Daniel Soares Alves's research while affiliated with Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros and other places

The objective of this research was to evaluate the yield of bean plants and changes in pH and soil organic matter after compost cotton waste application. An experiment was carried out in an Acrisol. The experimental design was of randomized blocks with five levels of cotton waste compost (0, 20, 40, 60, 80t ha-1) from the textile factory, in five replications. The application of the cotton waste compost promoted increase in the growth and productive characteristics in bean crop, and increased the pH values and soil organic matter. Thus, the compost showed as an alternative for fertilization of the culture.

The aim of this work was to characterize the nutritional limitations for dry matter production of Xanthosoma mafaffa (L.) Schott. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse with 0-20 cm samples of a Oxisol under cerrado vegetation, collected at Montes Claros, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The cultivation was conducted in 3 L pots. The experimental design was totally randomized with 13 treatments and three replications. Treatments were based on the missing element technique (with omission of liming and each one of the macro and micronutrients). The decreasing order of treatments that more influenced the aerial dry matter production was: -liming> -P > -S > test > -B > -liming+Ca+Mg > -N > -K. The omission of Ca, Mg, Zn and Cu did not influence the aerial dry matter production. The decreasing order of treatments that influenced the root dry matter production was: -B > - Mg > -liming+Ca+Mg > -K > -N > -Zn > -liming > -S > -Cu > -Ca > -Cu > -Ca > test > -P.

Three experiments were carried out in greenhouse conditions for determining the levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the production of Dimorphandra mollis Benth seedlings. The experimental design was completely randomized with seven treatments, corresponding to N, P or K level and three replications. In the experiment 1, the nitrogen levels were 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300mg dm-3. The levels of phosphorus, in the experiment 2, the levels were 0, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600 mg dm-3 and, in the experiment 3, the potassium levels were 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 mg dm-3. Nine months after, there was observed that the N, P and K levels in the soil were 245 mg dm-3 of N, 495 mg dm-3 of P and 227 mg dm-3 of K.

Aiming to characterize the nutritional limitations on growth, nutrition and total flavonoids concentration of the Dimorphandra mollis, an experiment was conducted in a greenhouse with 0-20 cm samples of an Oxisol under Cerrado vegetation. The experimental design was completely randomized with 13 treatments and three replications. The treatments consisted of fertilization with missing element technique (with omission of liming and each one of the macro and micronutrients N, P, K, S, B, Cu, Fe and Zn). Dimorphandra mollis plant is tolerant to acid soil and responsive to the omission of phosphorus and potassium. The total flavonoids concentration was not influenced by the treatments.

With the purpose of studying the effect of levels of base saturation upon the growth and total flavonoids production of Dimorphandra mollis cultivated on a soil originally under Savana of Minas Gerais State, Brazil, an experiment was conducted at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, between October/2003 and February/2004. The experiment followed a completely randomized design with five values of base saturation (V%): 10 (natural saturation), 25; 40; 55 and 70%, and six replicates. The increase of base saturation led to a decrease of Dimorphandra mollis growth, and did not influence the total flavonoids plant concentration.

With the purpose of studying the effect of levels of base saturation upon the growth and total flavonoids production of Dimorphandra mollis cultivated on a soil originally under Savana of Minas Gerais State, Brazil, an experiment was conducted at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, between October/2003 and February/2004. The experiment followed a completely randomized design with five values of base saturation (V%): 10 (natural saturation), 25; 40; 55 and 70%, and six replicates. The increase of base saturation led to a decrease of Dimorphandra mollis growth, and did not influence the total flavonoids plant concentration.

Aiming to characterize the nutritional limitations on growth, nutrition and total flavonoids concentration of the Dimorphandra mollis, an experiment was conducted in a greenhouse with 0-20 cm samples of an Oxisol under Cerrado vegetation. The experimental design was completely randomized with 13 treatments and three replications. The treatments consisted of fertilization with missing element technique (with omission of liming and each one of the macro and micronutrients N, P, K, S, B, Cu, Fe and Zn). Dimorphandra mollis plant is tolerant to acid soil and responsive to the omission of phosphorus and potassium. The total flavonoids concentration was not influenced by the treatments.

The objective of this work was to characterize the nutritional limitations for dry matter production of Cyclanthera pedata (L.) Schrad. Two successive cultivations were conducted in 3 dm3 pots with soil. The experimental design was totally randomized with 13 treatments and three replications. Treatments were based on the missing element technique (with omission of liming and each one of the macro and micronutrients). Cyclanthera pedata plants have their dry matter production reduced by soil acidity and low macronutrients availability, mainly P, Ca, Mg and S, and were little affected by low micronutrients availability.

A field experiment was carried out to evaluate the yield of achocha [Cyclanthera pedata L. Schrad.) ] in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, as a result of the staking system and within-row spacing. The experimental design was of randomized blocks with four replications, arranged in a scheme 3 x 2, being three staking systems (vertical fence, pole-trellised fence and polyethylene ribbon-trellised fence) and two within-row spacings (1,0 x 1,0 m and 1,0 x 0,5 m), totalizing 24 plots. The fruit number and weight were significantly higher from plants cultivated in the system of vertical fence, where each plant produced 56 fruits on average, corresponding to 2,68 kg. In this system plants presented better fixation to the tutor, besides having minor incidence of damaged fruits caused by the contact with the soil. Highest number, weight of fruits and yield were observed when within-row spacing of 1,0 x 1,0 m was adopted, due to lesser effect of competition between plants for water, nutrients and light. However the yield per area was less due to lower number of plants per ha.