Myconate Project

• Grant number: 00/13409-4
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: January 01, 2002
• End date: September 30, 2004
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal Investigator: Eli Sidney Lopes
• Grantee: Eli Sidney Lopes
• Company: Bio Soja Indústrias Químicas e Biológicas Ltda
• City: São Joaquim da Barra

Abstract

Mycorrhizas benefit plants directly because they promote an increase in the absorption of nutrients and also indirectly through other mechanisms. The increase in the absorption of nutrients is promoted by the external hyphae which derive from the internal colonization of the root system. Arbuscular mycorrhizas establish themselves in the majority of plants and they are extremely important in natural ecosystems, given that mycotrophic plants normally are pioneers in areas of low availability of phosphorus. In agro-systems, plants display good development and increased productivity, with lower doses of fertilizer than are normally recommended, when they possess good mycorrhizal colonization. Mycorrhizal colonization occurs in natural conditions by means of spores, or even hyphae which survive in root segments, left over from previous crops or natural vegetation. In the study of the mechanisms of mycorrhizal colonization it was observed that some substances, among them formononetine produced by the roots and exuded in the rizosphere, stimulate this process. Following this observation, formononetine was synthesized in the laboratory. In synthesized form it also stimulates mycorrhizal colonization and therein lies its potential for use as a stimulant for vegetal development and production. Potassic salt of formononetine also stimulates mycorrhizal colonization and could be simpler to handle than formononetine as it is highly soluble in water. The present project aims to demonstrate the agronomic efficiency of this mycorrhizal stimulant for the cultivation of maize and soya, with economic return for the farmer. It is also looking to formulate it adequately for our growing conditions. Four experiments with maize and four with soya will be carried out, with the same guidelines and treatment, with the cultivation of soya BRS 133 and maize hybrid BRS 3060. Further greenhouse experiments will be carried out to gain more detailed knowledge on the interaction of the product with varieties of maize and soya and for its application in the organic system of potato and cotton cultivation. (AU)