A interação Pratylenchus brachyurus x caupi (Vigna unguiculata) merece atualmente atenção especial no Brasil, pela escassez de informações contraposta à sua elevada ocorrência na cultura. O objetivo primário deste trabalho foi aprimorar o conhecimento sobre a importância potencial do nematóide na cultura do caupi no Brasil, por meio de experimentos em condições controladas, que demonstraram que P. brachyurus é patogênico para o caupi, por sua capacidade de interferir no crescimento das plantas. Como conseqüência e primeiro passo para o desenvolvimento de técnicas de manejo para P. brachyurus na cultura do caupi, foram conduzidos experimentos com o objetivo de avaliar a resistência de cultivares de caupi ao nematóide. Concluiu-se que o grau de resistência em caupi é baixo, provavelmente em função da grande similaridade genética dos materiais comerciais dessa planta. Portanto, o uso da resistência genética para o manejo de P. brachyurus em caupi dependerá da disponibilidade de cultivares com base genética mais ampla que a atual. Verificou-se ainda a existência de variação interpopulacional em relação à agressividade de P. brachyurus ao caupi, o que motivou a realização de estudos sobre a diversidade morfológica do nematóide. Análises multivariadas (PCA) de seis variáveis morfométricas (L, St, a, b, c e V%), obteve-se a efetiva separação de 11 populações de P. brachyurus em cinco grupos distintos; é possível que essa análise seja útil na identificação de populações do nematóide com diferentes agressividades ao caupi. Em outro estudo, sobre condições de campo, foi demonstrado que sistemas intensivos de cultivos, com dois ou mais ciclos anuais (usualmente na seqüência algodão, milho, soja e caupi), propiciam a manutenção de elevadas densidades de nematóides polífagos, como P. brachyurus em áreas infestadas, e, além disso, forneceu indícios de que M. incognita e P. brachyurus causam perdas de produção ao caupi em áreas irrigadas. / Pratylenchus brachyurus x cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) relationships are worthy of special concern in Brazil, due to scarcity of pertinent information and because the nematode is widespread in local plantations. The primary aim of this research - to improve the knowledge about the potential importance of P. brachyurus on cowpea in Brazil – was achieved though experiments developed under controlled conditions, which demonstrated that P. brachyurus actually is pathogenic and affected significantly the growth of cowpea plant. Furthermore, as a first step to the development of P. brachyurus management strategies in cowpea, greenhouse experiments were carried out in order to evaluate the resistance of cowpea cultivars to the nematode. It was concluded that the level of resistance to P. brachyurus in cowpea is low, probably due to the high genetic similarity among the current commercial cultivars. Thus, the use of genetic resistance for management of P. brachyurus in cowpea will depend on the future availability of cultivars characterized by a broader genetic base. Moreover, inter-population variation on nematode aggressiveness was detected and, accordingly, studies concerning the morphological diversity of the nematode were done subsequently. Multivariate analyses (PCA) of six morphometric variables (L, St, a, b, c, and V%) allowed 11 P. brachyurus populations to be separated for five distinct groups, a condition that can eventually be useful to identify populations with different degrees of aggressiveness to cowpea. In another study, under field conditions, it was demonstrated that intensive cropping systems, with two or more crops per year (usually in the sequence cotton, maize, soybean, cowpea), may be relevant for the maintenance of high population densities of polyphagous nematodes, as P. brachyurus, in the infested areas, and provided support to the idea that P. brachyurus and M. incognita can cause yield losses in irrigated areas.

A crescente preocupação com nematoides está associada a sua facilidade em encontrar alimento durante a safra e entressafra. A sucessão de culturas popularizada pelo Sistema de Plantio Direto (SPD) permite a multiplicação constante destes patógenos em campo. Pratylenchus brachyurus, o nematoide das lesões radiculares, foi extremamente favorecido por este sistema devido a seu alto grau de polífagia, parasitando inclusive as principais culturas agrícolas nacionais. A soja é o a cultura que mais sofre perdas por este patógeno e o sistema onde é empregada, em rotação com gramíneas, é uma condição agravante para a cultura. Devido a isto a busca por alternativas de sucessão em que o nematoide não seja capaz de aumentar a população é uma ferramenta importante para o controle do nematoide. O objetivo deste trabalho foi buscar alternativas de coberturas vegetais para o controle de P. brachyurus e testar o efeito em sucessão com soja. Foram realizados dois experimentos, sendo o primeiro para avaliar a reação de hospedabilidade de plantas de cobertura a P. brachyurus, e o segundo com sucessão de sorgo com soja. No primeiro experimento foram avaliados 18 tratamentos na primeira etapa e 10 na segunda, totalizando 19 coberturas vegetais diferentes. Os ensaios foram conduzidos em casa de vegetação em vasos de plástico com 1L de solo autoclavado. Três plantas de cada tratamento foram mantidas por parcela. Foram inoculados 1000 espécimes do nematoide por parcela e a avaliação foi realizada aos 90 dias após a inoculação (DAI). Neste período os nematoides, foram extraídos das raízes por método de liquidificação, peneiramento e flutuação em centrifuga, e contados em Câmara de Peters sobre microscópio ótico. Com a população final encontrada foi avaliado o Fator de Reprodução (FR) do nematoide na planta. Nos dois ensaios foram encontrados resistência para seis tratamentos. Leucena, estilosantes, tefrosia, C. grantiana, C. spectabilis e C. breviflora apresentaram resistência nos dois experimentos. Guandu-mandarim apresentou resistência no primeiro ensaio e suscetibilidade no segundo enquanto que, C. ochroleuca ocorreu o inverso. Os resultados demostraram o potencial de redução da população do fitonematoide com o uso de espécies vegetais de cobertura. No segundo experimento foi conduzido ensaio de sucessão com cinco cultivares de sorgo e um de milheto em sistema com gramínea-soja. Os experimentos foram conduzidos em casa de vegetação com oito parcelas por tratamento. Cada parcela foi inoculada com 1000 espécimes de P. brachyurus em vasos de 1L com solo autoclavado. Foram mantidas três plantas por vaso. Quatro parcelas foram colhidas aos 90 DAI e realizada a extração para avaliação de FR. Das quatro parcelas restantes foi removida a parte aérea das gramíneas e semeado soja. As avaliações em soja foram realizadas na senescência da cultura. Não foram encontrados tratamentos resistentes. O cultivar de milheto BRS 1501 apresentou os menores valores de FR, multiplicando menos o nematoide, enquanto o cultivar de sorgo BRS 716 apresentou os valores mais elevados. As avaliações em soja demonstraram a menor produtividade e massa fresca de raiz de soja conforme o aumento da população do nematoide na parcela devido à sucessão. Nenhum dos tratamentos foi eficiente para diminuir a população do nematoide e o aumento da população inicial na soja agravou os danos causados pelo nematoide. Por tanto nenhum dos tratamentos com gramíneas é recomendado para rotação com soja ou cultivo em solos infestados. Neste trabalho foi possível visualizar os danos causados pelo nematoide na cultura e também foi possível encontrar potenciais de controle cultural com plantas resistentes e a supressão da população no solo. / The growing concern with nematodes is associated with their ease in finding food during the harvest and in the off season. The crop rotation, popularized by the No-till farming allows the constant multiplication of these pathogens in the field. Pratylenchus brachyurus the root-lesion nematode was greatly favored by this system due to its polyphagous feeding behavior, parasitizing even the main national agricultural crops. Soybean is the host of this pathogen, and the system where it is employed, in rotation with grasses, is an aggravating condition for the crop. Due to this the search for rotation alternatives where the nematode is not able to increase the population is an important tool for the control in the off season and to avoid losses in the main crop. The objective of this work was to search for plant cover alternatives for the control of P. brachyurus and to test the effect in succession with soybean. Two experiments were carried out, the first one to evaluate the host planting of P. brachyurus, and a second with succession of grasses with soybean in soil infested with nematodes. In the first experiment, eighteen treatments were evaluated in the first stage and ten in the second, totaling nineteen different cover crops. The assays were conducted in a greenhouse in plastic vats with 1L of steam sterilized soil. Three plants of each treatment were maintained per plot. 1000 specimens of the nematode were inoculated per plot and the evaluation was performed at 90 days after inoculation (DAI). During this period the nematodes were extracted from the roots by means of liquidification, sieving and centrifugal flotation, and counted in Peters\' Chamber on an optical microscope. With the final population found, the reproductive factor (RF) of the nematode in the plant was evaluated. In both tests resistance was found for six treatments. Leucaena, stylers, tephrosia, C. grantiana, C. spectabilis and C. breviflora showed resistance in both experiments. Pigeonpea cv \'mandarim\' presented resistance in the first trial and susceptibility in the second while C. ochroleuca occurred the inverse. The results demonstrated the potential of reducing the phytonematoid population with the use of plant cover species. In the second experiment, a succession test was carried out with five cultivars of sorghum and one of millet in a grass-soybean system. The experiments were conducted in greenhouse with eight plots per treatment. Each plot was inoculated with 1000 specimens of P. brachyurus in 1L vessels with autoclaved soil. Three plants were maintained per pot. Four plots were harvested at 90 DAI and extraction was performed for FR evaluation. Of the four remaining plots was removed the aerial part of the grasses and sown soybean. The soybean evaluations were carried out in the senescence of the crop. No resistant treatments were found. The millet cultivar BRS 1501 presented the lowest values of RF, multiplying the nematode less, while the sorghum cultivar BRS 716 had the highest values. Soybean yields showed lower productivity and fresh soybean root mass as the nematode population increased in the plot due to succession. None of the treatments with grasses were efficient to decrease the nematode population and the initial population increases in soybean aggravated nematode damage. None of the treatments are recommended for soybean rotation or cultivation on infested soil. In this work it was possible to visualize the damage caused by the nematode in the crop and it was also possible to find potentials of cultural control with resistant plants and the suppression of the population in the soil.

Winter rotational cover crops (WRCC) are often used to boost soil fertility and plant nutrition. However, selection and use of WRCC for soil physical improvement is usually overlooked. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of WRCC on soil strength, aggregate stability and water conservation of a hardsetting soil. The soil physical properties were determined after four rotations of growing monocultures of vetch (Vicia dasycarpa cv. Max), lupin (Lupinus angustifolius cv. Tanjil) and oats (Avena sativa cv. Sederberg) and after two rotations of growing bicultures of oats (Avena sativa cv. Pallinup) and vetch (Vicia dasycarpa cv. Max) across two soil layers, 0 to 15 cm and 15 to 30 cm. The individual WRCC and a weedy fallow constituted the treatments in the monoculture study whilst in the biculture study the various combinations of WRCC namely; 90% oat plus 10% vetch (O90V10); 70% oat plus 30% vetch (O70V30) and 50% oat plus 50% vetch (O50V50) and a weedy fallow constituted the treatments. After four rotations with cover crop monocultures, oats significantly (P ≤ 0.05) reduced penetration resistance (PR) whilst vetch increased PR in both soil layers compared to the weedy fallow control. The effect of the biculture treatments was only experienced within the 15 to 30 cm depth. The treatments O50V50 and O70V30 increased the PR compared to the control. The WRCC in monoculture significantly increased the soil aggregate stability relative to the control in both soil layers. Vetch, lupin and oats resulted in a 41.7%; 20.4% and 15.7% increase in MWD in the 0 to 15 cm soil layer and 47.2%; 44.2% and 39.7% in the 15 to 30 cm depth, respectively. An increase in aggregate stability was associated with increased macro-aggregation. Under the biculture, WRCC slightly increased, non- significantly, the aggregate stability. Both hot water and dilute acid extractable polysaccharides showed no significant correlation with aggregate stability in the two studies. Oats monoculture resulted in a significant difference (P ≤ 0.05) on cumulative infiltration compared to the control. However, after 2 h vetch and lupin showed no significant difference from the control on cumulative infiltration. Oats resulted in a 7.8% increase in final infiltration rate (FIR) whilst vetch and lupin reduced FIR by 9% and 16.7% respectively, compared to the control. Bicultures of oats and vetch significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased cumulative infiltration compared to the weedy fallow control. A similar significant increase in FIR was also observed under bicultures. The treatments O50V50; O90V10 and O70V30 resulted in a 163.3%; 113.3% and 105.4% increase in FIR respectively, compared to the control. Cover crop monocultures significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased plant available water (PAW) compared to the weedy fallow, with vetch, oats and lupin resulting in a 28.3%; 22% and 23.9% increase respectively, in PAW. However, no significant differences were observed on PAW after two rotations with bicultures. Compared with winter weedy fallow, WRCC improved most of the soil physical properties under study, with the most suitable results expected under bicultures compared to monocultures. Under CA, selection of WRCC like oats, vetch and lupin, one should therefore take into consideration their effects on soil physical properties as a selection criterion and not biomass and fertility alone.

Das Landesamt für Umwelt, Landwirtschaft und Geologie untersuchte auf einem D-Südstandort in der Dübener Heide acht verschiedene Fruchtfolgen mit Energiepflanzen zur Biogasproduktion. Untersucht wurde die Ertrags- und Biogasleistung. Für die Region wird empfohlen, den Anbau in fünfgliedrigen Fruchtfolgen vorzunehmen. Als ertragsstarke und ertragsstabile Energiepflanzen haben sich dabei Energiemais, Sudangras, Zuckerhirse und Kartoffeln bewährt. Sie sollten zu 30 bis maximal 60 % in der Fruchtfolge berücksichtigt werden. Von ökologischem (Humushaushalt) und ökonomischem Vorteil ist dabei der Aufbau von Fruchtfolgesystemen, die sowohl leistungsstarke Energiepflanzen als auch Nahrungspflanzen enthalten. Die leistungsfähigsten Fruchtfolgevarianten erreichen kumulative Trockenmasseerträge von 370 bis zu 430 dt TM/ha. Theoretische Methanleistungen von insgesamt 12.000 m³ Methan/ha sind möglich.

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A field and laboratory study was made to determine the effect of alternate year rest rotation grazin in stem bases and root crowns of crested wheatgrass. Analyses for carbohydrate reserves and total nitrogen were made for the following treatments: (1) exclosures; (2) open range; (3) agronomy cages. Both carbohydrate concentration and total nitrogen content showed differences between sampling dates but did not show differences as a result of grazing treatment on individual dates. Differences between sampling dates were associated with season and growth stage of plants. Although differences due to grazing teatment were not shown for individual dates the combined average carbohydrate concentration for plants rested or protected from grazing for one season was higher than from protected plants inside exclosures or from plants grazed during the study. Despite the short duration of this study these results indicate that alternate year rest rotation grazing as practiced on Diamond Mountain is not adversely affecting storage of food reserves in crested wheatgrass.

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The Midwest US has experienced significant changes in agricultural land use and management practices in recent decades. Cropland expansion, crop rotation change, and crop phenology changes could lead to divergent environmental impacts on linked ecosystems. The overall objective is to examine agricultural land use and management changes and their impacts on water quality in the Midwest US, which is addressed in three separate studies. The first study examined spatial and temporal dimensions of agricultural land use dynamics in east-central Iowa, 2001-2012. Results of this study indicated that increases in corn production in response to US biofuel policies had been achieved mainly by altering crop rotation. This study also examined spatial relationships between cultivated fields and crop rotation practices with respect to underlying soils and terrain. The most intensively cultivated land had shallower slopes and fewer pedologic limitations than others, and the corn was planted on the most suitable soils. The second study characterized key crop phenological parameters (SOS and EOS) for corn and soybean and analyzed their spatial patterns to evaluate their change trends in the Midwest US, 2001-2015. Results showed that MODIS-derived SOS and EOS values are sensitive to input time-series data and threshold values chosen for crop phenology detection. The non-winter MODIS NDVI time-series input data, and a lower threshold value (i.e., 40%) both generated better results for SOS and EOS estimates. Spatial analyses of SOS and EOS values displayed clear south-north gradient for corn and trend analyses of SOS revealed only a small percentage of counties showed statistically significant earlier trends within a user-defined temporal window (2001-2012). The third study integrated remote sensing-derived products from the first two studies with the SWAT model to assess impacts of agricultural management changes on sediment and nutrient yields for three selected watersheds in the Midwest US. With satisfied calibration and validation results for stream flows, sediment and nutrient yields, considered under differing management scenarios, were compared at different spatial scales. Results showed that intensive crop rotation, advancing the planting date with the same length of growing season, and longer growing seasons, dramatically increased, maintained, and slightly reduced sediment, total nitrogen, and total phosphorous yields, respectively. Overall, these studies together illuminate relationships between broad-scale agricultural policies, management decisions, and environmental impacts, and the value of multi-temporal, broad-scale, geospatial analysis of agricultural landscapes. / Ph. D.