Wastewater disposal often has deleterious impacts on the receiving environment. Low levels of dissolved oxygen are of particular concern. Here I investigate the impacts on dissolved oxygen and carbon chemistry of screened municipal wastewater in the marine waters off Victoria, B.C., Canada. I analyzed data from a series of undersea moorings, ship-based monitoring, and underwater remotely-operated vehicle video. I used these observations to construct a two-layer box model of the nearfield receiving environment. Despite the lack of more advanced treatment, dissolved oxygen levels near the outfalls are well above the commonly used 63 umol kg-1 hypoxic threshold and that the outfalls’ impact on water column oxygen is likely less than a few umol kg-1. Likewise, dissolved inorganic carbon is not elevated and pH not depressed compared to the surrounding region. Strong tidal currents and the cold, well-oxygenated waters of Victoria’s marine environment give these waters a high assimilative capacity for organic waste. / Graduate / 0595 / 0403 / 0543 / jeremykrogh@gmail.com

Since the 1800s, carbon dioxide emissions due to human activities have contributed significantly to the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. Approximately a third of this carbon is absorbed by the ocean, through air-sea fluxes at the ocean surface (Sabine, 2004). Increased CO2 has changed the carbon chemistry of the ocean and hence the pH. pH is expected to drop by 0.4 by the year 2100. It is unclear how this lower pH will affect carbon cycling and sequestration with respect to the biological carbon pump. Most studies have focused on open ocean phytoplankton or bacterial communities in large, stationary mesocosms. Few studies have coupled both phytoplankton and bacterial processes and even fewer have investigated coastal communities, where pH and pCO2 can vary drastically. This study focused first on developing and evaluating a mesocosm and alternative method for elevating pCO2. The second goal was to determine how potential changes in phytoplankton DOC release and community structure and the resulting carbon pool may affect bacterial secondary production and ectoenzyme activity in a natural coastal community. Mesocosms aimed to mimic natural pCO2 fluctuations by maintaining CO2 concentration of 1250 ppm in the headspace, as aqueous pCO2 may change with biological processes. Six mesocosms were filled with 40L of water from the Chesapeake Bay (three ambient pCO2 and three 1250 ppm) and monitored over 15 days. Chlorophyll a, DOC, bacterial respiration, bacterial production, and enzyme activity were measured. Bacterial production and respiration were used to calculate bacterial growth efficiency (BGE). Results showed that there was no significant difference between the ambient and elevated groups with respect to chlorophyll a, DOC, BGE and enzymes activity. However, differences in bacterial respiration and bacterial production during the first four days of the experiment may suggest that bacteria require time to acclimate to elevated pCO2. Phytoplankton and bacteria in coastal areas are exposed to a wide range of abiotic factors such as seasonal temperature variations, salinity, mixing, and terrestrial inputs. The pH of the Chesapeake Bay ranges between 7.5 and 8.3, and it is possible that the phytoplankton and bacteria are adapted to cope with a wide range of pH (Wong, 2012). This study suggests that the biological carbon pump may not be significantly altered in our future ocean.

Anthropogenic activities are fundamentally altering the chemistry of the world’s oceans. Many of these modifications could have a significant impact on the health of marine organisms. Yet, despite being proposed as one of the most significant threats that marine ecosystems face, to date very little is known about the impact of anthropogenic climate change, and ocean acidification in particular, on host defence. The aims of this thesis are to investigate the impact of environmental stressors on the invertebrate immune response, providing empirical data on how anthropogenically induced stressors will impact the invertebrate immune system and how this will impact organism condition and subsequent physiological trade-offs. Exposure to reduced seawater pH and increased temperature significantly reduced the immune response in the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis. This reduction in immune response could indicate stress-induced immune dysfunction. However, the immune system protects an organism from infectious disease, ensuring survival, and should therefore be evaluated functionally rather than immunologically. By subsequently exposing mussels to a bacterial challenge this study demonstrated that an earlier study which measured a reduction in host defence represented a trade-off of immune system maintenance costs, with mussels maintaining a capacity to up-regulate immune defence when required. However, whilst this immune plasticity ensures mussels are able to survive a pathogen exposure, such a strategy appears to be physiologically costly. This cost is seen as a reduction in reproductive investment, an altered energy metabolism and an altered fatty acid composition in organisms exposed to low pH. Therefore the overarching picture that emerges is, without measuring physiological processes functionally, and in neglecting any physiological trade-offs, it is possible that many studies may misinterpret the complex physiological responses of marine organisms to ocean acidification.

No description available.

De nombreux écosystèmes forestiers subissent les effets de l'acidification d'origine anthropique, à travers ses effets délétères sur la biodiversité et le fonctionnement de ces écosystèmes. Pour contrer ces effets, des amendements calco-magnésiens peuvent être utilisés pour améliorer les caractéristiques physico-chimiques des sols et des cours d'eau afin de restaurer l'état sanitaire des forêts et le fonctionnement des cours d'eau. En particulier, il a été démontré que les amendements, pouvaient permettre la reprise de la décomposition des litières, qui est un processus clé dans le fonctionnement des cours d'eau forestiers. Dans ce contexte, le premier objectif de cette étude était d'étudier si les amendements calco-magnésiens, à travers leurs effets sur les caractéristiques des sols, pouvaient induire des changements au sein des communautés microbiennes des sols. Le deuxième objectif était d'identifier quels facteurs pouvaient être responsables, à l'échelle microbienne, du ralentissement de la décomposition des litières dans les cours d'eau acidifiés. Les résultats ont montré que des amendements raisonnés et à grande échelle pouvaient avoir un effet durable sur les communautés bactériennes des sols. Les principaux changements taxonomiques ont notamment révélé que le ratio entre Proteobacteria et Acidobacteria était supérieur dans les sols amendés par rapport à leurs témoins, confirmant que ce ratio pouvait être un indicateur de l'amélioration de la qualité des sols. Les résultats obtenus dans la seconde partie de ce travail ont révélé que la diversité d'espèces sporulantes d'hyphomycètes aquatiques était fortement altérée dans les cours d'eau acidifiés, alors que la diversité fongique, analysée par méthodes moléculaires n'était pas affectée. Ces dernières ont révélé une plus faible proportion d'hyphomycètes aquatiques et une plus importante proportion de champignons d'origine terrestre sur les feuilles exposées dans un cours d'eau impacté. L'analyse des activités microbiennes a permis de mettre en évidence que l'aluminium était un facteur pouvant entrainer la diminution de la décomposition des feuilles, ce métal induisant notamment une limitation en phosphore pour les micro-organismes décomposeurs. Ces effets pourraient en retour avoir des répercussions sur les niveaux trophiques supérieurs et sur tout le fonctionnement de l'écosystème / Many terrestrial and freshwater forested ecosystems are affected by anthropogenic acidification, which can led to deleterious effects on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. To counteract acidification, liming can be used to improve soil and water physicochemical characteristics in order to restore tree health and headwater stream functioning. In particular, liming has been shown to enhance leaf litter breakdown, which is a key ecosystem process in headwater streams. In this context, the aims of this study were, first to investigate if liming, through its effects on soil chemical characteristics, could induce changes on soil microbial communities, and second to identify what factors could be responsible, at the microbial level, of reduced leaf litter breakdown in acidified headwater streams. Results showed that moderate large-scale liming can induce sustainable changes in soil bacterial communities. Major taxonomic changes revealed notably that the ratio between Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria was higher in limed soils compared to their control counterparts, confirming that this ratio could be a microbial indicator of soil quality improvement. Results obtained in the second part of this work showed that sporulating aquatic hyphomycete diversity on leaves was strongly impaired in acidified streams, whereas fungal diversity investigated by molecular analyses was not depressed. The latter showed a lower proportion of aquatic hyphomycetes and a higher proportion of terrestrial fungi on leaves when exposed in an acidified stream compared to a circumneutral one. Microbial activity analyses bring out that Al may be an important factor that could reduce microbial leaf litter processing, this metal inducing notably a P limitation for microbial decomposers. These effects may in turn have repercussions on higher trophic levels and whole ecosystem functioning

The zooplankton of Josefův Důl, a large and deep drinking water reservoir recovering from acidification, develop in relation to the improving water chemistry but also predation by salmonid fish re-stocked at the end of the 1990s. Crustacea are represented by small numbers of several species only, and nothing is known about their distribution in the water column. Recently, picocyanobacteria Merismopedia sp. became dominant in the phytoplankton, which hampers substantially the treatability of the raw water. The aim of the thesis is to describe the seasonal dynamics and vertical distribution of Crustacea in the Josefův Důl reservoir, together with parameters of the environment, and to study their possible diurnal vertical migrations in the summer period.

No Brasil há espécies frutíferas pouco exploradas, que representam oportunidade aos produtores para acessarem mercados especiais, onde consumidores valorizam o caráter exótico e a presença de nutrientes capazes de prevenir doenças degenerativas. Nesse contexto, a palmeira juçara, originária da Mata Atlântica, por muito tempo explorada apenas para a retirada do palmito, atualmente, vem ganhando espaço pela polpa dos seus frutos. Sua cor roxa intensa se deve à presença das antocianinas, poderosos antioxidantes que atuam inibindo ou diminuindo os efeitos desencadeados pelos radicais livres. A polpa é altamente perecível sendo problemática sua conservação em temperatura ambiente, dificultando sua valorização no mercado. Diante disso, são necessárias tecnologias que minimizem perdas nutricionais e sensoriais a fim de produzir alimentos saudáveis, saborosos e duradouros. Este estudo consta de cinco experimentos com polpa de juçara, que objetivaram: avaliar a composição físicoquímica, mineral e lipídica; realizar a caracterização sensorial através da Análise Descritiva Quantitativa (ADQ); avaliar a conservação físico-química e sensorial quando submetida à radiação gama, acidificação e pasteurização em tacho aberto e desidratação por atomização e liofilização. Os frutos foram obtidos no Parque das Neblinas (Mogi das Cruzes/SP) e despolpados no Departamento Agroindústria, Alimentos e Nutrição (ESALQ/USP). Verificou-se que a polpa de juçara é ótima fonte energética e dos minerais K, Fe, Co, Mg, Cu, Zn, Mn e Mo; é rica em antocianinas e em ácidos graxos de boa qualidade (palmítico, oleico e linoleico). A irradiação da polpa foi realizada no Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN - São Paulo, SP) com as doses 0,0; 2,5; 5,0; 7,5 e 10,0 kGy e armazenada a 6°C durante 30 dias (avaliações quinzenais). O referido processo não se mostrou promissor para a conservação do produto a 6°C, pois a degradação das antocianinas e compostos fenólicos foi acelerada e a cor alterada de roxo para marrom, além de não ter sido bem aceita sensorialmente. Ainda, foram estudadas oito combinações entre acidificação (pH<4,0), pasteurização (85°C/5 min.) e armazenamento a 6°C e -18°C, durante 60 dias, com análises quinzenais. A polpa pasteurizada e acidificada foi a que melhor manteve as características físico-químicas e sensoriais, sendo a temperatura de congelamento a variável de melhor resultado. A avaliação da qualidade da polpa desidratada por atomização e liofilização, embalada em bolsas de polietileno (PE) e polietileno revestido com camada de alumínio (PA) durante 120 dias em temperatura ambiente e ao abrigo da luz, revelou que ambos os processos conferiram qualidade físico-química satisfatória e conservação durante o armazenamento, sendo a embalagem PA a mais adequada devido à menor absorção de umidade e prevenção da oxidação. Sensorialmente, como suco reconstituído e adicionado de banana nanica e açúcar, a polpa de juçara liofilizada foi a mais bem aceita. Para a ADQ, foi treinada equipe para a avaliação de amostras congeladas e pasteurizadas pós-embalagem (85°C/5 min.) armazenadas sob refrigeração e congelamento, visando-se obter o perfil sensorial de cada uma. A polpa pasteurizada congelada foi a que apresentou melhores características sensoriais, sendo descrita como aerada, pouco heterogênea, sabor pouco amargo e pouco adstringente / In Brazil there are unexplored fruit species, which represent an opportunity for producers to access special markets, where consumers appreciate the exotic character and presence of nutrients capable of preventing degenerative diseases. In this context, juçara palm (Euterpe edulis), native of the Atlantic Forest, has long been explored only for the removal of the stem, but currently the pulp of its fruit is becoming more popular. The intense purple color is due to the presence of anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that act by inhibiting or decreasing the effects unleashed by free radicals. The pulp is highly perishable and its preservation is impossible at room temperature, lowering its market value in sales. In face of this, we need technologies that minimize nutritional and sensorial losses in order to produce healthy, tasty and long lasting foods. This study consists of five experiments with juçara pulp, which aimed to: evaluate the physico-chemical, mineral and lipid composition; realize the sensory characterization by Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA); evaluate the physico-chemical and sensory conservation when submitted to radiation gamma, acidification and pasteurization, and dehydration by spray and freeze drying. The fruits have been obtained at Parque das Neblinas (Mogi das Cruzes/SP) and depulped at Agribusiness, Food and Nutrition Department (ESALQ/USP). Was verified that juçara pulp is excellent source of energy and minerals K, Fe, Co, Mg, Cu, Zn, Mn and Mo; rich in anthocyanins and fatty oils of good quality (palmitic, oleic and linoleic). The irradiation of pulp was performed at the Institute of Energy and Nuclear Research (IPEN - São Paulo, SP) at doses 0,0, 2,5, 5,0, 7,5 and 10,0 kGy and stored at 6°C for 30 days (fortnightly assessments). That process was not promising for the conservation of the product at 6°C, because the degradation of anthocyanins and phenolic compounds was accelerated and the color changed from purple to brown, in addition to lacking been accepted sensorially. Further, eight combinations have been studied among acidification (pH<4.0), pasteurization (85°C/5 min.) and storage at 6°C and -18°C for 60 days with biweekly tests. The pasteurized and acidified pulp was that best maintained the physicochemical and sensory characteristics, and the freezing storage was the variable of the better result. The evaluation of quality pulp dehydrated by freeze and spray drying, packaged in bags of polyethylene (PE) and polyethylene-coated aluminum layer (PA) for 120 days at room temperature and protected from light, revealed that both processes conferred physicochemical quality satisfactory and conservation during storage, the packaging PA is the most suitable due to lower absorption of moisture and prevention of oxidation. Sensorially, as reconstituted juice and added to sugar and banana nanica, juçara pulp freeze dried was the more accepted. For the QDA have been trained team for the evaluation of frozen and postpackaging pasteurized samples (85°C/5 min.) stored under refrigeration and freezing, in order to obtain the sensory profile of each. The frozen pasteurized pulp presented the best sensory characteristics, being described as aerated, slightly heterogeneous, taste slightly bitter and slightly astringent

Este projeto de pesquisa foi desenvolvido visando quantificar possíveis distúrbios de vazão em emissores do tipo gotejador (irrigação localizada) submetidos à aplicação de cloro livre e acidificação em condições estática e dinâmica de fluxo de água no sistema. O experimento foi realizado no período de setembro de 2005 a junho de 2006, utilizando-se 14 modelos de gotejadores autocompensantes com suas respectivas linhas gotejadoras montadas em uma bancada de ensaios em estrutura metálica. Os tratamentos utilizados no experimento foram: a) aplicação dinâmica de 100 mg L-1 de cloro livre com pH na faixa de 5,5 a 6,0; b) aplicação estática de 100 mg L-1 de cloro livre com pH na faixa de 5,5 a 6,0; c) aplicação de ácido nítrico com pH na faixa de 2,0 a 3,0 durante &#189; h (sistema pressurizado); d) aplicação de ácido nítrico com pH na faixa de 2,0 a 3,0 durante 12 h (sistema pressurizado). Foram realizadas curvas vazão versus pressão para cada tratamento em três diferentes temperaturas da água (15, 25 e 40° C). O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente aleatorizado em esquema fatorial, com utilização dos testes ?F? para análise de variância e Tuckey, a 5% de significância, para comparação de médias e análise de regressão. Os resultados obtidos mostram que para o tratamento da água com 100 mg L-1 de cloro livre em condição dinâmica, ocorreu um decréscimo de 10 a 20% em média da vazão (L h-1) para alguns modelos de gotejadores mais sensíveis aos produtos químicos, sendo que o modelo I apresentou redução drástica de vazão na ordem de 100% em virtude do bloqueio total do labirinto do emissor, em decorrência do aumento de 112% do volume da membrana após 2688 h de aplicação contínua de cloro. Os tratamentos estáticos não apresentaram variações acentuadas de vazão média (L h-1), coeficiente de variação (%), uniformidade de distribuição (%), Vazão Relativa (%) e Grau de Entupimento (%). Verificou-se relação linear entre a vazão e a temperatura da água para os gotejadores novos, sendo que após a aplicação dos diferentes tratamentos, as curvas vazão versus pressão para cada modelo de gotejador sofreram influência tanto da pressão quanto da temperatura de maneira distinta. / This research project was developed to quantify possible flow rate variation in emitters (drip irrigation) submitted to the application of free chlorine and acidification under static and dynamics conditions of water flow. The experiment was accomplished in the period of September, 2005 to June, 2006, being analyzed 14 models of pressure compensating emitters set up in a metallic bench. The treatments used in the experiment were the following ones: a) dynamic application of 100 mg L-1 of free chlorine with pH 5,5 to 6,0; b) static application of 100 mg L-1 of free chlorine with pH 5,5 to 6,0; c) application of acid nitric with pH 2,0 to 3,0 during &#189; h (pressurized system); d) application of acid nitric with pH 2,0 to 3,0 during 12 h (pressurized system). The operating pressures and emitter model combination were: 50, 100, 200, 300, 400 kPa for emitters A to N, in three different water temperatures (15, 25 and 40° C). The obtained values of flow rate were used to calculate the CUD, CV, relative flow rate, the percentage of drippers in each flow rate range, and the number of the drippers completely clogged. The statistical analysis of the treatments were accomplished by Tukey test at 5% probability. The obtained results show that for the treatment of the water with 100 mg L-1 of free chlorine in dynamic condition, a reduction from 10 to 20% of the flow rate (L h-1) occurred for some models more sensitive to chemical products. Model I presented drastic reduction of flow rate in the order of 100% by total blockade of the labyrinth of the emitter, due to the increase of 112% of the volume of the membrane after 2688 h of continuous application of 100 mg L-1 of chlorine free with pH 5,5 to 6,0. The static treatments didn\'t present accentuated variations of medium flow rate (L h-1), variation coefficient (%), distribution uniformity (%), relative flow rate (%) and degree of blockage (%). For pressure compensating emitters, where the discharge sensitivity to temperature is insignificant, after the application of the different treatments, the measured discharge/pressure relationship for each emitter model was sensitive to pressure as well to temperature.

Former mining areas are well-known globally to be a significant anthropogenic source of contaminants being dispersed into the surrounding environment. Various human activities, including ore mineral mining, industrial activities, domestic waste production, and the agricultural application of fertilisers and pesticides, are likely to contribute to the release of huge amounts of potentially toxic metals into the ecosystem, which have harmful effects on the flora and fauna and on human health. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to evaluate the contamination that arises from some selected heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Mn, Cr, Ni, and V) in topsoil and floodplain samples from the Ecton mining area. Ecton Hill is located in the southern part of the Peak District, Staffordshire, England, and bounded by the River Manifold from the west. This area has been mined for sulphide minerals, which were extracted extensively from the 16th century until the mid-19th century; the area is currently being used for cattle rearing and agricultural purposes. Therefore, it would be worth finding out the extent to which the area has been polluted by the aforementioned metals. To this end, topsoil and floodplain samples were collected and analysed for their total concentrations using XRF technique and different granulometric classes (i.e. clay, silt, and sand) using a (Malvern Mastersizer Long Bed) laser granulometer with a presentation unit of MS-17. In addition, soil specific factors, including organic matter content, organic carbon, pH, Eh, and cation exchange capacity were also measured. Spatial distribution maps were constructed using a GIS approach for the metals studied over the study area. Contamination and ecological risk assessments were carried out via the geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and enrichment factors (EF) respectively. Moreover, collected soils for different land uses have been assessed using the UK government soil guidelines (i.e. ICRCL and CLEA's SGVs soil values). Furthermore, the bioavailability, leachability, and fractionation (using five-steps sequential extraction) of the metals in various soil phases were characterised using correlation matrix and principal component analysis (PCA) approaches. The GIS- based spatial analysis maps reveal that elevated concentrations of the metals are located around the sites of the mining waste in the area. The contamination assessment results indicate that Cu, Pb, Zn have a contamination degree ranging between strongly contaminated (class 4) and extremely contaminated (class 6). The results of the ecological assessment by enrichment factor (EF) show that Pb has the highest enrichment factor. The bioavailability results of the heavy metals under study, via EDTA, show that Cu, Pb, Zn have the highest bioavailable fractions. The regression analysis demonstrates that Mn gives the best fit regression equation with the highest R2 value of 0.825. The leachability results reveal that, of the seven heavy metals, Zn has the highest leachable value, whereas the lowest leachable was recorded for Cr. Speciation was measured using the five-steps procedure, and the results show that Cu, Pb and Zn are mainly associated with the organic matter fraction, whilst, Cr, Ni and V are associated with the residual fraction. The principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that oxides of Fe/Al, organic matter, and the clay and silt fractions are the main soil parameters responsible for binding heavy metals to the soil surfaces of the study area. Changing the redox potential conditions and acidification was investigated and the results indicate that such changes have significant effects on the release of heavy metals from the soil particles at Ecton Hill.

O uso da irrigação em cafeeiro é uma tecnologia que vem se consolidando e mostrando-se economicamente viável ao longo dos tempos, trazendo junto com ela a técnica da fertirrigação. Desta forma, o presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a influência de formas de aplicação e fontes de fertilizantes sobre a condutividade elétrica e pH da solução do solo, bem como no desenvolvimento e produção do café conilon irrigado por gotejamento. O trabalho foi desenvolvido em São Gabriel da Palha, Espírito Santo, utilizando o clone 12V da variedade INCAPER 8142. O experimento foi delineado em blocos ao acaso (DBC) com seis tratamentos e quatro blocos. Os tratamentos adotados foram: T1 - Controle - adubação nitrogenada e potássica aplicada via solo nas fontes ureia e cloreto de potássio; T2 - Adubação nitrogenada e potássica aplicada via solo nas fontes ureia e cloreto de potássio de liberação controlada; T3 - Adubação nitrogenada e potássica aplicada via fertirrigação nas fontes ureia e cloreto de potássio; T4 - Adubação nitrogenada e potássica aplicada via fertirrigação nas fontes nitrato de amônio e sulfato de potássio; T5 - Adubação nitrogenada e potássica aplicada via fertirrigação nas fontes nitrato de amônio e nitrato de potássio; T6 - Adubação nitrogenada e potássica aplicada via solo nas fontes ureia e cloreto de potássio de liberação controlada no período de outubro a março (período chuvoso) e adubação nitrogenada e potássica aplicada via fertirrigação, nas fontes nitrato de amônio e sulfato de potássio no período de abril a setembro (período seco). Foi monitorado o pH e condutividade elétrica da solução do solo, avaliações biométricas das plantas tais como altura, comprimento do primeiro ramo plagiotrópico e número de nós no primeiro ramo plagiotrópico, além da produção por planta e estimativa de produtividade. Os tratamentos T1 e T3 que utilizaram ureia e cloreto de potássio e o T4 - nitrato de amônio e sulfato de potássio disponibilizaram maiores quantidade de nitrogênio na forma amoniacal, causando maior acidificação do bulbo. Em contrapartida os tratamentos T2, T5 e T6 apresentaram menor acidificação, com diferença estatística significativa na variação do pH nas duas profundidades analisadas a partir de 18 meses da aplicação dos tratamentos. Nos tratamentos T2 e T6 observou-se menor salinidade inicial na avaliação aos 90 dias após o plantio através da leitura da condutividade elétrica da solução do solo. Para as avaliações biométricas, os tratamentos T2, T4, T5 e T6 diferiram estatisticamente dos tratamentos T1 e T3, influenciando positivamente à altura de plantas, comprimento e número de nós no primeiro ramo plagiotrópico. / Fertigation is a widespread technology in coffee cultivation; however, with the insertion of new fertilizers technologies, new studies are required. This study aims to evaluate the influence of application types and fertilizers sources on the electrical conductivity and pH of the soil solution in the wet bulb as well its influence in the development and production of drip irrigated conilon coffee. The study was conducted in São Gabriel da Palha, Espírito Santo (Brazil), using 12V clone variety INCAPER 8142. The experiment was designed in randomized blocks (DBC) with six treatments and four blocks. The adopted treatments were: T1 - Control / nitrogen and potassium fertilization applied via soil: urea and potassium chloride; T2 - Nitrogen and potassium fertilization applied via soil : urea and potassium chloride with release controlled; T3 - Nitrogen and potassium fertilization applied by fertigation: urea and potassium chloride; T4 - Nitrogen and potassium fertilization applied by fertigation: ammonium nitrate and potassium sulfate; T5 - Nitrogen and potassium fertilization applied by fertigation: ammonium nitrate and potassium nitrate; T6 - Nitrogen and potassium fertilization applied via soil: urea and potassium chloride with controlled release in the period from October to March (rainy season) and nitrogen and potassium fertilization applied by fertigation, ammonium nitrate and potassium sulphate in the period from April to September (dry season). The biometric evaluations of the plants were: height, length of the first branch and number of nodes in the first plagiotrophycal in addition to production per plant and productivity estimate. T1 and T3 treatments using immediate solubility of urea and T4 - ammonium nitrate have provided large amount of nitrogen in the ammonium form, causing increased acidification in the bulb. In contrast the T2, T5 and T6 treatments had lower acidification, with statistically significant differences in the pH variation in two depths analyzed from 18 months of treatment application. In treatments T2 and T6 it was observed lower initial salinity in the evaluation at 90 days after planting through the EC reading. To biometric assessments, treatments T2, T4, T5 and T6 differ statistically from T1 and T3, influencing plant height, length and number of nodes in the first plagiotrophycal.