Ornamental lawns, such as Emerald grass (Zoysia japonica), require adequate fertilization management for their development, as well as the substrate used as a base in cultivation is of great importance to improve the aesthetic quality of the species. These two factors together, can provide a better acceptance of the turfgrass, through sensory analysis. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the aesthetic and sensory quality of the Emerald grass, as a function of cultivation on substrates and mineral fertilization. The work was carried out from September to December 2012, in a 5x3 factorial scheme [5 substrates x (2 fertilizers + control)], with 3 repetitions. Emerald grass mats were implanted in 8.5 L containers, filled with 5 substrates: S1 = soil, S2 = soil + sand (2:1), S3 = soil + organic compost (1:1), S4 = soil + compost organic + sand (2:1:1) and S5 = compost + sand (3:1). And the fertilizers used were based on a NPK formulation (10-10-10) applying 60 g m-2, and 125 g m-2 of a commercial product. Were evaluated: lawn height, relative chlorophyll index, dark green color index, and sensory analysis for appearance and color attributes and acceptability index. It was observed that the substrates based on organic compost presented the best results for the evaluated parameters, and the fertilizations carried out with the commercial product and the formulated NPK, presented similar results in the grass development evaluations, while the sensorial analysis is an important tool for accepting the aesthetics of a lawn.

Brazil has an active forestry sector, including production for both wood pulp and timber. The species Khaya senegalensis (African mahogany) has been introduced into the country because it produces good quality timber and its wood is valued for furniture making. It is estimated that more than 100,000 ha of African mahogany has been planted in Brazil. In July 2016, about 25 seven-year-old K. senegalensis trees in an area of approximately 1 ha were found with wilt symptoms in the region of Gloria de Dourados, Mato Grosso State, Brazil.Stem fragments, approximately 1 cm 2 in size, with characteristic symptoms were collected, surface-sterilised with 1% NaOCl for 1 min, rinsed twice in sterilised distilled water, and placed on carrot baits (Moller & DeVay, 1968). The carrot disks were taped together and incubated in a moist chamber at 25 ±2°C for one week. After sporulation of the fungus on the carrot tissue, the ascospore masses formed at the tip of the perithecia were transferred to malt extract agar (MEA). After 10 days, black, globose perithecia (137.1 × 133.52 µm) with a long rostrum (577.43 µm) were observed (Fig. 1). Ascospores were hat-shaped, measuring 3.98 × 5.26 µm. Asexual aleurioconidia were brown (12.8 x 8.94 µm) and two types of endoconidia were observed: cylindrical (21.18 × 4.77 µm) and doliiform (9.07 × 8.23 µm), in chains (Figs. 2-3). The morphological characteristics indicated that the fungal isolate was of the genus Ceratocystis. DNA from mycelium grown on MEA was collected, extracted and used to amplify the ITS-5.8S rDNA region based on the protocol described by Johnson et al. (2005). The ITS sequence of the nuclear rDNA (GenBank Accession No. MF280402) was 99% identical to that of C. fimbriata isolate CBS115173 (KC493168) isolated from Gmelina arborea in Brazil (Luchi et al., 2013).Inoculation of plants was performed using a method modified from Silveira et al. (2006). One-centimetre mycelial discs of the fungus (from ten-dayold colonies on MEA) were placed onto injured stems of six-month-old healthy K. senegalensis saplings. The inoculation site was wrapped with cotton cloth (moistened with sterile distilled water) and plastic film. Plants were inoculated with a sterile MEA disc as a negative control. Ten plants were inoculated for each treatment. The inoculated plants were kept in the greenhouse with an average temperature of 30°C. Wilt symptoms caused by C. fimbriata were observed 60 days after inoculation and plant death at 90 days (Fig. 4). The fungus was re-isolated in culture from the stem of the inoculated African mahogany, confirming pathogenicity. Control plants were symptomless.

Agriculture based on practices aimed at preserving biodiversity and ecological practices in food production has become increasingly important and viable as an alternative to replacing conventional systems. Agroecological systems are more effective in terms of food and nutritional security demands, strengthening changes in traditional systems in the agricultural sector. Physical attributes can be directly influenced through handling and use, and should be studied. With this, the objective of this work was to evaluate the quality of the soil, through the físicos dosoil attributes in an area managed with an agroforestry system. A completely randomized experimental design was used, with 4 treatments and 4 replications, namely: T1 – area managed with an agroforestry system since 2014; T2 - area managed with an agroforestry system since 2018; T3 - native forest area on the banks of the Paraná River and T4 - fallow pasture area since 2017. The current condition of the native forest system was considered as a reference in terms of soil quality, as it represents the natural condition of land use. The following soil attributes were evaluated: aggregate stability, soil porosity and density, soil texture, degree of flocculation and clay dispersed in water. The results were analyzed using analysis of variance, simple correlation and Tukey's test at 5% probability to compare means. It is concluded that the agroforestry systems positively influenced the physical attributes of the soil, mainly in the pore size distribution, aggregation and soil flocculation.

Integrated Crop–Livestock–Forestry Systems (ICLFS) offer stakeholders sustainable options to produce goods and services. Those additionally manifest as enablers of environmental conservation of soil functioning. We, therefore, analyzed the quality of Ultisol for physical and chemical properties under restorative or regenerative models of long-term (nine years) ICLFS. The arrangements comprised integrated Crop–Livestock; integrated Crop-Livestock-Forestry, integrated Crop–Livestock–Forestry with a single or triplicate rows of Eucalyptus; and Eucalyptus plantation, natural vegetation, and bare soil with resurgence of grasses (reference). We collected samples of soil at 0.05, 0.05–0.1, and 0.1–0.2 m depths throughout the areas to quantify standard properties, including water infiltration, hydraulic conductivity, degree of flocculation, mechanical resistance to penetration, stability of aggregates, physical fractioning of organic matter, and fertility. We applied principal component analysis to analytical data to calculate accurate discriminant variables to distinguish systems by structural quality. We obtained evidence for the crop–livestock framework improving physical and chemical properties; hence, this intervention outperformed others in developing environmental restoration. Additionally, as the reference consisted of comparable properties to those in integrative systems and native vegetation, it supported the ability of the soil to gradually recover itself over time. Therefore, our study provides knowledge to advance the field’s prominence in implementing ICLFS for the environmental reclamation of the condition or process degrading the soil and its functions for sustainable agricultural production.

A qualidade da melancia é determinada pelo total de açúcares, coloração, aparência, dentre outras. Estas, assim como a produtividade, podem ser afetadas pela relação entre fonte e dreno, sendo necessário estudar novas técnicas de manejo para adequação dentro da cadeia produtiva, destacando-se a poda das hastes. O método de condução tutorado em mini melancia ainda é incipiente, entretanto, realiza-se adaptações do cultivo do melão. Portanto, o objetivo desta pesquisa foi avaliar a poda e condução das plantas de mini melancia para produção de frutos. Foi estudado a mini melancia cultivar Sugar Baby, e o experimento foi em parcela subdividida com tipo de condução (sistema rasteiro e na vertical tutorado) nas parcelas, e a poda nas subparcelas (1 ou 2 hastes), com delineamento experimental em blocos ao acaso com 10 repetições. Conclui-se que o sistema tutorado, rasteiro, com uma ou duas hastes, conferem frutos de qualidade da mini melancia ‘Sugar Baby’. Em futuros trabalhos sugere-se estudar em outras cultivares, pois diferentes genéticas respondem diferentemente, bem como também realizar a poda em nós diferente do presente estudo.