Avaliação agronômica de sete acessos de Hemarthria altissima [poir.]stapf et C.E.Hubb.em Pindamonhangaba, SP

The experiment was carried out to evaluate seven accessions of limpograss Hermathria altissima (PI 364888, NO 158, PI 364863, IPEACO 336, UF 553, UF 347238, and IPEACO 337) as compared to coast-cross grass (Cynodon dactylon), to determine which grasses were best adapted ecologically to conditions at Pindamonhangaba. The experimental design was a randomized block with four replications. Five annual harvests were taken during the three-year experimental period, two in the dry season and three in the rainy season. The higher annual DM yields (kgDM/ ha) were obtained with accessions UF 553 (19996), NO 158 (18745), and PI 347238 (18267). Accessions UF 553 and IPEACO 336 had the most uniform production throughout the year with 37.4 and 33.2% during the dry season, respectively. Coast-cross had the highest percentage of crude protein (10.30%), while limpograss values varied around 7%. It was concluded that accession UF553 was the most promising grass for the Pindamonhangaba region.

Perennial grasses for recovery of the aggregation capacity of a reconstructed soil in a coal mining area in southern Brazil

The construction of a soil after surface coal mining involves heavy machinery traffic during the topographic regeneration of the area, resulting in compaction of the relocated soil layers. This leads to problems with water infiltration and redistribution along the new profile, causing water erosion and consequently hampering the revegetation of the reconstructed soil. The planting of species useful in the process of soil decompaction is a promising strategy for the recovery of the soil structural quality. This study investigated the influence of different perennial grasses on the recovery of reconstructed soil aggregation in a coal mining area of the Companhia Riograndense de Mineração, located in Candiota-RS, which were planted in September/October 2007. The treatments consisted of planting: T1- Cynodon dactylon cv vaquero; T2 - Urochloa brizantha; T3 - Panicum maximun; T4 - Urochloa humidicola; T5 - Hemarthria altissima; T6 - Cynodon dactylon cv tifton 85. Bare reconstructed soil, adjacent to the experimental area, was used as control treatment (T7) and natural soil adjacent to the mining area covered with native vegetation was used as reference area (T8). Disturbed and undisturbed soil samples were collected in October/2009 (layers 0.00-0.05 and 0.10-0.15 m) to determine the percentage of macro- and microaggregates, mean weight diameter (MWD) of aggregates, organic matter content, bulk density, and macro- and microporosity. The lower values of macroaggregates and MWD in the surface than in the subsurface layer of the reconstructed soil resulted from the high degree of compaction caused by the traffic of heavy machinery on the clay material. After 24 months, all experimental grass treatments showed improvements in soil aggregation compared to the bare reconstructed soil (control), mainly in the 0.00-0.05 m layer, particularly in the two Urochloa treatments (T2 and T4) and Hemarthria altissima (T5). However, the great differences between the treatments with grasses and natural soil (reference) indicate that the recovery of the pre-mining soil structure could take decades.

INTERVALO HÍDRICO ÓTIMO EM SOLO CONSTRUÍDO APÓS MINERAÇÃO DE CARVÃO EM DIFERENTES LIMITES CRÍTICOS DE RESISTÊNCIA À PENETRAÇÃO E UMIDADE

Na quantificação do intervalo hídrico ótimo (IHO), são utilizados diferentes limites críticos de resistência à penetração (RP) e umidade na capacidade de campo (θCC). Para solos agrícolas, esses valores estão sendo documentados na literatura. Entretanto, para solos construídos após mineração de carvão, constata-se grande lacuna de informações. O objetivo deste trabalho foi quantificar a faixa de variação do intervalo hídrico ótimo de um solo construído sob diferentes plantas de cobertura na área de mineração de carvão de Candiota, sul do Brasil, considerando diferentes limites críticos de umidade do solo na capacidade de campo e de resistência à penetração. Foram avaliadas no experimento, em blocos casualizados com quatro repetições, as seguintes plantas de cobertura: Hemártria (Hemarthria altissima (Poir.) Stapf & C. E. Hubbard), tratamento 1 (T1); Pensacola (Paspalum notatum Flüggé), tratamento 2 (T2); Grama Tifton (Cynodon dactilon (L.) Pers.), tratamento 3 (T3); Controle (Urochloa brizantha (Hochst.) Stapf), tratamento 4 (T4); e sem plantas de cobertura, tratamento 5 (T5). Para determinar o IHO, foram utilizados diferentes valores críticos de θCC referentes às tensões de 0,006; 0,01; e 0,033 MPa e RP de 1,5; 2,0; 2,5; e 3,0 MPa, mantendo-se sempre constante a umidade do solo no ponto de murcha permanente (θPMP) como sendo igual ao valor retido na tensão de 1,5 MPa e a umidade do solo em que a porosidade de aeração (PA) é de 10 %. A faixa de variação do IHO foi maior no solo construído cultivado com Urochloa brizantha; e a menor com Pensacola, independentemente dos limites críticos de θCC e de RP. Os limites críticos de θCC e de RP utilizados na definição do IHO originaram diferentes valores de densidade critica (Dsc) para o solo construído sob diferentes plantas de cobertura. Os menores e maiores valores de Dsc foram obtidos quando utilizados como limites críticos na definição do IHO, o θCC = 0,033 MPa e a RP = 3 MPa. O solo construído cultivado com Urochloa brizantha e Hemártria apresentou valor de Ds muito próximo ao de Dsc.

Organic Matter Fractions and Quality of the Surface Layer of a Constructed and Vegetated Soil After Coal Mining. I - Humic Substances and Chemical Characterization

After open coal mining, soils are “constructed”, which usually contain low levels and quality of organic matter (OM). Therefore, the use of plant species for revegetation and reclamation of degraded areas is essential. This study evaluated the distribution of carbon (C) in the chemical fractions as well as the chemical characteristics and humification degree of OM in a soil constructed after coal mining under cultivation of perennial grasses. The experiment was established in 2003 with the following treatments: Hemarthria altissima (T1), Paspalum notatum (T2), Cynodon dactilon (T3), Urochloa brizantha (T4), bare constructed soil (T5), and natural soil (T6). In 2009, soil samples were collected from the 0.00-0.03 m layer and the total organic carbon stock (TOC) and C stock in the chemical fractions: acid extract (CHCl), fulvic acid (CFA), humic acid (CHA), and humin (CHU) were determined. The humic acid (HA) fraction was characterized by infrared spectroscopy and the laser-induced fluorescence index (ILIF) of OM was also calculated. After six years, differences were only observed in the CHA stocks, which were highest in T1 (0.89 Mg ha-1) and T4 (1.06 Mg ha-1). The infrared spectra of HA in T1, T2 and T4 were similar to T6, with greater contribution of aliphatic organic compounds than in the other treatments. In this way, ILIF decreased in the sequence T5>T3>T4>T1>T2>T6, indicating higher OM humification in T3 and T5 and more labile OM in the other treatments. Consequently, the potential of OM quality recovery in the constructed soil was greatest in treatments T1 and T4.

Organic Matter Fractions and Quality of the Surface Layer of a Constructed and Vegetated Soil After Coal Mining. II - Physical Compartments and Carbon Management Index

Soils constructed after mining often have low carbon (C) stocks and low quality of organic matter (OM). Cover crops are decisive for the recovery process of these stocks, improving the quality of constructed soils. Therefore, the goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of cover crops on total organic C (TOC) stocks, C distribution in physical fractions of OM and the C management index (CMI) of a soil constructed after coal mining. The experiment was initiated in 2003 with six treatments: Hemarthria altissima (T1), Paspalum notatum (T2), Cynodon dactylon (T3), Urochloa brizantha (T4), bare constructed soil (T5), and natural soil (T6). Soil samples were collected in 2009 from the 0.00-0.03 m layer, and the TOC and C stocks in the physical particle size fractions (carbon in the coarse fraction - CCF, and mineral-associated carbon - MAC) and density fractions (free light fraction - FLF; occluded light fraction - OLF, and heavy fraction - HF) of OM were determined. The CMI components: carbon pool index (CPI), lability (L) and lability index (LI) were estimated by both fractionation methods. No differences were observed between TOC, CCF and MAC stocks. The lowest C stocks in FLF and OLF fractions were presented by T2, 0.86 and 0.61 Mg ha-1, respectively. The values of TOC stock, C stock in physical fractions and CMI were intermediate, greater than T5 and lower than T6 in all treatments, indicating the partial recovery of soil quality. As a result of the better adaptation of the species Hemarthria and Brizantha, resulting in greater accumulation of labile organic material, the CPI, L, LI and CMI values were higher in these treatments, suggesting a greater potential of these species for recovery of constructed soils.

Avaliação de gramíneas forrageiras na região sul de Minas Gerais

Foram conduzidos dois experimentos na região do sul de Minas Gerais para avaliar o potencial de gramíneas forrageiras. No experimento 1 foram avaliadas as seguintes espécies, consideradas de baixa exigência nutricional: Andropogon gayanus, Kunt; Brachiaria brizantha, Stapf; Brachiaria decumbens, Stapf; Brachiaria ruziziensis, Germain Evrard; Brachiaria humidicola (Rendle) Schweickt e Melinis minutiflora, Beauv. No experimento 2 foram avaliadas as gramíneas consideradas de média e alta exigência nutricional, a saber: Setaria sphacelata (Schum.) Moss; Hemarthria altissima (Poir.) Stapf; Chloris gayana, Kunt; Cynodon nlemfuensis, Vanderyst var. nlemfuensis; Hyparrhenia rufa, (Ness) Stapf. e as cultivares de Panicum maximum, Jacq.: Tobiatã, Green Panic e Makueni. O delineamento experimental foi de blocos ao acaso com três repetições. Os níveis de calagem e de adubação para estabelecimento e manutenção foram diferenciados para os dois experimentos. Cada espécie foi avaliada nos seguintes aspectos: produção de forragem e teor de proteína bruta no período da seca e das chuvas e cobertura vegetal do solo. As gramíneas do experimento 1 que se destacaram na maioria dos aspectos avaliados foram: B. brizantha, B. decumbens, A. gayanus enquanto que no experimento 2 as espécies que apresentaram maior potencial forrageiro foram: S. sphacelata, P. maximum cv. Tobiatã.

Potencial forrageiro de gramíneas em condições de baixas temperaturas e altitude elevada

O experimento foi conduzido no Município de Santo Antônio do Pinhal, localizado na Serra da Mantiqueira na região do Vale do Paraíba, SP, com o objetivo de estudar o potencial de gramíneas forrageiras, para identificar as espécies mais tolerantes ao frio e capazes de proporcionar boa cobertura vegetal ao solo. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos ao acaso, em três repetições, com parcelas de 5 x 5 m. Os tratamentos consistiram de 16 gramíneas forrageiras. As espécies Hemarthria altissima e Setaria anceps se destacaram quanto à taxa mensal de produção de matéria seca, teor de proteína bruta, cobertura vegetal do solo e tolerância a geadas. Portanto, entre as espécies avaliadas, são estas as mais indicadas para a formação de pastagens nas áreas montanhosas da região do Vale do Paraíba.

Soil compressibility and least limiting water range of a constructed soil under cover crops after coal mining in Southern Brazil

The use of cover crops affects the support capacity of soil and least limiting water range to crop growth. The objective of this study was to quantify preconsolidation pressure (sigma(p)), compression index (CI) and least limiting water range (LLWR) of a reclaimed coal mining soil under different cover crops, in Candiota, RS, Brazil. In the experiment, with randomized blocks design and four replicates, the following cover crops (treatments) were evaluated: Hemarthria altissima (Poir.) Stapf & C.E. Hubbard, treatment 1 (T1), Paspalum notatum Flugge, treatment 4 (T4), Cynodon dactilon (L) Pers., treatment 5 (T5), control Brachiaria brizantha (Hochst.) Stapf, treatment 7 (T7) and without cover crop treatment 8 (reference treatment, T8). Soil compression and least limiting water range were evaluated with undisturbed samples at a depth of 0.00-0.05 m. In order to evaluate parameters of soil compressibility, the soil samples were saturated with water and subjected to -10 kPa matric potential and then submitted to a uniaxial compression test under the following pressures: 25, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600 kPa. Cover crops decreased the preconsolidation pressure of constructed soils after coal mining and the greatest soil reclamation was obtained with the H. altissima cover crop, where the lowest degree of soil compactness and soil load capacity were observed. Soils cultivated under H. altissima or B. brizantha presented the highest least limiting water range and these two cover crops generated similar soil critical bulk density obtained by least limiting water range and soil load support capacity. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Estudio cualitativo y cuantitativo de la flora acuática y su importancia en el ecosistema de la Laguna de Olomega, departamento de San Miguel, El Salvador

La Laguna de Olomega, ubicada entre los departamentos de San Miguel y La Unión; a 8 Km. al sur de la carretera Panamericana y a 16 Km. de San Miguel; presenta una rica diversidad florística; ya que con el estudio cualitativo y cuantitativo de la flora acuática, se reportan un total de 207,560 individuos distribuidos en 23 familias, 34 géneros y 37 especies, de las cuales las más representativa fue la familia Gramineae con 6 especies y las más densas las familias Salviniaceae con la especie Salvinia rotundifolia con 182,084 individuos, Hemarthria altisima con 20842, Eicchornia crassipes con 1440 especies. Se determinó que las especies presentes en la Laguna de Olomega se desarrollan en tres tipos de hábitat: emergente, flotante, riparia y sumergida. De las cuatro mencionadas, las riparias reportan 25 especies; entre las cuales existen algunas que son acuáticas y otras que se han adaptado a dicho medio. Se describen botánicamente cada una de las especies más representativas en el ecosistema de la Laguna de Olomega, siendo en total dieciséis. Esta investigación se realizó en un período de 8 semanas (época seca y lluviosa), en el cual se desarrollaron 15 muestreos utilizando el método del transecto con el método del cuadrado. El área de estudio fue de 15,000 m2; para ello se dividió el cuerpo de agua en 4 cuadrantes con base a los puntos cardinales y se colocó en cada uno de ellos 4 transectos