-The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of using microminerals in organic form on the performance and quality of eggs from commercial laying hens at the end of laying. Four hundred and eighty Hisex strain hens, 72 to 80 weeks of age, were used. A randomized complete design was used, with six replications and 16 birds for each experimental unit. Five diets were evaluated: basal feed supplemented with all microminerals in inorganic form (control); basal feed supplemented with 50% microminerals zinc (Zn) + manganese (Mn) + copper (Cu) in organic form and 50% in inorganic form; basal feed supplemented with 50% zinc in organic form and 50% in inorganic form; basal feed supplemented with 50% manganese in organic form and 50% in inorganic form; and basal feed supplemented with 50% copper in organic form and 50% in inorganic form. There was no effect of diets on egg production, feed intake, food conversion and egg shell percentage and thickness. Birds fed basal feed supplemented only with zinc or manganese in organic form produced eggs with lower specific weight. The use of basal feed supplemented with copper in organic form has minimized egg loss. However, the best results (lower egg loss, higher specific weight and higher weight of eggs) were obtained with the basal feed supplemented with microminerals Zn + Mn + Cu in organic form and, therefore, it is recommended for feeding of commercial laying at the end of laying.Key Words: egg characteristics, laying hens, minerals, production Efeito da utilização de microminerais orgânicos sobre o desempenho e a qualidade externa dos ovos de poedeiras comerciais em final de postura RESUMO -Um experimento foi realizado com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito da utilização de microminerais na forma orgânica sobre o desempenho e a qualidade dos ovos de poedeiras comerciais em final de postura. Foram utilizadas 480 galinhas da linhagem Hisex com 72 a 80 semanas de idade, distribuídas em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com 6 repetições e 16 aves por parcela. Foram avaliadas cinco dietas: ração basal suplementada com todos os microminerais na forma inorgânica (controle); ração basal suplementada com 50% dos microminerais zinco (Zn) + manganês (Mn) + cobre (Cu) na forma orgânica e 50% na forma inorgânica; ração basal suplementada com 50% de zinco na forma orgânica e 50% na forma inorgânica; ração basal suplementada com 50% de manganês na forma orgânica e 50% na forma inorgânica e ração basal suplementada com 50% de cobre na forma orgânica e 50% na forma inorgânica. Não houve efeito das dietas sobre a produção de ovos, o consumo de ração, a conversão alimentar, a porcentagem e a espessura de casca. As aves que consumiram a ração basal suplementada apenas com zinco ou manganês na forma orgânica produziram ovos com menor peso específico. A utilização da ração basal suplementada com cobre na forma orgânica proporcionou menor perda de ovos. Porém, os melhores resultados foram obtidos com a ração basal suplementada com os microminerais Zn + Mn + Cu na forma ...

Among the countless operations involved in the maize production system, nitrogen fertilization is essential for the crop yield and development. However, due to the costs and negative environmental impacts caused by chemical fertilization, the use of the bacterium Azospirillum brasilense is an alternative to reduce costs and increase yield. Thus, this study evaluates the effect of inoculation of Azospirillum brasilense on the yield components of synthetic varieties of maize. The experiments were carried out at UNESP -Jaboticabal Campus, state of São Paulo, Brazil. The randomized block design was used with two replicates, testing fortysix maize genotypes: forty-four synthetic genotypes and two checks. Experiments were performed without nitrogen topdressing and with Azospirillum brasilense inoculation and, with nitrogen topdressing and without Azospirillum brasilense inoculation. Grain yield, average weight of grains, prolificacy, ear length, ear diameter, number of rows and number of grains per row were evaluated. The analysis of combined variance of experiments was performed considering the effects of genotypes, experiments, and the Genotype x Experiment interaction. Using the means from the analysis of variance, the Scott-Knott test was applied at 5% probability for the cases in which the F test was significant. It was found that bacterial inoculation increased yield, average weight of grains, ear diameter, and number of rows, while nitrogen fertilization increased prolificacy, ear length, and number of grains per row.