alleles could respectively confer increased lipid content and digestibility if incorporated into a breeding programme. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated a novel, effective approach to allele discovery in diverse accessions using a draft reference genome from a single species. We used this to find gene variants in a collection of tropical grasses that could help reduce the environmental impact of cattle production.

Distinctive seed dispersal and seed bank patterns of invasive African grasses favour their invasion in a neotropical savanna.

High propagule availability compared to native species is often critical to invasion success, but it is unclear if this has contributed to invasions by African grasses in Neotropical savannas. We compared patterns of occurrence in the vegetation, seed rain and seed bank among African and native grasses in Cerrado sites in southeastern Brazil. In grasslands and savannas, we obtained the abundance of grasses in the vegetation, in the seed rain (monthly for one year) and in the seed bank (rainy and dry season), and assessed seed limitation and relationships among compartments. Invasive grasses showed low abundance in all compartments and high seed limitation in grasslands, where the seed bank and seed rain were dominated by small-seeded native grasses, but were at least as abundant as the natives in the seed bank and seed rain in savannas, mostly due to high abundance of Melinis minutiflora at these compartments. Native grasses dispersal occurred in the rainy season, whereas invasive grass dispersal occurred from mid rainy to mid dry season (Urochloa decumbens) and in the dry season (M. minutiflora). Melinis minutiflora showed a more persistent seed bank than U. decumbens and natives in savannas. Abundance of invasive and most of the native grasses in the vegetation was positively related to their abundance in the seed rain. Differences in seed production, the timing of seed dispersal and seed bank persistence compared to native grasses seem to favour invasive African grasses in the Cerrado, but this role may differ between grasslands and savannas.

Potential of Grasses in Phytolith Production in Soils Contaminated with Cadmium.

Cadmium (Cd) is a very toxic heavy metal occurring in places with anthropogenic activities, making it one of the most important environmental pollutants. Phytoremediation plants are used for recovery of metal-contaminated soils by their ability to absorb and tolerate high concentrations of heavy metals. This paper aims to evaluate the potential of grasses in phytolith production in soils contaminated with Cd. The experiments, separated by soil types (Typic Quartzipsamment, Xanthic Hapludox and Rhodic Hapludox), were conducted in a completely randomized design with a distribution of treatments in a 3 × 4 factorial scheme with three replications. The factors were three grasses (Urochloa decumbens, Urochloa brizantha and Megathyrsus maximus) and four concentrations of Cd applied in soils (0, 2, 4 and 12 mg kg-1). Grass growth decreased and increased Cd concentration in shoots of grasses with the increased Cd rates in soils. The toxic effect of Cd resulted in production and Cd occlusion in phytoliths produced in shoots of the grasses. Grasses showed potential for phytolith production, independent of soil type, providing phytoextraction of Cd in phytoliths. Megathyrsus maximus was the grass with the highest tolerance to Cd, evidenced by higher production and Cd capture in phytoliths for the evaluated soils. Phytolith production by grasses in Cd-contaminated soils is related to genetic and physiological differences of the evaluated grasses and Cd availability in soils.

Beef cattle performance on signal grass pastures deferred and fertilized with nitrogen / Desempenho de bovinos em pastos de capim-braquiária diferidos e adubados com nitrogênio

The effect of four nitrogen levels (0, 40, 80 and 120kg N ha-1), applied before deferment on the beef cattle production and structural variables on Urochloa decumbens (signal grass) were assessed from January to October 2012 and from January to September 2013. A randomized block design with three replicates was adopted, in an arrangement of repeated measures in time (grazing period). An interaction effect between nitrogen level and grazing period was observed on extended-plant height and herbage mass. As the nitrogen levels were increased, extended-plant height, herbage mass, total herbage allowance, and efficiency of conversion of fertilizer into herbage were increased. Throughout the grazing period, pasture height, extended-plant height, percentage of leaves, herbage and morphological components allowance, and percentages of leaves and stems in the herbage apparently selected by the animal decreased. Nitrogen levels had no effect on average daily gain or gain per area in the first year. A fixed deferment period with increasing levels of nitrogen fertilization on signal grass pastures does not influence the average daily gain per animal, reduces the efficiency of the nitrogen fertilizer and negatively changes the structural characteristics of the pasture.(AU)

Foi avaliado o efeito de quatro doses de nitrogênio (0, 40, 80 e 120kg N ha -1 ), aplicadas antes do diferimento, sobre o desempenho de bovinos e as características estruturais de Urochloa decumbens (capim-braquiária), de janeiro a outubro de 2012 e de janeiro a setembro de 2013. Um delineamento de blocos ao acaso foi utilizado em arranjo de medidas repetidas no tempo (período de pastejo). Foi observada interação entre doses de nitrogênio e período de pastejo na altura da planta estendida e na massa de forragem. As doses de nitrogênio incrementaram a altura da planta estendida, a massa de forragem, a oferta de forragem e a eficiência de conversão do nitrogênio em forragem. No decorrer do período de pastejo, a altura do pasto, a altura da planta estendida, a porcentagem de lâminas foliares, a oferta de forragem e dos seus componentes morfológicos e a porcentagem de lâminas e colmos da forragem aparentemente selecionada pelos animais diminuíram. As doses de nitrogênio não exerceram efeito sobre o ganho diário e o ganho diário por área no primeiro ano. O período de diferimento fixo com aumento das doses de nitrogênio em pastos de capim-braquiária não influencia o ganho diário por animal, reduz a eficiência da adubação nitrogenada e afeta negativamente a estrutura do pasto.(AU)

Survival and injuries of Deois flavopicta (Stal, 1854) in pastures under seed treatment with insecticides and dry mass yield / Sobrevivência e injúrias ocasionadas por Deois flavopicta (Stal, 1854) em pastagens submetidas a tratamento de sementes com inseticidas e produtividade de massa seca

The present study evaluated the survival and injuries of Deois flavopicta (Hemiptera: Cercopidae) in pastures of Urochloa (Syn. Brachiaria) decumbens and U. brizantha, submitted to seed treatment with fipronil (Amulet®) and thiamethoxam (Cruiser 350 FS®), and dry mass yield. The experiment, carried out at the APTA Experimental Unity, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil, was designed in randomly blocks, with six treatments (factorial 2x3) and four replications. Sowing was manual, with 12.0 kg ha-1 seeds. Twenty adults were released on the plot, in a 40x40x70 cm cage, forty-nine days after sowing. The insects were sampled every two days during twelve days, without replacement of dead insects. Injuries caused by the spittlebug were evaluated by a rating scale and by productivity (dry mass yield). Data were analyzed by F-test and means compared by Tukey's test (p≤0.05). The survival of adults was higher in the U. decumbens pasture than in the U. brizantha pasture. Results show that seed treatment with thiamethoxam reduced the survival of D. flavopicta in pasture formation, but did not influence the injuries caused by insect and the dry mass yield of forage species.(AU)

Objetivou-se avaliar a sobrevivência e injúrias causadas por Deois flavopicta (Hemiptera: Cercopidae) em pastagens de Urochloa (Syn. Brachiaria) decumbens e U. brizantha, submetidas a tratamento de sementes com fipronil (Amulet®) e tiametoxam (Cruiser 350 FS®), bem como à produtividade de massa seca. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida na Unidade de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de São José do Rio Preto/Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios, sob o delineamento de blocos ao acaso, com seis tratamentos (fatorial 2x3) e quatro repetições. A semeadura foi realizada manualmente, distribuindo 12,0 kg ha-1 de sementes. Para infestação, foram liberados 20 adultos, em gaiolas de 0,40x0,40x0,70 m, aos 49 dias após a semeadura, e a contagem dos insetos nas gaiolas foi conduzida a cada dois dias, por um período de 12 dias, sem a substituição dos insetos mortos. Em avaliação visual foram atribuídas notas de injúrias causadas pela cigarrinha-das-pastagens às gramíneas. Para produtividade, foi efetuada avaliação de massa seca. Os dados obtidos foram submetidos à análise de variância pelo teste F e comparação de média pelo teste de Tukey (p≤0,05). A sobrevivência de D. flavopicta foi maior em pastagem de U. decumbens do que em U. brizantha. O tratamento de sementes com tiametoxam reduziu a porcentagem de cigarrinhas sobreviventes em pastagens em formação, embora não tenha influenciado nas injúrias causadas pelo inseto-praga e na produtividade de massa seca das forrageiras.(AU)

Belowground microbes mitigate plant-plant competition.

Dimorphandra wilsonii, a Cerrado endemic Fabaceae tree, is threatened by land-use changes. The few remaining individuals occur in areas dominated by alien grasses like Urochloa decumbens. We tested the impact of nitrogen (N) availability and symbionts' presence on mitigating the effects of competition from U. decumbens. Dimorphandra wilsonii seedlings were 50-week pot-cultivated under limiting (3mM) or non-limiting (10mM) N, with or without U. decumbens, and inoculated or not with a N-fixer (Bradyrhizobium sp.) and an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF - Glomus etunicatum), both forming symbioses in the field. Since D. wilsonii seedlings grew more and 'lost' fewer nutrients under the symbionts' presence, symbionts mitigated plant-plant competition. Under limiting N, inoculated D. wilsonii seedlings grew more (despite no nodulation), but N fixation was only suggested when inoculated D. wilsonii seedlings competed with U. decumbens. D. wilsonii13C, and substrate's carbon and respiration suggest that only the microbes performing key functions received plant carbon. Under non-limiting N, inoculated D. wilsonii seedlings became enriched in 13C, substrate accumulated carbon and microbial respiration increased, suggesting a more generalist microbial community. Data suggest inoculating D. wilsonii seeds/seedlings with AMF and N-fixers as a conservation measure. However, long-term field-studies need to confirm these conclusions.

Componentes produtivos do milho sob diferentes manejos de plantas daninhas e arranjos de plantio em sistema agrossilvipastoril / Productive components of maize under different weed management systems and planting arrangements in agrosilvopasture system

O sucesso de um cultivo consorciado esta relacionado com o conhecimento de todos os fatores que afetam o crescimento e produção das espécies. Objetivou-se neste trabalho avaliar a produção de grãos de milho sob diferentes manejos de plantas daninhas e arranjos de plantio em sistema agrossilvipastoril. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados, com três repetições. Os tratamentos foram dispostos no esquema de parcelas subdivididas, sendo as parcelas correspondentes aos sistemas de consórcio: eucalipto ou eucalipto junto com acácia consorciada com milho eBrachiaria brizanthacv. 'Marandu' ou B. decumbenscv. 'Basilisk' ou B. brizanthacv. 'Piatã'. Nas subparcelas, alocaram-se os sistemas de manejo de plantas daninhas: atrazine aplicado isoladamente ou mistura em tanque do atrazine com subdose do nicosulfuron. Adicionaram-se duas testemunhas relativas ao milho em monocultivo nos dois sistemas de manejos de plantas daninhas. As espécies florestais foram transplantadas na ocasião da semeadura do milho e das braquiárias, realizada em plantio direto. A aplicação de nicosulfuron em mistura com atrazine promoveu o aumento da altura de plantas e inserção de espigas, sem influenciar na produtividade de grãos de milho. O eucalipto, acácia e as espécies de braquiárias, estabelecidos concomitantemente, não influenciaram na produtividade de milho. A produtividade de grãos de milho é reduzida no sistema agrossilvipastoril em relação ao monocultivo.

The success of an intercropping system is related to the knowledge of all factors that affect their growth and species production. The aim of this study was to evaluate the grain corn production under different weed management systems and planting arrangements in agrosylvopastoral system. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatments were arranged in split plots, with the corresponding portions of intercropping systems: eucalyptus or acacia eucalyptus intercropping with maize and Brachiaria brizanthacv. 'Marandu' or B. decumbenscv. 'Basilisk' or Brachiaria brizanthacv. 'Piatã'. In the sub-plots allocated there were systems of weed management: atrazine applied alone or in mixture with atrazine tank with nicosulfuron sub-dose. It was added up two control groups for maize monoculture in both systems of weed management systems. Forest species were transplanted at planting corn time and brachiaria held on till. The application of nicosulfuron and atrazine mixture promoted the increase in plant height and ear insertion without affecting the maize grain yield. Eucalyptus, Acacia and species of Brachiaria, established concomitantly, had no effect on corn yield. The corn grain yield is reduced in agrosylvopastoral system compared to monoculture.