ABSTRACT: The knowledge of water consumption and the efficiency of water use by crops is extremely important in the elaboration of agronomic and hydraulic projects of hydroponic systems. Thus, the present study determined the water consumption and water use efficiency of ‘Biquinho’ pepper cultivated in the hydroponic system using seven levels of electrical conductivity of the nutrient solution (ECsol) of 2.70, 3.64, 4.58, 5.28, 6.09, 6.90, and 7.77 dS m-1 and six replicates in randomized blocks. The hydroponic system used was the Nutrient Film Technique (NFT). The water consumption per plant was determined at an interval of ten days in the crop cycle (120 days after transplanting). The maximum mean daily water consumption was equal to 5.88 L plant-1 during the period 111-120 DAT, for ECsol of 4.58 dS m-1. The maximum water consumption for the crop cycle (120 DAT) was 275.66 L per plant for an estimated ECsol = 4.11 dS m-1. The highest water use efficiency (WUE), based on the total production of fruit fresh mass (ripe and unripe fruits) of ‘Biquinho’ pepper was 10.84 kg m-3 up to an estimated ECsol of 5.18 dS m-1, with an exponential reduction thereafter. The salinity of the nutrient solution, biomass production, and evapotranspiration are factors that influence the most water consumption of ‘Biquinho’ pepper.

RESUMO: O conhecimento do consumo hídrico e eficiência do uso da água pelas culturas são extremamente importantes para o dimensionamento de sistemas agronômicos e projeto hidráulico dos sistemas hidropônicos. Neste contexto, o presente estudo determinou o consumo de água e a eficiência do uso da água da pimenta ‘Biquinho’ cultivada no sistema hidropônico utilizando sete níveis de condutividade elétrica da solução nutritiva (CEsol) de 2,70, 3,64, 4,58, 5,28, 6,09, 6,90 e 7,77 dS m-1 e seis repetições em blocos casualizados. O sistema hidropônico utilizado foi a técnica do fluxo laminar de nutrientes. O consumo hídrico por planta foi determinado em um intervalo de dez dias no ciclo da cultura (120 dias após o transplantio). O consumo hídrico médio diário máximo foi igual a 5,88 L planta-1 no período de 111-120 DAT, para a CEsol de 4,58 dS m-1. O consumo máximo de água para o ciclo da cultura (120 DAT) foi de 275,66 L por planta para uma estimada CEsol = 4,11 dS m-1. A maior eficiência do uso da água (EUA) observada foi de 10,84 kg m-3 (frutos maduros e não maduros) até ao CEsol estimada de 5,18 dS m-1, com posterior redução exponencial. A salinidade da solução nutritiva, a produção de biomassa e a evapotranspiração são fatores que mais influenciam o consumo de água da pimenta ‘Biquinho’.

ABSTRACT An experiment was carried out in a randomized blocks design, aiming at evaluation of the cultivation of coriander intercropped with rocket subjected to saline and thermal stresses in the root-zone. Six treatments were evaluated, as follows: four treatments consisted of the combinations of two levels of electrical conductivity of water (ECw 0.3 and 6.5 dS m-1) with two root-zone temperatures - RZT (ambient: < 25 °C and constant at 30 °C). The respective waters were used to prepare the nutrient solution and to replenish the water consumed. In the other two treatments the cultivation was performed at ambient RZT, one with 0.3 dS m-1 level used to prepare the solution and 6.5 dS m-1 level to replenish the consumption, and other with 6.5 dS m-1 level used to prepare the solution and 0.3 dS m-1 level to replenish the water consumed. Plant height, stem diameter, water content in shoot, fresh and dry matter of shoot, and tolerance index of saline and thermal stresses were evaluated. The coriander was more tolerant to combined stresses than the rocket. For the isolated stresses, there was a greater reduction in the production of both crops as a function of salinity than by thermal stress.

ABSTRACT: Acclimatization is the final phase of banana plantlet production by micropropagation. In this phase, the plantlets are grown in a protected environment with high demand for water, fertilizer and labor, until reaching the standard size and quality required for marketing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility of reducing these costs and the duration of the acclimatization phase, using the hydroponic cultivation technique as compared to the conventional system. ‘Prata–Anã’ banana plantlet performance was measured for both systems under both tropical summer and winter conditions, based upon water and nutrient use efficiency and growing time of the plantlets. In both seasons, the plantlets produced hydroponically presented faster growth of both the shoot and root systems. There was a reduction of 12 days to reach the transplantation point, a significant reduction in plantlet production cost (fertilizers + water) and improved efficiency in space use with an expressive increase in the number of plantlets produced per square meter.

RESUMO O Semiárido brasileiro é historicamente caracterizado pela escassez de recursos hídricos de boa qualidade. Nessa região há uma grande disponibilidade de água de reservas subterrâneas, no entanto, apresentam elevadas concentrações de sais, que as tornam inapropriadas para irrigação da maioria das culturas. Objetivou-se com este estudo avaliar o crescimento, a produção e a tolerância à salinidade de três cultivares de couve-flor em hidroponia NFT (Nutrient Film Technique), submetidas a diferentes condutividades elétricas da solução nutritiva (CEsol) preparadas com águas salinizadas. O experimento foi conduzido em blocos casualizados em parcelas subdivididas, com seis repetições. As plantas foram submetidas a seis níveis de CEsol (1,94 - controle; 3,24; 4,10; 5,04; 5,92 e 7,01 dS m-1) nas parcelas principais, com três cultivares de couve-flor (‘Piracicaba de Verão’, ‘Sabrina’ e ‘SF1758’) nas subparcelas, quando foram cultivadas no mesmo canal hidropônico. Avaliaram-se o crescimento vegetativo, a produção de inflorescências e a tolerância à salinidade das cultivares. De maneira geral, com exceção do número de folhas, largura foliar e as massas de matéria fresca das folhas e da parte aérea, os diferentes níveis de CEsol influenciaram negativamente o crescimento vegetativo e o rendimento das inflorescências das cultivares da couve-flor. As cultivares ‘Piracicaba de Verão’ e ‘Sabrina’ foram consideradas moderadamente sensíveis à salinidade, enquanto a cultivar ‘SF1758’ foi moderadamente tolerante à salinidade.

ABSTRACT The Brazilian semiarid is historically characterized by the water scarcity of good-quality. In this region there is great availability of groundwater reserves, however, these waters has high concentrations of dissolved salts, that makes them inappropriate to be used in the irrigation of most crops. The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth, production and salinity tolerance of three cauliflower cultivars in hydroponics NFT (Nutrient Film Technique), subjected to different electrical conductivities of the nutrient solution (ECsol) prepared with saline water. The experiment was carried out in a randomized blocks design in split-plot, with six replications. The plants were subjected to six levels of ECsol (1.94 - control, 3.24, 4.10, 5.04, 5.92 and 7.01 dS m-1) in the main plots, with three cauliflower cultivars (‘Piracicaba de Verão’, ‘Sabrina’ and ‘SF1758’) in the subplots, which were grown in the same hydroponic channel. Vegetative growth, inflorescence production and salinity tolerance of cultivars were evaluated. In general, except for the number of leaves, leaf width and fresh matters of leaves and shoot, the different ECsol levels negatively influenced the vegetative growth and inflorescences yield of cultivars cauliflower. The cultivars ‘Piracicaba de Verão’ and ‘Sabrina’ were considered moderately sensitive to salinity, while cultivar ‘SF1758’ was moderately tolerant to salinity.

Resumen La utilización de efluente doméstico tratado en la agricultura es importante no sólo por servir como fuente hídrica, sino también nutricional para los cultivos. En este contexto, el presente trabajo tuvo como objetivo evaluar el uso de efluente doméstico tratado para la producción de girasol ornamental cv. Anão de Jardim en sistema hidropónico de bajo costo tipo bancada, infiriendo sobre la viabilidad técnica y observando los posibles impactos sobre el cultivo. El experimento fue conducido en un invernadero, utilizando un diseño completamente aleatorio con cuatro tratamientos (T1 - solución nutritiva de Furlani 100%, preparada en agua de abastecimiento (control), T2, T3 y T4 - solución nutritiva de Furlani de 100, 75 y 50% fuerza, respectivamente, preparada con efluente doméstico tratado) y seis repeticiones, totalizando 24 unidades experimentales, siendo cada una constituida de 15 plantas. Todos los tratamientos atendieron las exigencias nutricionales de las plantas y presentaron niveles adecuados de N, P, K, Ca y Mg en la hoja y los tallos proporcionando un crecimiento satisfactorio de las plantas y produjeron capítulos y vástagos de calidad comercial aceptable. Las plantas bajo el tratamiento T4, aunque produjeron flores de calidad comercial, mostraron alta variabilidad en comparación a los otros tratamientos, por lo tanto cualquier otro tratamiento, excepto ese, puede ser utilizado para producción hidropónica de girasol ornamental utilizando los efluentes domésticos tratados.

Abstract The use of treated domestic effluent in agriculture is important not only as a source of water but also as a source of nutrients for crops. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate its use for the production of ornamental sunflower cv. Anão de Jardim in a bench-type low-cost hydroponic system, inferring on its technical feasibility and observing the possible impacts on the crop. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse, adopting a completely randomized design with four treatments (T1 - nutrient solution of Furlani 100%, prepared in municipal supply water - control), T2, T3 and T4 - nutrient solution of Furlani, respectively, with 100, 75 and 50% strength, prepared in treated domestic effluent and six replicates, totalizing 24 experimental units, each consisting of 15 plants. All treatments met the nutritional requirements of the plants and had adequate contents of N, P, K, Ca and Mg in leaf and stem at harvest, leading to satisfactory plant growth, and produced acceptable commercial grade capitula and stems. The plants under treatment T4, despite producing capitula of commercial quality, exhibited great variability in comparison to the other treatments, therefore except this treatment any other treatment can be used for hydroponic production of ornamental sunflower utilizing treated domestic effluents.

ABSTRACT In irrigated crops, salinity is the main cause of the reduction of growth and productivity, with damage of the variability according to the sensitivity of the crop. The objective of this work was to evaluate the growth, water consumption and production of basil cv. Toscano Folha de Alface under saline stress, in different frequencies of recirculation of the nutritive solution and hydroponic systems. The experimental design was a completely randomized design, in a factorial scheme 3 x 2 + 1, where the first factor represents the concentrations of NaCl (0, 40 and 80 mmol L-1) and the second factor the recirculation frequencies of the nutrient solution (4 or 6 hours) in a deep flow hydroponic system (DFT), and an additional treatment with nutrient solution in hydroponic laminar flow system (NFT). The water consumption, growth variables and phytomass production and growth rates were evaluated. Reducing the frequency of recirculation of the nutrient solution to six hours does not cause significant reductions in water consumption, growth, phytomass production and absolute growth rate of basil. The water consumption, growth, phytomass production and the absolute growth rate of basil reduced with the use of saline nutrient solution, 40 and 80 mmol L-1 NaCl. The choice of the DFT or NFT hydroponic system does not cause significant changes in the variables analyzed in basil, under the conditions studied.

Plantas de alface cv. Elba foram cultivadas em dois sistemas hidropônicos, Floating e NFT, com o objetivo de avaliar três tipos de água: a água salobra natural (2,47 dS m-1) obtida a partir de um poço profundo; água doce (0,11 dS m-1) produzido por dessalinização por osmose inversa, e o rejeito salino (5,15 dS m-1), um efluente do processo de dessalinização. Estas águas foram combinadas em seis tratamentos resultantes da sua utilização alternada para preparar a solução nutritiva (SN) e/ou substituir as perdas por evapotranspiração (ETc). O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação na região semiárida de Pernambuco, utilizando 48 unidades experimentais em blocos casualizados em esquema fatorial 6x2 com quatro repetições. O rendimento da alface (massa de matéria fresca) foi maior nas condições do Floating. O uso exclusivo da água do poço profundo e do rejeito de dessalinizadores diminuiu 22,7 e 39,6% a produção de alface, respectivamente. Para uma melhor combinação de águas doces e salobras, o uso de água salobra para repor a perda por ETc pode aumentar a produção de alface em relação ao uso dessas águas para preparar a SN, estes resultados foram registrados para a água do poço profundo e o rejeito.

Plants of lettuce cv. Elba were grown under two hydroponic systems, Floating and NFT, aiming to evaluate three water resources: natural brackish water (2,47 dS m-1) obtained from a deep well; fresh water (0,11 dS m-1) produced by reverse osmosis desalination; and reject brine (5,15 dS m-1), a wastewater from desalination process. These waters were combined in six treatments resulted from their alternated use to prepare nutrient solution (NS) and/or replace the evapotranspiration loss (ETc). The experiment was carried out under a greenhouse condition in the semiarid region of Pernambuco State, Brazil; 48 experimental units were used for both hydroponic systems. The lettuce yield (shoot fresh matter) was higher under Floating conditions. The single use of deep well water and reject brine decreased 22.7 and 39.6% the lettuce yield, respectively. For a better combination of fresh and brackish waters, the use of brackish water to replace ETc loss may increase the lettuce yield in comparison to use these waters to prepare the NS; this result was registered for deep well water and reject.

A aplicação de CO2 via água de irrigação produz o rebaixamento do pH da solução do solo, causando variações na mobilidade dos nutrientes e consequentes efeitos na absorção. O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar os efeitos de doses de dióxido de carbono (CO2), aplicadas via irrigação por gotejamento, na produção da pimenta Tabasco. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos casualizados com quatro tratamentos e oito repetições. Os tratamentos foram quatro doses de CO2: 0 (T1), 451,95 (T2); 677,93 (T3) e 903,92 (T4) kg ha-1. Os frutos foram pesados e contados; o comprimento e o diâmetro de frutos foram obtidos com a média de 20 frutos por planta. Ocorreu efeito quadrático (p < 0,01) para as doses de CO2 sobre a produção e o efeito quadrático (p < 0,05) das doses sobre o número de frutos. Não houve efeito das doses de CO2 sobre a massa de matéria verde, massa de matéria seca, comprimento e diâmetro de frutos. O tratamento T2 proporcionou a maior produção e o maior número de frutos por planta, com aumento de 16 e 26%, respectivamente, em relação a T1 (sem CO2). A aplicação de CO2 favoreceu o aumento da produção em decorrência do aumento do número de frutos por planta.

Application of CO2 through water reduces the soil solution pH, causing variations in nutrient mobility and consequent effects on the absorption. The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of carbon dioxide rates supplied by drip irrigation in the production of Capsicum frutescens L. crop. A randomized block design with four treatments and eight replications was used. The treatments were four rates of CO2:0 (T1), 451.95 (T2); 677.93 (T3) and 903.92 (T4) kg ha-1. The fruits were counted and weighed; the length and the diameter were obtained from an average of 20 fruits per plant, randomly taken, from each treatment in the plot. The quadratic effect (p < 0.01) occurred for CO2 on the yield and there was quadratic effect (p < 0.05) of the rates on the number of fruits. There were no effects of CO2 rates on the green matter, dry matter and fruit length and diameter. The T2 treatment provided greater yield and higher number of fruits per plant with an increase of 16 and 26%, respectively in relation to T1 (without CO2). CO2 application favored the increase in the yield because of the greater number of fruits per plant in the Tabasco pepper crop.

O Banco Ativo de Germoplasma (BAG) de bananeira é a base do programa de melhoramento genético da Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura Tropical. O objetivo deste trabalho foi indexar os acessos do BAG para o vírus das estrias da bananeira (Banana streak virus, BSV). Cada amostra foliar, coletada dos 220 acessos do BAG foi utilizada na inoculação de três plantas de bananeira 'Caipira' produzidas por micropropagação. As plantas foram inoculadas, através da cochonilha vetora Planococcus citri Risso, fornecendo-se um acesso de aquisição de 24 horas e de transmissão de 48 horas. Como controle positivo e negativo foram utilizadas plantas previamente analisadas por PCR, quanto a presença de BSV. Entre 15 e 70 dias após a inoculação, as plantas indicadoras apresentaram os primeiros sintomas. Desta forma, verificou-se que 44 dos 220 acessos estavam infectados com BSV.

The Germplasm Active Bank (BAG) of banana is the base of the genetic breeding program of Embrapa Cassava and Tropical Fruits. The objective of this work was to index the accessions of the BAG for Banana streak virus (BSV). Each sample collected in the 220 accessions of BAG was used to inoculate three 'Caipira' banana plants, produced by micropropagation. The plants were inoculated using the mealybug Planococcus citri Risso as vector. The vector being allowed an access of acquisition of 24 hours and 48 hours of transmission. Plants were previously analysed by PCR for the presence or absence of BSV were used as positive and negative control, respectively. Between 15 and 70 days after inoculation the test plants showed the first disease symptoms. Using this methodology, it was observed that 44 of the 220 accesses were infected with BSV.

Este trabalho avaliou, em condições de casa de vegetação, os efeitos da infecção pelo BSV no crescimento de cinco cultivares de bananeira. Mudas micropropagadas das cultivares SH 3640, FHIA 18, Caipira, Thap Maeo e Pioneira foram inoculadas com BSV pela cochonilha Planacoccus citri Risso. Como controles utilizaram-se mudas não inoculadas e inoculadas com cochonilhas não virulíferas. Avaliou-se a altura das plantas, o diâmetro do pseudocaule, o número de folhas, a área foliar e as massas da matéria seca da parte aérea e da raiz. Os primeiros sintomas do BSV foram detectados 15 dias após a inoculação em todas as plantas inoculadas com o vírus. Houve diferenças estatísticas significativas nas variáveis analisadas, concluindo-se que o vírus afetou o desenvolvimento das plantas de todas as cultivares avaliadas.

On this study, the BSV effects on five banana cultivars were evaluated under greenhouse conditions. Micropropagated plants of cultivars SH 3640, FHIA 18, Caipira, Thap Maeo and Pioneira were inoculated with BSV using mealybug Planacoccus citri Risso as a vector. Controls plants were inoculated with non-viruliferous mealybugs or not inoculated. Plant height, pseudostem diameter, number of leaves, foliar area and root and shoot dry mass were evaluated. Disease symptoms were first visible 15 days after plant inoculation with virus. Statistical differences were detected for the host growth variables evaluated. It was concluded that BSV affected significantly the growth of all studied cultivars.