Australian Journal of Crop Science   AJCS

Accelerated aging test for coffee seeds requires higher temperature

Marcos Vinícios de Carvalho, Palloma Indiara Caproni Moraes, Stefânia Vilas Boas Coelho, Madeleine Alves de Figueiredo, Ana Luiza Oliveira Vilela, Ana Cristina de Souza, Sttela Dellyzete Veiga Franco da Rosa*

VIG Sementes Ltda, Rodovia GO-010, Km 5, G2 e G3, Setor São Vicente CEP: 75.265-000 Vianópolis-GO, Brasil
Embrapa Café, Avenida W3 Norte (Final), Parque Estação Biológica, CEP 70770 901 Brasília, DF, Brasil
Universidade Federal de Lavras, Departamento de Agricultura, Caixa Postal 3.037, Lavras, MG, Brasil

Abstract
The vigor tests are important tools used in the internal quality control by the seed companies. The accelerated aging test is a sensitive method for assessing the vigor of seed lots, as well as for estimating their storage potential. However, for coffee seeds there is little information about its use and efficiency. The objective of this study was to investigate methods of the accelerated aging test suitable for Coffea arabica L. seeds. Two studies were carried out. In the first, different temperatures (42°C, 44°C, and 46°C) and exposure times (0, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, 168, and 192 h) were investigated for the accelerated aging test. In the second, the best combinations of temperatures and exposure times were tested on coffee seeds from five different cultivars at temperatures of 44 and 46 ºC at times of 24, 48, 72, and 96 h of incubation. After each aging period, the water content of the seeds was determined, and physiological quality was evaluated by the germination test. The temperature of 42°C leads to slow deterioration of the seeds and is not recommended for evaluation of Coffea arabica L. seed vigor at the exposure times from 24 to 192 h tested here. The accelerated aging test, carried out at a temperature of 44ºC for 72 hours or at 46ºC for 48 hours, allows the Coffea arabica seed lots to be separated into different vigor levels.

Pages 473-480 | Full Text PDF| doi: 10.21475/ajcs.23.17.06.p3696
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Income diversification strategies of rubber farmers in Southern Thailand: an empirical study

Onanong Longpichai, Ferdoushi Ahmed*, Chaiya kongmanee

Faculty of Economics, Prince of Songkla University (PSU), Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90110, Thailand
Research Center for Fundamental Economic Development and Agricultural Economic Potential in the Southern Region, Thailand

Abstract
In Thailand, rubber is a very important cash crop of which nearly 95% is produced by smallholders. This study aims to investigate the income diversification strategies adopted by rubber farmers in Southern Thailand. Primary data was collected through a cross-sectional survey conducted in 12 sub-districts under six districts of three provinces (namely, Songkhla, Surat Thani and Trang) in Southern Thailand. A standardized questionnaire was used to receive responses from a total of 398 rubber smallholders selected randomly in the chosen areas (i.e. 12 sub-districts) for this study. The findings revealed that three income strategies, namely, rubber farm income only (R), rubber farm and non-farm income (RN), and combination of rubber farm, other farm, and non-farm income (RAN) were the dominant income strategies adopted by rubber farmers in Thailand. The study identified seven factors namely, age and education of household head, family size, land size holding, access to credit, land right and access to cooperative that had significant influence on income diversification strategies of the households. It was also revealed that rubber farmers with large household size are more likely to pursue all choices of income diversification strategies to increase their income. This might be due to the relation between larger family size and household labor or corresponding higher expenditure in the household. The study findings might be useful for policymakers to design and implement more effective policies to provide more income-generating ventures for rubber farmers in Thailand.

Pages 481-487 | Full Text PDF| doi: 10.21475/ajcs.23.17.06.p3800
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Green manure, a sustainable strategy to improve soil quality: a case study in an oxisol from northern Brazil

Marcelo Laranjeira Pimentel, Iolanda Maria Soares Reis*, Maria Lita Padinha Corrêa Romano, Jailson Sousa de Castro, Carlos Ivan Aguilar Vildoso, Eloi Gasparin, Eliandra Freitas de Sia, Leandro Silva de Sousa

Departmente of Soil Science, São Paulo State University, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
Institute of Biodiversity and Forests, Federal University of Western Pará, Santarém, PA, Brazil
Department of Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil

Abstract
Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is an easy to manage crop with good tolerance to drought and low-fertility soils. Although chemical fertilization is known to improve cassava yield, little is known about the potential of legume green manures to enhance soil chemical properties and consequently increase crop production. Here we analyze how different legume green manures affect cassava root growth and soil quality in an oxisol from northern Brazil. In this field study, we evaluated the effect of four green manure treatments (no fertilization, Crotalaria, jack bean, and cowpea) on soil exchangeable cation contents, pH H2O, pH KCl, ΔpH, exchangeable aluminum, sum of bases (SB), cation-exchange capacity (CEC), soil organic carbon (SOC), plant diameter, plant height, and root yield. Cowpea treatment was the most effective in increasing exchangeable cations, CEC, SB, and root yield, whereas jack bean treatment increased acid cations and SOC. A hierarchy of exchangeable cations was observed, Ca2+>Mg2+>K+, a result likely associated with nutrient absorption by cassava plants. Plant diameter had a positive linear correlation with root yield. Overall, our results indicate that green fertilization positively influences SOC, minimizing the depletion of exchangeable cations and thereby preventing yield losses. Cowpea treatment, however, acted more broadly on the variables studied.

Pages 488-497 | Full Text PDF| doi: 10.21475/ajcs.23.17.06.p3832
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Identifying farm risk management strategies of rubber farmers: A study in Southern Thailand

Chaiya Kongmanee, Ferdoushi Ahmed*, Onanong Longphichai

Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Economics, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, 90110, Thailand
Research Center for Fundamental Economic Development and Agricultural Economic Potential in the Southern Region, Thailand

Abstract
This study aims to identify and analyze the farm risk management strategies of rubber farmers in Southern Thailand. The study also provides efforts to examine the factors influencing risk management strategies in rubber farming in Thailand. The data were collected from a cross-sectional household survey conducted in Songkhla and Phatthalung Provinces of Thailand. A standardized and structured questionnaire was used to gather data from a total of 400 respondents. A number of statistcal tools such as descriptive statistics and multiple regression model were employed to analyze the data. The findings revealed that the rubber farmers adopted 8 (eight) main strategies to manage the risks in rubber farming, namely i) diversification in production, ii) market management, iii) labor and contract management, iv) decreasing production costs, v) production planning, vi) increasing non-farm employment, vii) debt management and viii) using high frequency tapping systems. The study also identified a number of factors including age, gender, level of education and farming experience of the farmers, number of household members, non-farm labor, off-farm labor, hired-labor, household income, debt, landholding size, participation in replanting scheme with RAOT, and membership in farmer institution that affect significantly (with the confidence level > 90%) the risk management strategies of the rubber farmers. Finally, the study recommends that the government should support and promote the research and development on risk management strategies in agriculture sector so that the farmers and farmer institutions can achieve more knowledge and efficiency to cope up successfully various risks in rubber farming in Thailand.

Pages 498-506 | Full Text PDF| doi: 10.21475/ajcs.23.17.06.p3870
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Microbial indicators of soil quality and soybean yield in agricultural production system using cover crops under no-tillage

Daiane Conceição de Sousa, Jaqueline Dalla Rosa*, João Carlos Medeiros, Cácio Luiz Boechat, Rafaela Simão Abrahão Nóbrega, Henrique Antunes de Souza, Edvaldo Sagrilo

Center in Agroforestry Sciences, Universidade Federal do Sul da Bahia, Itabuna, Bahia, Brazil
Campus Prof. Cinobelina Elvas, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Bom Jesus, Piauí, Brazil
Center for Agricultural, Environmental and Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia, Cruz das Almas, Bahia, Brazil
Embrapa Meio-Norte, Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (Embrapa), Teresina, Piauí, Brazil

Abstract
Cover crops improve the physical, chemical and biological quality of the soil and boost crop yield. However, the magnitude of the effects on the microbial activity in tropical soils of Cerrado is still little explored. This study aimed to evaluate the soil microbial attributes and soybean yield after cultivation of cover crops in a sandy clay loam oxisol under no-tillage system, in a region with weather dominated by a bimodal rainfall pattern (Aw type). The experiment was designed in randomized blocks, using a split-plot scheme, with different cover crops in the plots and different soil sampling times in the subplots. The cover crops treatments consisted of the previous cultivation of Crotalaria spectabilis (C. spectabilis), Crotalaria ochroleuca (C. ochroleuca), Cajanus cajan (pigeon pea); Urochloa ruziziensis (brachiaria) and Pennisetum glaucum (millet) as monocrop and the intercropping of millet + C. spectabilis and millet + C. ochroleuca. Soil samplings for microbial and chemical attributes evaluations were performed before soybean sowing and after soybean harvest, which occurred at 12 and 18 months after sowing the cover crops. Dry mass (DM) productions of cover crops at full vegetative development stage and soybean yield were also estimated. All the cover crops used in the present study, except the millet + C. spectabilis intercrop produced more than 6 Mg ha-1, with is considered the minimum amount of dry mass indicated as adequate for conservation systems under tropical conditions. Soil cultivated with brachiaria and millet showed higher microbial biomass at 18 months than at 12 months. Similarly, soil cultivated with C. ochroleuca, brachiaria, pigeon pea, millet + C. ochroleuca and millet + C. spectabilis showed higher microbial N at 18 months than at 12 months. Eighteen months after sowing of cover crops, millet maintained the highest soil microbial biomass (161.24 µg C g soil-1) and the millet + C. spectabilis intercrop exhibited the highest soil microbial N contents (30.02 µg N g soil-1) across treatments. Crotalaria ochroleuca, brachiaria, millet + C. ochroleuca and monoculture millet increased soybean yield cultivated in succession, after one single cycle of crop rotation.

Pages 507-515 | Full Text PDF| doi: 10.21475/ajcs.23.17.06.p3879
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Agronomic performance of the super-early common bean cultivar BRS FC104 in response to co-inoculation

Noé B. Silva, Ana Paula Santos Oliveira, Cássia Cristina Rezende, Cleiton Mateus Sousa, Adriane Wendland, Enderson Petrônio Brito Ferreira*

School of Agronomy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
Federal Institute Goiano - Campus Ceres, Ceres, GO, Brazil
Embrapa Rice and Bean, Santo de Goiás, GO, Brazil
Embrapa Rice and Bean, Santo de Goiás, GO, Brazil

Abstract
The common bean is one of the most produced and consumed species in Brazil, but the productivity of the crop is still low. The use of new technologies has increased the performance of the production system and allowed greater flexibility in the management of the production system. The use of super-early cultivars combined with co-inoculation with bacteria has become a promising alternative for the production system. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the agronomic performance of the super-early common bean cultivar BRS FC104 in response to co-inoculation of Rhizobium tropici and Azospirillum brasiliense. Three field experiments were conducted in Santo Antônio de Goiás (water 2018/19 and winter 2019) and in Abadia de Goiás (winter 2019). A randomized block design was used in a 2 x 3 factorial scheme for all experiments, being two common bean cultivars (BRS Notável and BRS FC104 cultivars) and three nitrogen sources (co-inoculation with R. tropici + A. brasilense; nitrogen fertilization and untreated control). The co-inoculation with Rhizobium tropici and Azospirillum brasilense resulted in grain yield equal to that of the nitrogen treatment. The super-early cultivar BRS FC104 showed equivalent productivity as the normal cycle cultivar BRS Notável. Considering that N-fertilizers are a threat to the environment and intensification of sustainable production is a pressing need, the cultivation of the super-early cultivar BRS FC104 under co-inoculation is a recommendation for the sustainable production of the common bean.

Pages 516-523 | Full Text PDF| doi: 10.21475/ajcs.23.17.06.p3883
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Biometric characterization, post-seminal development and overcoming seed dormancy of Albizia polycephala (Benth.) Killip ex Record

Ivanildo Claudino da Silva, Luan Danilo Ferreira de Andrade Melo*, João Luciano de Andrade Melo Junior1, Reinaldo de Alencar Paes, Jaqueline Figueredo de Oliveira Costa, Vanuze Costa de Oliveira, Adriana Guimarães Duarte, Natália Marinho Silva Crisóstomo, Roger Henrique Santos Aureliano, José Antonio Costa Silva, Larisse Araújo de Abreu

Department of Agroecology, University Federal of Alagoas – UFAL, Brazil

Abstract
Albizia polycephala (Benth) Killip, popularly known as angico-branco, belongs to the Fabaceae - Mimosoideae family, is a pioneer species used for environmental restoration, ornamentation and urban afforestation. Biometric characterization is an important tool to provide information on the type of germination, in addition to describing the morphology of the seed, it stimulates studies inherent to taxonomy, ecology and seed technology. For the production of seedlings, the most used form of propagation of this species is through seeds. Therefore, with the establishment of protocols to overcome dormancy of forest species, the producer will be able to choose the most efficient method and also the one that best adapts to his reality, both commercial and technological, providing an increase in the number of species destined to compose the models for the recovery of degraded areas to be implemented. Based on this, the objective of this work was to carry out the biometric characterization of the seeds, describe the post-seminal stages and verify the best way to promote the germination of A. polycephala using pre-germination treatments to overcome dormancy. The work was carried out at the Laboratory of Phytotechnics of the Campus of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences (CECA) of the Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL). The differentiation and development of A. polycephala seedlings was measured. In the dormancy breaking trial, the following treatments were used: i) control (intact seeds); (ii) chemical scarification by immersing the seeds in sulfuric acid for 5 min, followed by washing in running water; iii) cut (cut) on the side opposite the micropyle; iv) immersion in hot water (80°C) and cooling for 24 h; v) immersion in distilled water (room temperature) for 24 h; and vi) immersion in distilled water (room temperature) for 48 h. The seeds were incubated in a germination chamber at a constant temperature of 30°C. The design used was completely randomized, with 4 replications of 25 seeds per treatment, and the means were compared by Tukey's test at 5% probability. At the time of installation of the experiment, the seeds had a water content of 12.4%, with an average of 10.3 mm in length, 7.42 mm in width and 2.46 mm in thickness. Germination is epigeous and seedlings are phanerocotyledon. The physical rupture of the seed coat from the bud treatment contributed to the increase in permeability to water and gases, thus benefiting the germination process. Thus, topping can be recommended to overcome A. polycephala seed dormancy.

Pages 524-530 | Full Text PDF| doi: 10.21475/ajcs.23.17.06.p3884
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Nitrate contamination of different organic and non-organic vegetable varieties: A case study in Morocco

Youssef El Baroudi , Chadia Ouazzani*, Azzeddine Er-Ramly, Abdellah Moustaghfir, Issam Essebbahi, Abdallah Dami, Lhoussine Balouch

Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco
Laboratory of Research Odontological, Biomaterials and Nanotechnology, Faculty of Dentistry, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco

Abstract
Nitrates are chemical substances naturally present in the environment (plants, soil, water) and are involved in the natural nitrogen cycle. They represent the most stable oxidation state and are essential nutrients for plant growth. The exposure and ingestion of nitrates by the population are mainly through the consumption of vegetables and occasionally through water intake. The objective of this study is to determine the nitrate content of various varieties of vegetables from industrial agriculture consumed by the population in three cities in northern Morocco's Rabat-Salé-Kenitra region, as well as to demonstrate the health risk of consuming a high concentration of nitrate. The results determine the nitrate content of 77 vegetable samples harvested in Morocco’s Rabat-Salé-Kenitra region. The results showed that nitrate concentrations in vegetables varied depending on different areas in the city and whether the sample was organic or non-organic. The results of our study vary from 31.4 mg/kg (red onion) to 7860 mg/kg (beetroot) in the different vegetable varieties studied. It is recommended that this level be monitored on a regular basis and that the population be made aware of the recommended daily consumption of nitrates (0.84 mg-N/kg/d or 3.7 mg NO3-/kg/d) in the region to prevent excessive exposure to these potentially toxic compounds. In addition, it is advised to promote sustainable agriculture techniques aimed at lowering overall nitrate levels in the food supply and boosting the health and sustainability of the area's food system.

Pages 531-538 | Full Text PDF| doi: 10.21475/ajcs.23.17.06.p3890