RESUMOO presente artigo busca analisar a evolução do Programa de Subvenção do Prêmio do Seguro Rural ao longo do período de 2006 a 2010. Realizou-se uma revisão da literatura sobre os fundamentos da operação da indústria de seguros, com ênfase ao seguro rural. Desenvolveuse uma síntese de experiências internacionais com o seguro rural: Estados Unidos, Canadá e União Europeia; posteriormente, relatou-se a política agropecuária de seguro rural do Brasil. Utilizaram-se os dados estatísticos dos Censos do Seguro Rural, compilados pelo MAPAMinistério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento com o objetivo de avaliar-se o programa ao longo de sua operacionalização. Identificou-se que o programa apesar de benéfico à estabilização da renda do produtor rural, ainda possui pequeno escopo de atuação frente ao total da produção agropecuária nacional. Complementarmente, os recursos federais disponibilizados precisam ser incrementados para que se alcancem taxas representativas de áreas seguradas. Por fim, indica-se a necessidade de expansão do programa especialmente orientada a médios e pequenos produtores. Palavras-chave: seguro rural, garantia de renda, política agropecuária ABSTRACT The paper aims to investigate the Brazilian Rural Insurance Program performance from 2006 to 2010. It was performed a literature review on the operational basic underpins of the insurance industry with focus to rural insurance. Also it was developed a summary on international rural insurance cases: United States, Canada, and European Union; following that it was studied the Brazilian agricultural policy with regard to rural insurance. The data was based on the Rural Insurance Census produced by MAPA -Agriculture, Livestock and Supply Office in order to assess the performance of the rural insurance program. The analysis pointed out that the Brazilian rural insurance program, despite its stabilization effect over rural incomes, still has small impact on the entire Brazilian crops production. Also, federal budget funds available must be improved in order to increase the percentage of insured crop areas. Finally, it was perceived the necessity to add into the program targeted to small and mid size producers.

The degradation of pastures generates economic, social, and especially environmental damages, as it increases the need for the opening of new areas. In addition, the destination of the residue from the combustion of vegetal biomass is becoming a problem in areas of great industrial production. This study aimed to evaluate biometric parameters and chlorophyll index of Marandu grass pasture under rehabilitation using wood ash doses and application managements. The experiment was conducted in randomized blocks, in a 6 x 2 factorial arrangement in strip plots, consisting of six doses of wood ash (0, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 Mg ha-1) and two application managements (incorporated to the soil with light-duty disc harrow and not incorporated), with four replicates. To standardize the initial experimental conditions, the pasture was cut at average height of 0.15 m using a mechanical mower, followed by manual removal of the cut material. The biometric parameters evaluated were plant height, number of leaves and number of tillers, besides chlorophyll index. In general, when significant difference was found for wood ash doses, the best results of biometric parameters and chlorophyll index were observed between the doses of 8 and 15 Mg ha-1. Regarding wood ash application management, highest values of plant height were found in the management with incorporation, whereas the management without incorporation was responsible for highest numbers of leaves and tillers.

Wood ash can be an alternative fertilizer and soil corrective measure, directly contributing to the production of pastures. The objective of this research was to evaluate the growth and production of marandu grass fertilized with wood ash and grown in two soil classes of the Brazilian Cerrado. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse during the period from December, 2012 to May, 2013. The experimental design was completely randomized in a factorial 2 × 6, corresponding to two soil classes (Ultisol and Oxisol) and six doses of wood ash (0, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 g dm -3 ), with six replications. Pots with soil volume of 5 dm 3 were used with five plants. Three cuts were performed in the shoot of plants in a 30-day interval and at each cut was the plant height, dry mass of leaves and stems and the leaf/stem ratio evaluated. The results were submitted to analysis of variance and, when significant, the qualitative factors (soil classes) were submitted to the Tukey test and the quantitative factors (wood ash doses) subjected to regression analysis, both at 5% probability. The wood ash as fertilizer provides greater growth and dry matter production of marandu grass grown in Ultisol and Oxisol. The use of wood ash as fertilizer may be an alternative for the destination of this waste, and it can provide a reduction of mineral fertilizer and consequently of pasture production costs in the Brazilian Cerrado.

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In this study, the aim was to determine the phytometric and productive features of Urochloa brizantha cv. BRS Piatã cultivated in Oxisol under the influence of the nitrogen and potassium doses applied. The completely randomized experimental design was adopted in a 5x5 factorial scheme, supplying five doses of nitrogen (0, 100, 200, 300 and 400 mg dm-3) and five doses of potassium (0, 90, 180, 270 and 360 mg dm-3), with four replications. Three shoots were cut at 30-day intervals. Plant height, number of leaves, number of tillers, leaf dry mass, stem dry mass and leaf /stem ratio were assessed. The leaf dry mass at the 370, 287 and 259 mg dm-3 doses of nitrogen in combination with the 360 mg dm-3 potassium doses revealed the biggest yields (7.8, 16.9 and 11.5 g pot-1) for the first, second and third cuts, respectively. Therefore, it was revealed that nitrogen and potassium affected the phytometric characteristics in this grass in an isolated manner by doses of nitrogen potassium. The nitrogen and potassium doses interacted positively to present significantly productive characteristics at all the three cutting procedures performed in the Piatã grass when the nitrogen to potassium ratio was maintained at about 1: 1.