Sugarcane extracts large amounts of nutrients from the soil and accumulates them in the plant due to its large mass production. Thus, agricultural practices ensuring adequate supply of nutrients to the crop must be adopted to obtain high crop yields in the cane plant cycle and small decreases in the subsequent cycles. In this chapter, the following items will be addressed and discussed: soil sampling, soil fertility evaluation, liming, plastering, cane plant chemical fertilization, sprout chemical fertilization, sugarcane nutritional status evaluation, organic fertilization, use of cultural remains and residues from sugar and alcohol industry, use of humic substances, fertilization, and quality of the sugarcane broth.

Sugarcane plays an important role in the Brazilian agribusiness. However, poor rainfall distribution and soil acidity directly affect its production in the Northeast Brazil. Gypsum improves the soil physical and chemical properties, attenuating the effects of water stress and acidity in the edaphic environment. This study aimed at determining the effect of gypsum doses on sugarcane growth and yield. A field experiment was conducted using a 3 x 5 factorial arrangement organized in a randomized block design, with four replications. Treatments consisted of a combination of three sugarcane varieties (RB011941, RB92579 and RB991536) with five gypsum doses (0 Mg ha-1, 2.5 Mg ha-1, 5.0 Mg ha-1, 10.0 Mg ha-1 and 20.0 Mg ha-1). RB92579 exhibited the highest stalk (157.90 Mg ha-1) and sugar (24.10 Mg ha-1) yield. Gypsum did not influence the sugarcane yield or plant growth in the vegetative growth stage, but, in the maturation phase, the leaf area declined and the number of shoots increased with the rise in gypsum doses. Applying gypsum increased the roots density along the soil profile, with a rise of around 1.10 g dm-3 at the most technically efficient dose (12.5 Mg ha-1), however, yield was not influenced, maybe due to the effect of high rainfall during the entire crop cycle. Thus, higher gypsum doses are recommended during periods of drought to benefit from the resulting increased root system.

The variables related to the agro-industrial quality in sugarcane considered as main tools are being used by producers to choose the varieties to be planted. In general, cultivars that present a better industrial yield for the manufacture of sugar and alcohol have great importance promoting crop sustainability. In this research, the objective was to evaluate the industrial quality of four sugarcane varieties during plant-cane, first and second ratoon crops. The experimental design was a randomized block, with four treatments and five replications. The varieties studied were RB867515, RB92579, SP813250 and VAT90212. In first and second ratoon cycles, the industrial quality of the four varieties was evaluated by determining the fiber content, apparent sucrose (Pol), purity, soluble solids (Brix) and total recoverable sugars (TRS). The results showed that varieties RB867515, RB92579, SP813250 and VAT90212 were similar for agro-industrial quality. In first ratoon crop, only fiber was same between varieties. The RB867515 evidenced larger soluble solids and recoverable sugars. In second ratoon crop, the RB92579 evidenced larger apparent sucrose (Pol) and soluble solids (Brix) and total recoverable sugars (TRS).

RESUMO:Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar o melhor tipo de bandeja e substrato a ser utilizado no processo de produção de mudas de alface. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação da UFRPE. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados em arranjo fatorial de 2 x 5 com 4 repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram de dois tipos de bandejas (polietileno e poliestireno), cinco tipos de substratos (comercial Baseplant 100%; Húmus 50% + Areia 50%; substrato comercial Baseplant 33% + Húmus 33% + Areia 33%; substrato comercial Baseplant 50% + Húmus 50% e substrato comercial Baseplant 50% + Areia 50%). O número de folhas foi influenciado pelo tipo de substrato, com destaque para os substratos húmus 50% + areia 50% e comercial Baseplant 50% + areia 50%, quanto a bandeja, a do tipo poliestireno proporcionou os melhores resultados para as variáveis estudadas com exceção do comprimento da parte aérea. Palavras chave: Lactuca sativa L, produção, plântulas. FORMATION OF LETTUCE SEEDLINGS IN DIFFERENT TRAYS AND SUBSTRATES ABSTRACT:The objective of this study was to evaluate the best type of tray and substrate to be used in lettuce seedlings production process. The experiment was conducted in the UFRPE greenhouse. The experimental design was a randomized block in factorial arrangement of 2 x 5 with 4 repetitions. The treatments consisted of two types of trays (polyethylene and polystyrene), five types of substrates (trade Baseplant 100%, humus 50% + sand 50%; commercial substrate Baseplant 33% + Humus 33% + sand 33%; commercial substrate Baseplant 50 % humus + 50% and commercial substrate Baseplant + 50% Sand 50%). The number of leaves was influenced by the type of substrate, especially the 50% humus + sand 50% and commercial Baseplant 50% + sand 50%, as the tray, the polystyrene type provided the best results for the variables with except for the shoot length. Keywords Lactuca sativa L; production; seedlings. IntroduçãoA alface (Lactuca sativa L.) constitui uma das hortaliças mais cultivadas no Brasil, isso por ser uma das mais consumidas pelos brasileiros e apresentar características de boa adaptação, além de, requerer pequenas áreas para produção. É uma cultura de grande

ABSTRACT. The production of biofertilizers from rocks increases nutrients for plant nutrition without environmental pollution. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of biofertilizers from phosphate and potassium rocks mixed with organic matter (earthworm compound) inoculated with free living diazotrophic bacteria (NFB 10001) and Cunninghamella elegans (fungus with chitosan) on yield, characteristics, and nutrient uptake of banana (cv. Williams), and attributes of a Red Yellow Argisoil of the rainforest Zone of Pernambuco, Brazil. The experimental design included two biofertilizers: (a) PK rock biofertilizers plus organic matter (NPKB) and (b) bioprotector (NPKP) applied at 50, 100 and 150% of the recommended rate for banana, which were compared with soluble mineral fertilizers (NPKF) applied at the recommended rate, and earthworm compound (20 ton ha -1 ). The best results of the plant parameters were obtained with NPKB and NPKP applied at the highest rates (150% RR). A normal yield was produced when NPKB and NPKP were applied at the highest rates and NPKF at the recommended rate. The available P and K in the soil showed a significant fertilization effect, especially when NPKB and NPKP were applied at the highest rates. The biofertilizer and bioprotector may be alternatives to mineral soluble fertilizers.