No-tillage systems can change the ratio between soil acidity components and crop yields over the course of time. High crop yields are not seldom observed in highly acid soils. The liming criteria established for conventional tillage soils are likely to be unsuitable for no-tillage soils. The objective of this report was to define liming criteria, based on the yield response to different soil acidity levels and layers in no-tillage systems. Six plantations were sampled in the Planalto region of the […]

Nitrogen fertilization applied as sidedressing in corn can be optimized by considering additional soil characteristics as complementary indicators of soil N availability. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the potential use, critical level and best sampling time of the soil nitrate (NO3–-N) concentration to predict soil N availability in corn, as well as to verify if the determination of the soil ammonium (NH4+-N) concentration, in addition to NO3–-N concentration, enhances the efficiency of N availability evaluation. A field […]

No-tillage systems, associated to black oat as preceding cover crop, have been increasingly adopted. This has motivated anticipated maize nitrogen fertilization, transferring it from the side-dress system at the stage when plants have five to six expanded leaves to when the preceding cover crop is eliminated or to maize sowing. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of soil tillage system and timing of N fertilization on maize grain yield and agronomic efficiency of N applied to a soil […]

The mechanical penetration resistance of a soil strongly influences plant development since the root growth as well as the crop yield change inversely proportional to its value. The bean grain yield (GY) and the penetration resistance (PR) in a Dystrophic Red Latosol (Rhodic Ustox) located at the Experimental Station of the Faculdade de Engenharia/UNESP in Ilha Solteira county, São Paulo State, Brazil (22 º 23 ‘ latitude S; 51 º 27 ‘ longitude W), were analyzed in the crop year 2001/2002. The main objective was to work out […]

With the objective of evaluating the effect of nitrogen doses (N) on the grain yield and the behavior of components involved in the N use efficiency of white oat (Avena sativa L.), a field experiment was conducted with four oat cultivars (CTC 5, UFRGS 15, UFRGS 19, and UPF 18), combined with four levels of N fertilization (0, 24, 48, and 73 kg ha-1). The experiment had a randomized block design with three replications, and was carried out on a Typic Hapludalf soil, with 26.7 g dm-3 of […]

The objective of monitoring the adequate nitrogen (N) content in maize is to determine when a nutrient application becomes necessary, since the use of high doses of this nutrient may contaminate superficial and underground waters with nitrate. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the chlorophyll content in leaves, measured by a chlorophyll meter, as an indicator of the N level in maize, at four growth stages, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, during the growing season 1999/2000. […]

This study was carried out to assess the influence of winter plant cover on the grain yield in the bean/maize crop rotation in a Structured Terra Roxa soil in the state of Santa Catarina. The plant cover consisted of an association of black oats (Avena stirgosa Schreb) with pasture turnip (Raphanus sativus L.) and organic fertilization with poultry manure and mineral fertilization. The soil cover influenced the grain yield in the bean plant, but not the maize. This may have […]

Supplying capacity, response to fertilization and residual effect of K fertilization were evaluated in a twelve-year soybean field experiment on a Haplohumox soil, in Campos Novos, State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Treatments consisted of: four levels of K2O (0, 80, 160 and 320 kg ha-1), applied only in the first cropping, on the whole plots; three levels of K2O (0, 40 and 80 kg ha-1), applied annually in the sub-plots from the fifth year; one treatment with application of 40 […]