DESEMPENHOS TÉCNICOS E ECONÔMICOS DA CONSORCIAÇÃO DE MILHO COM FORRAGEIRAS DOS GÊNEROS Panicum E Brachiaria EM SISTEMA DE INTEGRAÇÃO LAVOURA-PECUÁRIA
The objective of this research was to evaluate the technical and economic performance of methods for corn cropping with Brachiaria and Panicum genuses forages, in crop-livestock integration systems under no-tillage. The experiment was conducted in Selviria, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil, in a Distroferric Red Latosol (Oxisol), during the growing seasons of 2007 and 2008. The experimental design was a randomized block with four replications. The treatments consisted of eight methods for growing corn intercropped with Panicum maximum cv. Tanzania, Panicum maximum cv. Mombaca, Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, and Brachiaria ruziziensis , sown simultaneously or at side dressing nitrogen fertilization, besides single grown corn. The operating cost analysis was based on prices of inputs and operations, and the revenue at the average price for corn in Sao Paulo State. The decreasing cost-benefit ratio and the best economic returns, obtained due to higher index of contribution margin, determined the most feasible cropping methods. The Panicum maximum cv. Mombaca and Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, intercropped simultaneously with corn, provided less grain yield than single grown corn. As related to technical and economic benefits of the consortium to be used in crop-livestock integration systems, the most recommended is corn with Panicum maximum cv. Tanzania, mainly in the simultaneous sowing. However, technical and economic results in the long term, with different prices and yields, must be evaluated. KEY-WORDS: Contribution margin; grain yield; cost-benefit ratio; no-tillage system; Zea mays L.
Corn productivity in function of surface application of lime in differents management systems and cultural preparation
The evaluation of technologies employed at the agricultural production system such as crop rotation and soil preparation, both associated with crop-livestock integration, is crucial. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the incorporation of lime for three no-tillage systems and cultural managements in system of crop-livestock integration, with emphasis on corn grain yield. The experiment was conducted from January 2003 to April 2005 at Selviria city, MS, in Dystroferric Red Latosol, clay texture. The experimental design was randomized blocks with split plots consisted of three main treatments, aimed the soil physics conditioning and the incorporation of lime: PD - No-no-tillage; CM - minimum no-tillage, and PC - conventional no-tillage; and of two secondary treatments related to the management: rotation and crop succession, with four replications. Data on agronomic traits of maize were analyzed: plant height, stem diameter, height of the first spike insertion, 100 grains weight and grain yield. The results showed that the maize produced under the system of crop-livestock integration is quite feasible, showing that grain yields are comparable to averages in the region and the different soil physical conditioning and incorporation of lime did not influence the corn yield as well as the cultural managements, rotation and succession, did not affect the maize crop behavior after two years of cultivation.
Microbial flora of frozen tail meat from captive Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus).
Frozen tail meat samples from nine Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) were evaluated for microbial numbers and types. Microbial analyses yielded a mean aerobic plate count (APC, 30 degrees C) of 4.86 log cfu/g, a mean coliform count (TC, 37 degrees C) of 3.77 log cfu/g and a mean faecal coliform count (FC, 44 degrees C) of 3.40 log cfu/g. Salmonella was isolated from three samples, and beta-haemolytic streptococci from two samples. Yersinia, Aeromonas, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus were not isolated. Typical bacterial genera recovered included Flavobacterium, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Enterobacter, Moraxella, Micrococcus, Staphylococcus and Streptococcus.