Compaction is one of the most destructive factors of soil quality, however the effects on the microbial community and enzyme activity have not been investigated in detail so far. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of soil compaction caused by the traffic of agricultural machines on the soil microbial community and its enzyme activity. Six compaction levels were induced by tractors with different weights driving over a Eutrustox soil and the final density was measured. Soil […]

The effect of grazing pressure in sheep production has been studied, but not in relation to soil microbiological parameters or the consequences on soil fertility. The effect of grazing pressure (GP) by sheep on biomass and microbial activity related to C and N compounds cycling in subtropical region soil was studied. Soil samples were collected from the 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm layers in pastures with low GP (5 animals ha-1), high GP (40-50 animals ha-1) and in absence of […]

The effectiveness of the nitrogen supplying to bean plants as fertilizer and, or, as biological nitrogen fixation, and the dependence of these processes on molibdenum availability is still a not well solved problem. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of foliar application of Mo on nitrogenase and nitrate reductase activities and on productivity of beans cultivated on a Red Yellow Podzolic, in Coimbra, MG (Brazil). The treatments consisted of increasing rates of foliar application of Mo […]