A compactação do solo causa severos problemas devido a que gera diferentes mudanças nas características das plantas. Não existem métodos que possibilitem o uso das mudanças da morfologia das raízes como indicadores de níveis de compactação do solo. Avaliaram-se se alterações morfológicas nos ápices de soja podem ser utilizadas como indicadores de graus de compactação do solo. Solo peneirado a 2 mm, classificado como Typic Argiudol (série Esperanza), foi compactado até atingir os seguintes valores de densidade do solo: 1.1, 1.3 e 1.5 g cm³, para os quais corresponderam os valores de resistência mecânica de < 0.1, 0.5 e 3.5 MPa, respectivamente. A distância desde o ápice até a primeira raiz terciária e o diâmetro a 1.5 cm desde o ápice foram medidos nas raízes secundarias. Um fator de forma foi calculado fazendo o quociente entre as duas variáveis medidas. Houve uma relação inversa entre o cumprimento da raiz secundaria e fator de forma com a resistência mecânica, e uma relação direta entre esta ultima e o diâmetro das raízes secundárias. Alterações nas células da rizoderme foram determinadas. As seguintes características morfológicas se mostraram muito sensíveis a compactação do solo: i) o fator de forma, ii) as células papilosas da rizoderme, iii) malformações apicais nos pelos das raízes, e iv) diâmetro das raízes em áreas de expansão. As características morfológicas dos ápices das raízes podem ser consideradas indicadores de compactação dos solos.

Plant soil compaction poses a serious problem to agriculture because it produces different types of changes in plant characteristics. No method has been implemented to date to use root morphological changes as indicators of soil compaction levels. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate whether or not the morphological changes in root apexes of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) can be used as indicators of soil compaction levels. To this end, a silt-loamy soil material (from a Typic Argiudoll, Esperanza series), sieved through a 2 mm mesh was used and the following soil bulk density levels were determined: 1.1, 1.3 and 1.5 g cm³ for which the corresponding mechanical resistances were < 0.1, 0.5 and 3.5 MPa, respectively. The distance from the apex to the first tertiary root and the root diameter at 1.5 cm from the apex were measured on the secondary root apexes. A form factor equal to the quotient between these two variables was subsequently calculated. An inverse relationship between soil mechanical impedance and secondary root length and form factor as well as a direct relationship with the secondary root diameter were observed. Changes in rhizodermis cells were also recorded. The following morphological characteristics were found to evidence the highest sensitivity to soil compaction: i) the form factor, ii) rhizodermis papillose cells, iii) apical malformations in root hairs, and iv) root diameter in expansion areas. Taken together, the morphological characteristics of root apexes could be considered to be indicative of soil compaction.

The decrease in the digestibility of forage is linked with an increase in cell walls and lignification of tissues as they mature. All forages are composed of a heterogeneous group of cell types with particular characteristics that determine the availability of polysaccharides to the rumen’s microorganisms. In the present paper the degradation of Bromus auleticus Trin. ex Nees leaf tissues was studied at different incubation times in the rumen. Samples were taken in two phenological phases: vegetative and pre-flowering, which were submitted to different digestion times in situ on two dry Holando Argentine cows. Simultaneously, leaf blade sections were stained with phloroglucinol acid stain to detect the presence of lignin. Leaf anatomy influenced the degree of tissue digestion, whether due to lignified cell walls or accessibility. After 24 h incubation in the rumen, only the xylem, sclerenchyma and mestome sheath were undigested. The phloem and clorenchyma were digested after 18 h in the pre-flowering phase and 24 h in the vegetative phase. The epidermis was partially digested, and the abaxial epidermis was better digested. The accessibility of carbohydrates in cell walls to the microflora of the rumen is limited by the chemistry of cell walls, and thus, highly organized tissues with secondary lignified walls, such as sclerenchyma and xylem, have a double barrier (physical and chemical) which prevent their digestion.

La disminución de la digestibilidad en los forrajes está asociada al incremento de la pared celular y lignificación de los tejidos a medida que maduran. Todos los forrajes están compuestos de un conjunto heterogéneo de tipos celulares con características únicas que determinan la disponibilidad de los polisacáridos a los microorganismos del rumen. Este trabajo estudió la degradación de los tejidos foliares de cebadilla chaqueña (Bromus auleticus Trin. ex Nees) a diferentes tiempos de incubación ruminal. Se tomaron muestras de láminas foliares en dos estados fenológicos: vegetativo y prefloración, las cuales fueron sometidas a diferentes tiempos de digestión in situ en dos vacas Holando Argentino secas. Paralelamente secciones de láminas foliares fueron teñidas con fluoroglucinol para detectar la presencia de lignina. La anatomía foliar influyó en el grado de digestión de los tejidos, ya sea por la lignificación en las paredes celulares como por su accesibilidad. Luego de 24 h de incubación ruminal, solamente permanecieron indigeridos el xilema, el esclerénquima y la vaina mestomática. El floema y el clorénquima fueron digeridos luego de 18 h en prefloración y 24 h en estado vegetativo. La degradación de la epidermis fue parcial y la abaxial fue digerida en mayor grado. La accesibilidad a los carbohidratos de las paredes celulares por la microflora del rumen está limitada por el arreglo estructural de cada tipo de tejido, y por la química de las paredes celulares, así, tejidos altamente ordenados y de paredes secundarias lignificadas como el esclerénquima y el xilema tienen una doble barrera física y química que impide su digestión.