Leaf concentration of macronutrients in oil palm plants fertilized with phosphorus, potassium and magnesium in the Eastern Amazon

The concentrations of nutrients in the leaves allow a better understanding of the nutritional status of oil palm plants, making it a tool for diagnosing the origins of nutritional problems and assisting in fertilizer recommendations. In this sense, the objective of the current research was to evaluate the leaf concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S in the oil palm under fertilization with phosphate, potassium and magnesium in edaphoclimatic conditions of Eastern Amazon. The experiment was conducted at the AGROPALMA® Company in the municipality of Tailândia, state of Pará, Brazil. The experimental design used was randomized blocks in a factorial scheme 4 x 2 x 3 x 2, with four levels of phosphorus, two sources of phosphorus (natural phosphate and triple superphosphate), three levels of potassium and two levels of magnesium. Phosphorus fertilization increased the leaf concentrations of N, P, Ca and Mg, providing higher levels when triple superphosphate was applied. However, in adult oil palm plants (12 years old), there was different on leaf concentrations of N, P, K and S between phosphorus sources aphid. Potassium and magnesium fertilization only increased the leaf concentrations of K and Mg, respectively. Fertilization with P, K and Mg promotes adequate leaf concentrations of K, Ca, Mg e S in oil palm plants grown in the Eastern Amazon.

Biological efficiency and nutritional value of Pleurotus ostreatus cultivated in agroindustrial wastes of palm oil fruits and cocoa almonds / Eficiência biológica e valor nutricional de Pleurotus ostreatus cultivados em resíduos agroindustriais de dendê e amêndoa de cacau

The cocoa and palm oil agro-industries active in the state of Bahia, Brazil, generate high quantities of lignocellulosic wastes that could be recycled through their use in the formulation of substrates to cultivate edible mushrooms. Pleurotus ostreatus, also known as oyster mushroom, is the second most cultivated mushroom in the world due to its highly appreciated gastronomic, nutritional, and medicinal characteristics. This work evaluated the vertical mycelium growth, biological efficiency, mushroom yield, and nutritional composition of P. ostreatus produced in substrates formulated with a combination of palm oil fruit mesocarp (POFM) and cocoa almond peels (CAP) processing wastes. The substrates were formulated with the following POFM/CAP proportions (%/%): S1 ­ 86.4/9.6; S2 ­ 76.8/19.2; S3 ­ 67.2/28.8; S4 ­ 57.6/38.4, and S5 ­ 48.0/48.0. Substrates also received 3% powdered charcoal and 1% calcium carbonate. Substrates S1, S2, S3, and S4 were superior for vertical mycelium growth. S2 promoted the best biological efficiency (148.8%) and yield (560.5g·kg-1).The mushrooms produced in all substrates presented good nutritional values, although mushrooms produced using the S2 presented the highest crude protein content. Overall, S1 is the recommended substrate as it results in higher yields of nutrient rich mushrooms. Production of P. ostreatus in substrates composed of POFM and CAP represents a good alternative for recycling these wastes with potential economic and ecological benefits to regions where palm oil and cocoa are grown.(AU)

As indústrias de cacau e óleo de dendê no estado da Bahia, Brasil, geram grandes quantidades de resíduos lignocelulósicos que podem ser reciclados na formulação de substratos para o cultivo de cogumelos comestíveis. Pleurotus ostreatus ou cogumelo ostra é o segundo cogumelo mais cultivado no mundo por apresentar características gastronômicas, nutricionais e medicinais muito apreciadas. Este estudo avaliou o crescimento micelial vertical, a eficiência biológica, a produção e a composição nutricional de P. ostreatus produzido em substratos formulados com a combinação de resíduos do processamento de frutos de dendê (mesocarpo do fruto de dendê ­ MFD) e de amêndoas de cacau (tegumento de amêndoas de cacau ­ TAC). Os substratos foram formulados com as seguintes proporções de MFD e TAC (%/%): S1: 86,4/9,6; S2: 76,8/19,2; S3: 67,2/28,8; S4: 57,6/38,4 e S5: 48,0/48,0. Os substratos também receberam 3% de carvão e 1% de carbonato de cálcio. Os substratos S1, S2, S3 e S4 foram superiores quanto ao crescimento micelial vertical. S2 promoveu os melhores resultados para eficiência biológica (148,8%) e produção (560.5 g·kg-1). Os cogumelos produzidos em todos os substratos apresentaram valores nutricionais promissores. Entretanto, os cogumelos produzidos com o substrato S2 apresentaram o maior conteúdo de proteína bruta. De modo geral, S1 é o substrato recomendado por resultar na maior produção de cogumelos ricos em nutrientes. A produção de P. ostreatus em substratos compostos por MFD e TAC representa uma boa alternativa para a reciclagem desses resíduos com potenciais benefícios econômicos e ecológicos para as regiões produtoras de dendê e cacau.(AU)

Brechas de rendimiento en el cultivo de palma de aceite: una revisión cuantitativa de factores determinantes / Yield Gaps in Oil Palm: A Quantitative Review of Contributing Factors

Las brechas de productividad en el cultivo de palma de aceite son amplias. No obstante, existe un margen considerable para mejorar los rendimientos y el desempeño ambiental de este cultivo agroindustrial. La respuesta del rendimiento a las inundaciones, el drenaje, la aplicación de fertilizantes con micronutrientes y al estrés biótico en plantaciones maduras es un tema que no ha sido comprendido suficientemente bien. Existe un número de procesos básicos subyacentes a la producción de racimos que requiere de investigación adicional, especialmente respecto a la determinación del sexo y al malogro de racimos. Igualmente, se debe esclarecer el entendimiento de las señales del cultivo en respuesta al estrés por déficit hídrico con el fin de desarrollar aún más las estrategias en torno al mejoramiento de materiales genéticos y al diseño de sistemas de riego

The productivity gaps in oil palm cultivation are wide. However, there is a considerable margin to improve the yields and environmental performance of this agro-industrial crop. The performance response to floods, drainage, the application of fertilizers with micronutrients and biotic stress in mature plantations is a subject that has not been understood sufficiently well. There are a number of basic processes underlying the production of clusters that require additional research, especially with regard to sex determination and cluster failure. Likewise, the understanding of crop signals in response to stress due to water deficit should be clarified in order to further develop strategies around the improvement of genetic materials and the design of irrigation systems

Repetibilidade da produção de cachos de híbridos interespecíficos entre o caiaué e o dendezeiro / Repeatability for bunch production in interspecific hybrids between caiaué and african oil palm

A hibridação interespecífica entre o caiaué (Elaeis oleífera (Kunth) Cortés) e o dendezeiro (E. guineensis Jacq.) tem sido explorada com o objetivo de desenvolver cultivares tão produtivas quanto as de dendezeiro, aliada à resistência a pragas e doenças, principalmente o amarelecimento fatal, elevada taxa de ácidos graxos insaturados e redução de porte características do caiaué. Por ser uma cultura perene com longo ciclo de produção, além dos altos custos para manutenção e avaliação dos experimentos de melhoramento genético, é necessário definir o período mínimo de avaliação para que a seleção dos híbridos seja realizada com eficiência e mínimo dispêndio de tempo e recursos. Este estudo teve como objetivo estimar os coeficientes de repetibilidade dos caracteres número de cachos, peso total de cachos e peso médio de cachos de híbridos interespecíficos e definir o número de anos consecutivos de avaliação necessário para seleção eficiente dos melhores cruzamentos e indivíduos. Os coeficientes de repetibilidade foram estimados pelos métodos da análise de variância, componentes principais com base na matriz de covariância (CPCV) e de correlações, e análise estrutural com base na matriz de correlações. O método dos CPCV demonstrou ser o mais adequado para o estudo da repetibilidade da produção de cachos, indicando quatro anos consecutivos de avaliação para selecionar progênies, representadas por dez plantas, com coeficientes de determinação (R²) superiores a 85 por cento, e que para seleção individual de plantas são necessários pelo menos seis anos consecutivos de avaliação para atingir R² superior a 80 por cento.

Interspecific hybridization between the caiaué (Elaeis oleífera (Kunth) Cortés) and the african oil palm (E. guineensis Jacq.) has been exploited with the objective of developing varieties as productive as African oil palm and with the pest and disease resistance, reduced height and high levels of insaturated oils characteristic of the caiaué. Perennial crops with long production cycles and high costs for maintenance and evaluation of improvement experiments require definition of minimum evaluation periods for efficient and low cost selection of hybrids. This study estimated the repeatability coefficients of the characters bunch number, total weight of bunches and average bunch weight of interspecific hybrids and determined the number of consecutive years of evaluation required for efficient selection of the best crosses and individuals. The repeatability coefficients were estimated by four methods: analysis of variance, principal components based on the covariance (CPCV) and correlation matrix, and structural analysis based on the correlation matrix. The CPCV method was the most appropriate for the study of the repeatability of bunch production. Four consecutive years of evaluation are required to select progenies, represented by ten plants, with determination coefficients (R²) up to 85 percent, and at least six consecutive years of evaluation are necessary to select individuals, with R² up to 80 percent.