In arid lands, wetland loss is the result not only of the scarcity of water itself, but of the management of water to maximize off-stream uses. Declaring a wetland as a protected natural area is not enough when its water supply is not protected as well. In a fully-diverted, over-allocated, drought-prone Colorado River ecosystem, its delta has no instream flows allocated. Water use efficiency (WUE) is touted as the panacea for water shortages and lack of instream flows. I evaluated the relationships between water use in the Mexicali Irrigation District and the water supply for the Colorado River delta wetlands. The survey applied to 521 farmers complemented the GIS analysis to create a spatial distribution of agronomic and socio-economic factors influencing farmers’ options to improve WUE in irrigation. Mexicali farmers apply 10,496 m³/ha/yr; 4% higher than the legal allotment. Still, 28% of the district’s soils are salt-affected (ECe > 8dS/m), 19% are sodic (ESP > 50%), and 39% of the salt load in irrigation water accumulates in the soils. Thus, Mexicali farmers apply more water than plants need in order to maintain the sustainability of their soils. From an agronomic perspective, increasing WUE is feasible in 80% of the valley. However, high costs and lack of technical knowledge limit farmers’ options to either continue using as much water as they do now or rent/sell their water rights to larger farming operations or urban developments. Mexicali’s agriculture provides 87 Mm³ of water to the delta marshes, and seepage from unlined canals and subsurface flows generated by irrigation contribute to sustain riparian areas. Agricultural “inefficiencies” become the main source of water for wetlands when flows are fully diverted. The Irrigation District 014 is an integral part of the delta ecosystem; this is a required change in the agriculture-wetland paradigm. The restoration of arid and over-allocated rivers requires the integration of irrigation practices and WUE with the allocation of water for instream flows. The restoration of wetlands of international watersheds like the Colorado River requires the bi-national collaboration beyond memorandums of understanding between the countries; treaties where environmental flows are actually allocated will better serve shared ecosystems.

This thesis tested the hypothesis that nitrogen use efficiency of subirrigated potted chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.) can be improved by managing the NO3- status of the plant. Replacement of NO3- with water one week prior to flower development was the most effective method of reducing tissue NO3- content and improving the nitrogen usage index, as compared to various combinations of NO3- and Cl-. Shoot or flower dry mass and N content were unaffected and the medium electrical conductivity was reduced. Supplying N in the NH4+ form in combination with NO3- did not affect nitrogen use indices. Reducing N supply improved various indices of nitrogen use efficiency, with a slight loss of quality. Elimination of NO3- prior to flower development and reduction in N supplied are effective strategies for improving nitrogen use efficiency in subirrigated potted chrysanthemums without sacrificing quality. / Cecil Delworth Foundation

The feasibility of using optical sensors and non-nitrogen limiting reference crops to determine post-emergent nitrogen fertilizer requirements of canola was evaluated. Normalized difference vegetation index was well suited for estimating yield potential and nitrogen status. Although sensor-based nitrogen management was generally agronomically feasible for canola, the economic benefits of doing so remain uncertain because of the added cost of applying post-emergent nitrogen.

The feasibility of using optical sensors and non-nitrogen limiting reference crops to determine post-emergent nitrogen fertilizer requirements of canola was evaluated. Normalized difference vegetation index was well suited for estimating yield potential and nitrogen status. Although sensor-based nitrogen management was generally agronomically feasible for canola, the economic benefits of doing so remain uncertain because of the added cost of applying post-emergent nitrogen.

This project examines the efficiency of a biochar-producing stove in meeting the needs of households in rural of Kenya. The stove has been tested and evaluated by five household in Embu, Kenya and compared with two other common cooking methods. The main parameters were time consumption, fuel consumption and emissions of carbon monoxide and particulate matter. Usability and energy use efficiency have also been evaluated. Three potential feedstocks have been examined for use in the biochar-producing stove; Grevillea prunings, maize cobs and coconut husks. The biochar-producing stove was well received by the households. It has potential of saving time, it saves fuel and it has a significantly lower level of emissions than other examined stoves. Despite some challenges related to the usability and the handling of the stove, an implementation of the biochar-producing stove can contribute to an alleviation of the women’s burdens, save fuel and contribute to a healthier indoor air climate.

Promotion of agroforestry practices in sub-Sahara Africa may help sustain subsistent food and wood production by integrating trees and crops on farmlands to replenish soil fertility and improve crop yield. Using rotational woodlot and pigeonpea intercropping systems in semi-arid Tanzania as case studies, my research screened suitable tree species to increase fuelwood supply and examined mechanisms for reducing tree-crop competition. By adopting nutrient use efficiency (the ratio of biomass yield to nutrient uptake) as a criterion, I found that selecting tree species of low wood nutrient concentrations would minimize nutrient exports by 42 – 60 %, thus reducing soil nutrient depletion while concurrently sustaining local fuelwood supply harvested from rotational woodlots. Currently smallholder farmers cannot afford to replenish soil fertility because of high fertilizer costs. However, 5-year tree fallowing raised soil N and P levels for maize culture as high as those from recommended fertilizer applications. Post-fallow maize yield was also increased significantly over natural fallow practices. Apparently there is a trade-off between yields of maize and fuelwood under rotational woodlot culture providing farmers the choice to proportion tree and crop composition based on priority demands. An alternative practice of intercropping pigeonpea with maize may also rapidly replenish soil fertility as well as enhance maize yield when competitive interactions between trees and crops are controlled. Vector analysis revealed that such interactions suppressed biomass yields of maize and pigeonpea by 30 % and 60 %, respectively, due to limited soil nutrients and/or moisture. Optimizing yields of both crops would require prescribed fertilizer addition when intercropped, but dose rates can be lowered by half under the improved fallow system due to alleviating interspecific competition. My findings form the basis of a plea for greater use of rotational woodlot and pigeonpea intercropping systems in semi-arid areas. I conclude that smallholder farm management of rotational agroforestry systems can be significantly improved by refining tree selection criteria and mitigating nutrient competition between trees and crops to maintain food and fuelwood production.

Stomatal conductance and mesophyll conductance for CO2 transport are two key components of diffusive limitations of photosynthesis, since they restrict CO2 flux from the leaf surface to the sub-stomatal cavity and from there to the sites of carboxylation. This thesis summarizes our findings in the field of nature of mesophyll conductance to CO2 transport and its regulation per se and in respect to stomatal conductance.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:24:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2005-02-01Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:52:30Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 assuncao_ica_me_botfca.pdf: 943075 bytes, checksum: ce539ad58264cbbab2e1e863aae2d636 (MD5) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / Um ensaio, com amendoim (Arachis hypogaea L.), cv. IAC-TATUST, foi conduzido, na área experimental do Setor de Ciências Ambientais (21,85° S; 48,43° W; 786 m), FCA/UNESP, em Botucatu, SP, em parcela única sob tratamento úmido durante o período de 11/02/2001 a 06/06/2001. Durante todas as fases de crescimento das plantas foram monitoradas as radiações fotossinteticamente ativa incidente, refletida e transmitida, bem como a produção semanal da biomassa acumulada e sua energia química, incluindo raízes, hastes, folhas, flores, frutos e sementes, com o objetivo de determinar a eficiência de uso da radiação (EUR) e a eficiência de conversão da radiação interceptada (ECR) pelas plantas cultivadas. Os resultados mostraram que a EUR média foi de 1,33 g MJ-1 e a ECR foi de 2,5%, cujos valores estão coerentes com aqueles encontrados em literatura. Nas condições de Botucatu, a cultura do amendoim interceptou, aproximadamente 600 MJ m-2 de radiação PAR, de modo que no final do seu ciclo a energia da biomassa atingiu a magnitude de 18 MJ m-2. Em termos médios, o coeficiente de extinção da luz (k) foi de 0,68, o índice de colheita, em base de energia, foi de 0,38 e a produtividade obtida, do amendoim em casca, foi equivalente a 4,5 t ha-£. / A trial, with peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.), cv. IAC-TATU-ST, was carried out, in experimental area of Setor de Ciências Ambientais (21,85° S; 48,43° W; 786 m), FCA/UNESP, in Botucatu, SP, in single section with humid treatment during the period from 11/02/2001 to 06/06/2001. For all growth phases of peanut crop, the incident, reflected and transmitted photosynthetically active radiations were monitored, as well as the weekly production of the accumulated biomass, chemical energy, including roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds, with purpose of determining the radiation use efficiency and the radiation conversion efficiency of intercepted PAR for the cultivated plants. The results showed that EUR was about 1,33 g MJ-1 and ECR was about 2,5%. The values are coherent with those found in literature. In Botucatu conditions, the peanut crop intercepted, more or less 600 MJ m-2 of PAR, so that in the end of cycle, the biomass energy reached to 18 MJ m-2. In standard terms, the light extinction coefficient (k) was about 0.68, the harvest index, in energy basis, was about 0.38 and peanut yield, in peel, was equivalent to 4.5 t ha-£.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:53:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 2738460 bytes, checksum: 67c1ea974bb7682d00da8dcedd5999b7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-02-17 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / Eucalypt is the main forest essence planted in Brazil (approximately 3.5 million ha) and represents roughly 70 % of the total forestry planting. In tropical environments, the sustainability of the forest production is primarily dictated by water and nutrient fluxes in the soil, provided temperature and solar radiation are not limiting. Nutrient limitation has often been corrected through adequate nutritional management, thus being of secondary importance for most commercial Eucalypt plantations. Water has otherwise been considered as the most limiting resource to eucalypt productivity in the tropics. The evaluation and the comprehension of how water and nutrients regulate forestry productivity are key to predict the productive potential of the forest stand and to subsidize the utilization of management practices more adequately to forestry growth. Being said this, the main objectives of the present work were to evaluated the forest growth, the biomass and nutrient partitioning, the intensive properties of leaves and fine roots and the use efficiency of water and nutrients as a function of irrigation (water) and fertirrigation (water + nutrients) treatments. The experiment was set in October 2001 in the Rio Doce River Valley, Central-Western region of Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The experiment was compounded by four clonal genetic material of eucalypt: 57 and 2719 - Rio Claro and Eucalyptus grandis hybrids; 129 - Eucalyptus grandis hybrids and 1215 - Eucalyptus urophylla x Eucalyptus grandis, "Urograndis", and three different treatments of water and nutrients (irrigation, fertirrigation and control). All trees in the experimental plot had their diameter at breast height (dbh) and total height (Ht) monitored by forest inventory, which were made every three months starting when the trees were 13 months old. With this data it was possible to fit regression equations for each eucalypt genetic material describing the behavior of dbh, Ht, basal area (B) and trunk volume (Vt) as a function of the stand age. Five trees per experimental plot representing the range in tree sizes were felled at ground level and separated into foliage, branches, stemwood and bark components. Total fresh weights were determined in the field and all tissues were subsampled for moisture, nutrient contents and dry weight determination. All trunks had their volume determined by rigorous scaling. Additional subsamples of fresh foliage were collected from each sampled tree and specific leaf area (SLA) was determined. Leaf area index (LAI) was determined using the data from SLA and total foliage biomass of each sampled tree. Fine roots (< 2 mm) were collected from each sampled tree, then, washed, scanned and dried until constant weight being achieved. Additionally, root specific area and root area index were also obtained from the plant material. The fertirrigation had positive effects on trunk growth, volume and biomass. Conversely, irrigation had no affect on stand growth. Fertirrigation also increased the nutrients content in the above ground biomass with different magnitude with regards to the genetic material besides providing a greater leaf area index, root specific area and root area index, but it had little influence on leaf specific area, which was more influenced by the productive class where it had its value reduced when the degree of dominance of the tree went up. On average, fertirrigation increased the nutrients use efficiency for production of total above ground biomass, trunk biomass, foliage biomass and fine roots biomass, but it decreased water use efficiency for production of trunk biomass. Thus, it is concluded that water and nutrient availability change the behavior of the stand growth, nutrient and biomass partitioning as well as the studied resources use efficiency and intensive properties of the resource acquisition (leaves and fine roots), with different magnitude according with the genetic material. / O eucalipto é a essência florestal mais plantada no Brasil (em torno de 3,5 milhões ha), correspondendo à aproximadamente 70 % da área total de plantios florestais. Em ambientes tropicais, a sustentabilidade da produção florestal é governada, principalmente, pelos fluxos de água e nutrientes do solo, uma vez que, geralmente, temperatura e radiação solar não são limitantes. A limitação nutricional é freqüentemente corrigida pelo adequado manejo nutricional. O recurso água tem sido considerado como mais limitante à produtividade florestal nos trópicos. A avaliação e a compreensão de como os recursos água e nutrientes regulam a produtividade florestal é fundamental para a predição do potencial produtivo do povoamento florestal e para subsidiar aplicação das técnicas de manejo mais adequadas ao crescimento florestal. Assim, objetivou-se neste trabalho avaliar o crescimento e partição de biomassa e nutrientes; bem como as propriedades intensivas da parte aérea (folhas) e do sistema radicular (raízes finas) e a eficiência de uso dos recursos água e nutrientes minerais em função da aplicação de água, via irrigação e água mais nutrientes, via fertirrigação. Para tanto, em outubro de 2001, na região do Vale do Rio Doce -MG, foi instalado experimento composto por quatro materiais genéticos clonais de eucalipto: 57 e 2719 -? Híbridos de Eucalyptus grandis, Rio Claro; 129 &#8211; Eucalyptus grandis e 1215 - E. urophylla x E. Grandis, &#8220;Urograndis&#8221;, e três tratamentos de água e nutrientes aplicados ao solo (irrigado, fertirrigado e controle). Todas as árvores de cada parcela experimental tiveram seus diâmetro a 1,3 m de altura (dap) e altura total (Ht) monitorados por inventários florestais realizados a cada três meses a partir dos 13 meses de idade, o que possibilitou ajustar equações de regressão para cada material genético descrevendo o comportamento do dap, Ht, área basal (B) e volume de tronco (Vt) em função da idade dos plantios. Para cada parcela experimental, foram abatidas cinco árvores, escolhidas dentro de uma faixa crescente de dap. Todas as árvores abatidas tiveram seus troncos submetidos à cubagem rigorosa e seus compartimentos (folha, galho, casca e lenho) foram separados e pesados, sendo retiradas amostras para a determinação do peso seco, teor e conteúdo de nutrientes; foi retirada uma amostra adicional de folhas para a determinação da área foliar específica e índice de área foliar. Amostras de raízes finas (< 2 mm) foram retiradas de cada árvore abatida, sendo lavadas, pesadas e escaneadas, determinando-se então seu peso seco, a superfície radicular específica e índice de área radicular. A fertirrigação proporcionou maior crescimento em volume e biomassa de tronco, e a irrigação pouco afetou o crescimento da floresta. A fertirrigação também levou a maiores conteúdos de nutrientes minerais na parte área e tronco sendo a magnitude distinta de acordo com o material genético. A fertirrigação promoveu maior índice de área foliar, área radicular específica e índice de área radicular, mas pouco influenciou a área foliar específica, a qual foi mais influenciada pela classe de produtividade, tendo seu valor reduzido com o aumento do grau de dominância da árvore. Em média, a fertirrigação elevou a eficiência de uso de nutrientes para a produção de biomassa de parte aérea, tronco, folhas e raiz finas; contrariamente, a aplicação conjunta de água e nutrientes, via fertirrigação reduziu a eficiência de uso de água para a produção de biomassa de tronco. Assim conclui-se que a disponibilização de água e nutrientes altera o comportamento de crescimento e partição de biomassa e nutrientes, bem como suas eficiências de uso e as propriedades intensivas das superfícies de aquisição de recursos (folhas e raízes finas), em magnitudes distintas com o material genético.

Submitted by ELIALDO ALVES DE SOUZA (eli_agronomo@yahoo.com.br) on 2017-07-03T17:28:37Z No. of bitstreams: 1 SOUZA, E.A..pdf: 3660134 bytes, checksum: bce1034cb117c1be8df868aa0e61ab8f (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luiz Galeffi (luizgaleffi@gmail.com) on 2017-07-04T18:06:29Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 souza_ea_dr_bot.pdf: 3660134 bytes, checksum: bce1034cb117c1be8df868aa0e61ab8f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-04T18:06:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 souza_ea_dr_bot.pdf: 3660134 bytes, checksum: bce1034cb117c1be8df868aa0e61ab8f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-13 / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / A aplicação de amônio pode, em algumas condições, melhorar a eficiência de uso do fósforo (EUP) e o desenvolvimento do milho, especialmente em solos tropicais, normalmente ácidos e pobres em P disponível. O presente trabalho tem por objetivo estudar o efeito da adubação amoniacal sobre o aproveitamento do P, as condições bioquímicas da rizosfera, a morfologia radicular e o desenvolvimento da cultura do milho. Os dois experimentos iniciais foram conduzidos em casa de vegetação, o primeiro em vasos de 12 L e o segundo em Plant Growth Containers (PGCs), com solo previamente corrigido e adubado segundo os tratamentos: 3 (três formas de adubação nitrogenada - amoniacal, nítrica e mista) x cinco doses de fosfato (0, 40, 80, 120 e 160 mg P kg-1 de solo). Aos 35 dias após a emergência as raízes foram removidas dos containers e vasos e as amostras de planta e solo foram coletadas para análises. O solo rizosférico no experimento I foi obtido por “agitação-lavagem” e no experimento II por “fatiamento em camadas”, de forma que quatro das oito repetições foram congeladas frescas (análises: amônio, nitrato, C orgânico e P microbiano) e quatro foram transformadas em TFSE (análises: fracionamento químico do P e pH). As amostras de planta foram submetidas a pesagem e análise nutricional. O experimento III foi conduzido em um sistema de scanners em solução nutritiva de acordo com os tratamentos: 2 (amônio ou nitrato) x (alta dose ou baixa dose de P), com 10 repetições. Imagens foram obtidas diariamente para avaliação do desenvolvimento radicular. Ao final dos ensaios foram obtidos peso fresco e seco, análises de P em tecidos e, com dados de diferentes parâmetros radiculares, foi feito o desenho da planta média no RootBox. Os tratamentos com amônio e nitrato + amônio, na dose mais alta de P no experimento I ou em todas as doses no experimento II, resultaram em maior produção de matéria seca, menor relação raiz: parte aérea, desenvolvimento de raiz mais aequado à absorção de P, maior recuperação de P, maior acúmulo de amônio, nitrato e N-mineral nas camadas mais próximas ao rizoplano, menor pH, maior mobilização de formas menos lábeis de P, maior consumo de P geoquímico e P biológico. Houve diferença entre solo rizosférico e solo não rizosférico e entre as diferentes camadas da rizosfera, para todos os parâmetros, entre as formas de nitrogênio. O amônio e nitrato + amônio resultaram em maior produção de C orgânico solúvel em água e maior dose de superfosfato triplo resultou em maior quantidade de P na fração microbiana. O amônio resultou desenvolvimento radicular mais ramificado e com maior número de raízes laterais. O amônio melhora a eficiência de uso do P, devido às mudanças químicas e biológicas na rizosfera, e às mudanças na arquitetura radicular, que favorecem a solubilidade, a mineralização e a absorção de fosfato e, consequentemente, aumenta a produção de matéria seca nos estádios iniciais da cultura do milho. / Ammonium application can improve phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) and the development of maize plants, especially in tropical soils, usually acids and P-limiting. The aim of this study is evaluate how ammoniacal fertilization impacts the P use efficiency (PUE), the biochemical conditions of the rhizosphere, the root morphology and the development of maize plants. Two initial experiments were carried on greenhouse, the first one in pots of 20 L and the second one in Plant Growth Containers (PGCs), using soil after liming and fertilized according to the following treatments: 3 (nitrogen fertilization: ammonium only, nitrate only and both) x five doses of phosphate (0, 40, 80, 120 and 160 mg P kg-1 of soil). At 35 days after emergence the roots were removed from the containers and pots and the plant and soil samples were collected for analysis. The rhizosphere soil in experiment I was obtained by "shaking-washing" and in the experiment II by "layer slicing". Four of the eight soil replicates were fresh frozen (analyzes: ammonium, nitrate, organic C and microbial P) and four of them were dried (analyzes: chemical fractionation of P and pH). Plant samples were weighed and analyzed for P content. The experiment III was carried on a system of nutrient solution scanners according to the treatments: 2 (ammonium or nitrate) x (high or low dose of P), with 10 replicates. Images were obtained in daily basis for the evaluation of root development. At the end of the tests, fresh and dry weights and P content were obtained. Data of different root traits were used to draw the average plant on the RootBox. The treatments with ammonium and nitrate + ammonium, plus the highest dose of P in the experiment I or at all doses in the experiment II, resulted in higher dry matter yield, lower root ratio: aerial part, root development adequate for P absorption, higher P recovering, higher ammonium, nitrate and N-mineral accumulation in the nearest layersto the rhizoplane, lower pH, greater mobilization of less labile P forms, higher mobilization of geochemical and biological P. There were differences between rhizospheric and bulk soils and between the different layers of the rhizosphere, for all parameters and treatments. Ammonium and nitrate + ammonium resulted in higher organic C water soluble organic C, and higher dose of triple superphosphate resulted in higher amount of P in the microbial fraction. Ammonium resulted in a branched root with a greater number of lateral roots. Ammonium improves the use efficiency, solubility, mineralization and uptake of P, due to chemical and biological changes in the rhizosphere and root architecture in the early stages of corn development. / FAPESP: 13/18870-1 / FAPESP: 15/12399-0