Some Problems of Irrigation Water Management in Lower Cheliff Plain （Algeria）

In the Lower Cheliff Plain （northwestern of Algeria）, the waters resources are limited; the adoption of a rational approach in the management of irrigation water in the irrigated perimeter poses an inequality in the balance between supply and demand. The two surface water resources, Gargar and Merdjet Sidi Abed dams, do not satisfy the requirements of agriculture water. According to the National Office of the Irrigation and Drainage data, the quantity of allocated water is never distributed; the difference between allocated water and drop water can also exceed 20%, and then, another problem of management is that the water losses in the distribution can reach 20% again. The shortage irrigation water resource allocated has constrained the farmers to use groundwater. The chemical analysis of 56 simples to this water showed a significant chemical diversity in the compositions. There is a high salinity risk （C3 class） or very high risk （C4 class） of soil salinisation. A space chart distribution to the EC water probability to exceed 2.25 dS/m interpolated by the indicator kriging method showed that 78% of the groundwater surface presents a significant probability to exceed this limit. The average value of the SAR （sodium adsorption ratio） is lower than 10 that indicates a moderate risk of sodisation. This observation is in contradiction with the high values of the SAR measured in the soil solution. The approach of residual alkalinity （RSC） shows that a good number of drillings analyzed presents a positive sign RSC （RSC 〉 0）. This water presents a real danger of sodisation. They have a low salinity, which, for a farmer, does not present any danger.

Growth and Flowering of Five Mango Cultivar under Subtropics Conditions of Brazil

The evaluation of the new cultivars adaptation and yield potential of Mangifera indica L. provides tools to assist and improve the mango production in different climates conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the phenological and reproductive development of five mango cultivars (Bourbon, Haden, Palmer, Parwin and Tommy Atkins), on climate conditions in dry land and four production cycles (from 08/2007 to 01/2011), at S?o Manuel, S?o Paulo state, Brazil. The variables were total plant height, trunk height, stem diameter and the first insertion diameter, fruits physical characteristics, yield and harvest period, flowering seasonality and morphological characterization of the inflorescences. It was found that the four-year-old plants of Haden cv. reach 4.0 m high and 0.20 m of trunk diameter. Bourbon cultivar had the highest flowering period, from April to October. Tommy Atkins cv. had productivities of 14779.07 kg·ha-1 in the fourth cycle and the productivity of Bourbon, Haden and Palmer cultivars was alternated.

Carbohydrates, Growth and Production of “Roxo de Valinhos” Fig Tree in Initial Development under Irrigation Management

The carbohydrates translocation and consequently growth and production of fig tree (Ficuscarica L.) vary according to the different management on cultivation conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in the levels and total carbohydrates accumulation together with growth and “Roxo de Valinhos” fig trees production onimplementation of orchards in initial phase, cultivated with and without irrigation. We adopted a factorial arrangement (2 x 7) with four repetitions distributed in installments (with and without irrigation) subdivided in time (collect time). Destructive analyzes were performed at 40, 80, 120, 160, 200, 240 and 280 days after pruning (DAP) and are measured: stem diameter and branch, stem length and branch, number of leaves, internodes and fruit. Subsequently, the plant parts were sectioned to obtain the leaf area, length and roots volume, fresh and dry matter weight. The number, weight and total productivity of fruits were evaluated. The media of all growth attributes and production characteristics were higher in treatments with water irrigation. The total carbohydrate content was higher at 120 and 160 DAP and the carbohydrates accumulation was increasing for most institutions over the plants development, except for the leaves that showed a decrease in the levels at 160 DAP. The fruits showed greater carbohydrates accumulation in relation to the other evaluated organs.

Estimation of Evapotranspiration by Various Net Radiation Estimation Formulae for Non-Irrigated Grass in Brazil

The objective of this study was to assess the accuracy of estimating evapotranspiration (ET) using the FAO-56 Penman-Monteith (FAO-56-PM) model, with measured and estimated net radiation (Rnmeasured and Rnestimated, respectively), the latter obtained via five different models. We used meteorological data collected between August 2005 and June 2008, on a daily basis and on a seasonal basis (wet vs. dry seasons). The following data were collected: temperature;relative humidity;global global solar radiation (Rs);wind speed and soil heat flux. The atmospheric pressure was determined by aneroid barograph, and sunshine duration was quantified with a Campbell-Stokes recorder. In addition to the sensor readings (Rnmeasured), five different models were used in order to obtain the Rnestimated. Four of those models consider the effects of cloud cover: the original Brunt model;the FAO-24 model for wet climates;the FAO-24 model for dry climates, and the FAO-56 model. The fifth was a linear regression model based on Rs. In estimating the daily ET0 with the FAO-56-PM model, Rnmeasured can be replaced by Rnestimated, in accordance with the FAO-24 model for dry climates, with a relative error of 2.9%, or with the FAO-56 model, with an error of 4.9%, when Rs is measured, regardless of the season. The Rnestimated obtained with the fifth model has a relatively high error. The original Brunt model and FAO-24 model for wet climates performed more poorly than did the other models in estimating the Rn and ET0. In overcast conditions, the original Brunt model, the FAO-24 model for wet climates, the FAO-24 model for dry climates, the FAO-56 model and the model of linear regression with Rs as the predictor variable tended to overestimate Rn and ET, those estimates becoming progressively more accurate as the cloud cover diminished.

Effects of Soluble Silicate and Nanosilica Application on Rice Nutrition in an Oxisol

Silicon （Si） has been supplied to plants via application of calcium silicate to soil; however, high doses of calcium silicate are required because of its low solubility. Nanoparticles can reduce Si doses and be applied to seeding furrows. This study investigated the effects of liquid Si sources, i.e., highly soluble silicate （115.2 g L^-1 Si and 60.5 g L^-1 Na20） and nanosilica （〈 200 nm）, on Si uptake by rice plants, plant lignification, plant C：N：P stoichiometry, plant physiology, and grain yield using an Oxisol under greanhouse condistions. The treatments included the application of nanosilica and soluble silicate to seeding furrows at Si doses of 0, 605, 1210, and 2 420 g ha^-1. Plant uptake and treatment effects were evaluated by measuring C and lignin contents, Si, N, and P accumulation, physiological characteristics, and grain yield of rice. The deposition of silica bodies and amorphous silica in the flag leaves was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy. Application of liquid Si increased Si accumulation in rice by 47.3% in relation to the control （0 g ha^-1 Si）, regardless of the Si sources used. Nanosilica application increased leaf lignin content by 112.7% when compared to that in the control. Silicon moderately affected the net C assimilation （increased by 1.83%） and transpiration rates （increased by 48.3%）; however, Si influenced neither plant growth nor grain yield of rice. These results are explained by the lack of biotic or abiotic stress in rice plants during the experiment. To the best of our knowledge, in Brazilian agriculture, this is the first report on the use of nanosilica as a Si fertilizer and its effect on plant nutrition. This study provides evidence that rice plants absorb and accumulate nanoparticles; however, further studies are required to investigate the use of nanoparticles in other plant species.

Ammonium Improves Corn Phosphorus Acquisition Through Changes in the Rhizosphere Processes and Root Morphology

Dear Editor, Phosphorus (P) deficiency is the most limiting factor in tropical agriculture since most soils in this region are predominantly acids with high-energy P-binding compounds. Therefore, up to 90% of the P applied becomes fixed in soils, which raises environmental concerns and production costs (Syers et al., 2008). Thus, developing strategies to imptove P use efficiency (PUE) is essential to mitigate environmental problems and improve profits. These strategies should consider the soil-root-rhizosphere system because it is the most biochemical active site where nutrient uptake occurs (Hinsinger, 2011).