Estoque de carbono orgânico no solo afetado por adubação orgânica e sistemas de culturas no Sul do Brasil

Organic carbon is a major component of soil organic matter and its stock is influenced by the management system adopted. This study aimed to examine the effects of cropping systems and nutrient sources (mineral and organic) on the concentrations and storage of soil organic carbon in no-tillage system. The experiment was carried out in Mercedes, Parana, Brazil, in an Nitossolo Vermelho (Alfisol) from October 2007 to September 2009. The treatments consisted of four crop succession systems: (1) soybean/wheat/corn/wheat; (2) soybean/black oat/corn/black oat, (3) soybean/radish/corn/radish and (4) soybean/common vetch/corn/common vetch and by two sources of nutrients (mineral and organic), arranged in a to split plot randomized block design with four replications. Soil samples were collected in layers of 0.0-0.05, 0.05-0.10, 0.10-0.20 and 0.20 to 0.40 m deep in the first and the second years of cultivation. Different cropping systems does not affect the content and the stock of soil organic carbon in the first two years of adoption of the systems. The organic fertilization with manure increased soil organic carbon stock, with an annual contribution of C, layer 0.0 to 0.20 m, 1.15 Mg ha(-1) yr(-1). Cropping systems fertilized with mineral fertilizers provide the greatest losses of soil organic carbon, resulting in negative balance of C in soil.

Improving the field production environment for soybeans

During the past 10 years, soybeans have reached a prominent position among crops in the world. A substantial contribution to world production has been achieved by tropical countries, due to favorable conditions for high yields. Two limitations keep commercial yields below those obtained in experimental results (above 3,000 kg/ha): one is the lack of local adapted varieties and the other is an adequate field production environment. Solutions must be obtained by local research data. Seedbed preparation is one of the most important production steps, since the other production practices are dependent on it. Conventional methods and minimum tillage, when soybeans follow another crop, are being used, with the problem of soil compaction and losses by erosion. Looking for superior strains of Rhizobium is crucial because nitrogen can be supplied by a proper symbiosis. The addition of limestone to the soil is a common practice used to raise the pH to proper levels. The use of fertilizers should be guided by local research findings. Chemical control of weeds, pests and diseases is needed to prevent yield losses, but possible effects on the environment should be considered. © 1981 American Oil Chemists' Society.

Weed-soybean interference studies in Brazil

Recently, a notable shift in weed patterns has occurred in some soybean growing regions, as a result of tillage system change and herbicide use. The weed communities are very diversified and strongly interfere with soybean growth and productivity, especially when the shading of superior leaves of the canopy occurs. Some changes to certain agricultural practices, such as cultivars, row spacing and sowing density, were studied and were considered suitable for the establishment of an integrated weed management system under Brazilian conditions. -from Author

Efeitos de sistemas de preparo do solo no potencial matricial de um Latossolo Vermelho (Oxisol)

The present work aimed to investigate which was the soil tillage system that better fits for conditions of intensive agriculture, on the region of Selviria-MS. The main objective of this paper was to study the conservation and availability of water in the soil profile. In order to evaluate the soil matric potential in field conditions, readings were accomplished, using tensiometers with a mercury gauger. Matric potential was measured at 0.10 m depth, during the vegetative period of Triticum aestivum L. and at four depths 0.10; 0.20; 0.30 e 0.40 m during the vegetative period of Phaseolus vulgaris L. The study areas were located in the municipal district of Selviria, MS, Brazil. The used experimental set-up was entirely random designed, with treatments disposed in strips; three treatments and four repetitions were used. In the different treatments, soil matric potential was determined. Result allow to conclude that the water matric potential was highest for no-tillage and minimum tillage; however, it was also shown that these two tillage systems, allowed to conserve more water in the soil, when compared to the conventional tillage. In the last cycle of the Phaseolus vulgaris L. crop, no-tillage presented smaller storage of water in the soil, compared to the minimum tillage.

Root growth and nutrient accumulation in cover crops as affected by soil compaction

Crop rotation using cover crops with vigorous root systems may be a tool to manage soils with some degree of compaction. Root and shoot growth as well as nutrient accumulation by summer species suitable for crop rotation in tropical areas were studied at different subsoil compaction levels. Crotalaria juncea (Indian hemp), Crotalaria spectabilis (showy crotalaria), Helianthus annuus (sunflower), Pennisetum americanum (pearl millet) and Sorghum bicolor (guinea sorghum) were grown for 40 days in pots 33.5 cm high with 10 cm internal diameter. Soil in the pots had uniform bulkdensity of 1.25 Mg m-3 for the top and bottom 15 cm sections. Bulk densities of 1.31, 1.43, 1.58 and 1.70 Mg m-3 Were established in the 3.5 cm middle section. H. annuus and P. americanum had the highest early macronutrient accumulation. The grasses S. bicolor and P. americanum yielded twice as much shoot dry matter as the other species. Root growth generally decreased with increasing soil bulk density with C. spectabilis less affected than other species. Although the grasses were more sensitive to high soil penetration resistance, they showed higher root length densities at all compaction levels. P. americanum had the highest potential to be used as cover crop due to its high root density at high soil penetration resistances, vegetative vigour and ability to accumulate macronutrients. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Resistência ao Cisalhamento de um Latossolo sob Diferentes uso e Manejo

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Propriedades físicas e infiltração de água de um Latossolo Vermelho Amarelo (Oxisol) do noroeste do estado de São Paulo, Brasil, sob três condições de uso e manejo

This study presents the results obtained in a field experiment carried out at Glicério, Northwest of São Paulo state, Brazil, whose objective was to analyze changes of selected soil physical properties and water infiltration rates on a Yellow-Red Latosol, under three different management conditions. The experimental design was arranged as completely randomized split-block with twelve treatments, which corresponded to four depths (0-0.05 m; 0.05-0.10 m; 0.10-0.20 m and 0.20-0.40 m) and three conditions of soil use and management with four replications. The soil surface conditions were: conventional tillage (one disking with moulboard plus two levelling passes with harrow), nine months before starting filed experiences; recent conventional tillage (also one disking with moulboard plus two levelling passes with harrow) and native forest. The conventional tillage areas were cropped for about fifteen years with annual cultures. The considered soil general physical properties were: macroporosity, microporosity, total porosity, bulk density, soil moisture and penetration resistance and, in addition; soil water infiltration rates were also recorded. According to our results, differences on general soil physical properties and infiltration rates appeared when both tilled sub-treatments and native forest were compared. Both, plots recently prepared by conventional tillage and those prepared by tillage but left nine months in rest, presented a statistically significant decrease of constant (final) water infiltration rates of 92.72% and 91.91% when compared with native forest plots.

Atributos químicos do solo e produtividade do milho afetados por corretivos e manejo do solo

A field experiment was carried out in the Lageado Experimental Farm belonging to the São Paulo State University - UNESP, Campus of Botucatu, SP, in a distrophic Nitosoil in 1997/98. The objective was to compare the effects of magnesium termophosphate; termophosphate + lime; termophosphate + phosphogypsum + sugarcane vinnace application on the chemical characteristics of the soil and on the corn (Zea mays L.) yield cultivated in no-tillage and conventional tillage systems. The Crotalaria juncea was cultivated as mulch-producing to make possible the establishment of the tillage systems. The mean modifications in the soil fertility were due to aplication of the magnesium termophosphate. The differences between the two tillage systems, related to crop productivity, were associated to the smaller N content in the corn leaf in the no-tillage system.

Efeito da calagem e sulfato de amônio no algodão. I - Transporte de cátions e ânions no solo

Applying lime on the soil surface in soils managed under no-tillage has caused an excess of basic cations in the most superficial layers of the soil profile. On the other hand, subsoil acidity is considered a constraint to the development of deep plant roots. The objective of this study was to evaluate Ca 2+, Mg 2+, NO 3- and SO 4 2- leaching in the soil profile as affected by liming and top dressing nitrogen fertilization in cotton, grown with straw cover on the soil surface. Cotton plants (Gossypium hirsutum) were grown for 60 days in PVC columns filled with a Distroferric Red Latosol (sand loam Rhodic Oxisol) with liming applied over the straw on the soil surface, incorporated liming 0-20 cm deep, or without liming. Nitrogen was applied at rates of 0, 50, 100 and 150 kg ha -1 as ammonium sulfate. The PVC columns were set up in layers of 0-5, 5-10, 10-20, 20-30 and 30-30 cm, totaling 15.71 dm 3. The ammonium sulfate application caused intense leaching of SO 4 2- in the soil, irrespective of the lime application method. Liming increased the concentration of NO 3 in the 0-20 cm soil layer, whereas the correction of the soil acidity did not affect the NO 3- concentration in the 30-50 cm soil layer. The influence of ammonium sulfate on Ca 2+ leaching below 20 cm was only observed in the soil with incorporated lime. Nitrogen application resulted in extensive Mg 2+ leaching from the soil, regardless of the lime application method. In the soil layer below 30 cm, SO 4 2- presented a higher correlation than NO 3- in the formation of ionic pairs with Ca 2+ and Mg 2+.

Efeito de resíduos vegetais de milheto (Pennisetum americanum) e da calagem em algumas propriedades físicas e químicas de um nitossolo vermelho em sistema de semeadura direta

This work studied alterations of physical properties of a distroferric red nitosol due to millet (Pennisetum americanum) covering, with or without liming, in a no-tillage system during the agricultural years of 1999/2000 and 2000/2001, using soybean and corn as culture succession. 6m×10m plots, with and without millet as vegetal covering, received only one initial superficial application of limestone, 3.1 t ha-1 in the first half of each plot in order to obtain 70% base saturation (V), after the desiccation of the millet. Some physical properties as soil density, aggregate stability, > 2 mm aggregate proportion, macro and micro porosity were analyzed whereas the chemical analysis determined Ca and Mg macro nutrients, organic matter, soil pH and H+Al. Millet vegetal residues and surface liming did not alter soil density nor the average weight diameter (AWD), > 2 mm aggregate, soil macro porosity and organic matter content, twenty-four months after the no-tillage system implantation for studied experimental conditions. Soil micro porosity was significantly affected in layers deeper than 0.20 m, in treatment with millet and limestone. Calcium, magnesium and H + Al contents and the soil pH values suffered significant alterations in superficial layer, between 0-0.05 m.

Correlação da produtividade do feijão com a resistência à penetração do solo sob plantio direto

The soil mechanical resistance to penetration (PR) has great influence on vegetative development as the root growth and the crop productivity change in inverse proportion. Thus, the objective of this research was to study correlation between the bean grain productivity and the PR in an Oxisol cultivated for four years in no-tillage system at FEIS/UNESP. The attributes PR and yield were determined in a regular grid with 119 sample points. The PR was determined in the layers of 0-0.05, 0.05-0.10, 0.10-0.15, 0.15-0.20 and 0.25-0.30 m. The results were submitted to procedures of descriptive statistics, linear correlation and geostatistic analysis. The linear correlation between the yield and PR was practically null, as in all soil layers investigated it showed determination coefficients (R2) smaller than 0.03 and not significant. The geostatistic analysis showed moderate structure of spatial dependency for PR in the layers of 0.05-0.10 and 0.10-0.15 m, and strong for yield; however, the conjugate spatial analysis of such attributes showed no correlation, therefore, the spatial variability of PR did not influence the yield.

Condutividade hidráulica e resistência à penetraçao do solo influenciada por diferentes sistemas de manejo

Soil management measures that increase the efficiency of organic matter cycling and maintain favorable soil structure are needed for improving soil quality. On the other hand, soil structure degradation due to inadequate soil management systems is widespread. Among the indicators of soil physical quality, saturated hydraulic conductivity and penetration resistance are thought to be sensitive to soil management system. The aim of this work was to study the influence of soil tillage system and organic fertilization on selected soil physical properties after the first year of treatment. The field work was conducted in Selviria, MS, Brazil on an Oxisol. The experimental design was randomized complete blocks with split-plots, with 12 treatments and 4 repetitions. Tillage treatments included conventional ploughing (CT) and direct drilling (DD). Fertilizer treatments were: 1) manure, 2) manure plus mineral, 3) traditional mineral 4) plant residues of Crotalaria juncea, 5) plant residues of Pennisetum americanum and 6) control plot. The plots were cropped to bean in winter and to cotton in summer, and both cultures were irrigated. After one year no significant differences between treatments in mechanical resistance and porosity were found. However, saturated hydraulic conductivity and infiltration were higher in the conventional tillage treatment at the 0.00-0.10 m depth. Moreover, an improvement in soil physical condition by organic fertilizers was shown.

Efeitos de níveis de cobertura do solo sobre a produtividade e crescimento do feijoeiro irrigado, em sistema de plantio direto

The objective of this research was to study the effects of five different treatments of grass (Brachiaria decumbens) straw mulch on common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.): 0% (0 t.ha-1), 25% (2,25 t.ha-1), 50% (4,5 t.ha-1), 75% (6,75 t. ha-1) and 100% (9,0 t/ha) designed by randomized blocks, with four replicates. The irrigation was applied when minimum soil water potential were reached about - 30kPa. The water management based on tensiometers and soil water characteristic curve. A microsprinkler irrigation system was used. The experiment was set up at the Experimental Station of Embrapa Rice and Bean (Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária Arroz e Feijão) at Santo Antonio de Goiás, Brazil, in a Dark - Red Latosol soil. The results showed: the bean yield and his components were not affected by treatments, except grain number/pod,. The mulch increased the water use efficiency and, consequently, decreased the number of irrigations when the mulch reached more than 50% straw mulch. The treatment with 100% of mulching presented the largest leaf area index and dry matter accumulation was not affected by mulching.

Alterações de propriedades físicas de um nitossolo vermelho pela sucessão milheto-soja na fase de implantação do sistema de semeadura direta

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of a millet-soybean rotation, during the implantation phase of no-tillage system on the physical properties of a Nitossolo Vermelho distroférrico and the dry mass production of millet and the productivity of soybean. The experimental design used was a randomized blocks, in a split splot arrangement, with four replications. The parcels was constituted by three sowings (E1, E2 and E3) and the subparcels was constituted by harvests, where each harvest handling was: M1 - harvest each blooming and covering withdrawal; M2 - harvest each blooming and covering permanency; M3 - only in the first harvest on blooming and covering withdrawal; M4 - only in the first harvest on blooming and covering permanency, and M5-free growing, with no harvest. Samples were collected from three soil layers: 0-0,05, 0,05-0,10 and 0,10-0,20 m. The E2 showed smaller values of soil density and larger values of total porosity. The E3 resulted in smaller values of flocculation degree and mean weight diameter of the aggregates. The E3 showed smaller production of dry mass.

Arranjo espacial de plantas de milho em sistema plantio direto

The interaction of management practices that increases plant density and reduces row spacing by spatial arrangement, if well planned, can be an excellent opportunity for the producers to increase their profitability. The objective of this study was to evaluate the variation effects of plant spatial distribution in two maize hybrids cultivated in a no-tillage system on the production components. The study was conducted in the CECA/UFAL. The treatments consisted of the cultivation of two hybrids of maize, FORT and AGN 30A00, in row spacings of 0.80 and 0.40 m and with plant densities of 60,000 and 70,000 plants ha -1. The statistical design was randomized blocks in a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial scheme, with three replications. From the results obtained, it may be concluded that neither the row spacing reduction nor plant density increase, as isolated practices, do not increase grain yield in the tested cultivars. The association of the reduction in row spacing and increase in plant population resulted in significant gain in grain productivity for the hybrid FORT.