ABSTRACT Sustainable agricultural systems, such as integrated crop-livestock systems under no-tillage, represent effective strategies for improving the soil microbiota, promoting nutrient cycling, and leading to gains in crop yield. Despite that, little is known about maintaining yield only through microbiological pathways for accessing nutrient reserves (without mineral fertilization) in established systems. This study aimed to evaluate whether the absence of mineral fertilization for two consecutive years and grazing activity affect soil microbial activity. An additional aim was to evaluate whether […]

The use of rock phosphates, combined with proper management of soil microorganisms able to solubilize phosphate, is an alternative for reducing the costs of P fertilization. However, both practices require prior assessment of the potential of the rhizospheric microbiota in solubilizing P sources with low reactivity under field conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of soil microbes to solubilize Ca, Fe, and Al phosphates, as well as Araxá and Catalão rock phosphates, in rhizospheric and […]

Preharvest burning is widely used in Brazil for sugarcane cropping. However, due to environmental restrictions, harvest without burning is becoming the predominant option. Consequently, changes in the microbial community are expected from crop residue accumulation on the soil surface, as well as alterations in soil metabolic diversity as of the first harvest. Because biological properties respond quickly and can be used to monitor environmental changes, we evaluated soil metabolic diversity and bacterial community structure after the first harvest under sugarcane […]

The addition of organic residue byproducts in the soil may lead to changes in the dynamics of soil organic matter, influencing the activity and the use of C by microorganisms in the soil. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the application of increasing rates of a byproduct from a coffee agroindustry on the biological properties of two soils with different clay contents as a function of incubation time. A randomized block experimental design was used […]

The use of cover crops has been suggested as an effective method to maintain and/or increase the organic matter content, while maintaining and/or enhancing the soil physical, chemical and biological properties. The fertility of Cerrado soils is low and, consequently, phosphorus levels as well. Phosphorus is required at every metabolic stage of the plant, as it plays a role in the processes of protein and energy synthesis and influences the photosynthetic process. This study evaluated the influence of cover crops […]

Self-sustaining systems encourage microbial populations due to the conservation and improvement of organic matter in the soil. In addition, the plants constituents of these systems produce the rhizospheric effect through the influence zone of the roots, increasing activity and modifying the microbial population. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of winter crop rotation and summer crop sequences in a no tillage system, based on biochemical (amylase, urease, cellulase, and protease) and chemical (organic carbon, total carbohydrates, […]

The intensive use of soils in the Cerrado biome has caused modifications in soil properties, as well as in the performance and quality of organic matter. The Cerrado of Piauí has been exploited without due concern for the preservation of natural resources, where production systems are characterized by intensive land use. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of the agricultural use in altering the biological properties and dynamics of organic matter of Yellow Oxisols cultivated with […]

Agricultural activity, by the application of different soil management practices, can cause impacts on soil production capacity that need to be assessed. In this study, different microbiological parameters were evaluated, to assess the relation of soil quality with different tillage practices and crop systems, in comparison to a natural reference soil. The activities of β-glucosidase, urease, acid phosphatase and arylsulphatase were evaluated, as well as soil microbial respiratory activity and microbial biomass. Conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT) were evaluated […]

To mitigate soil erosion and enhance soil fertility in orange plantations, the permanent protection of the inter-rows by cover species has been suggested. The objective of this study was to evaluate alterations in the microbial biomass, due to different soil tillage systems and intercropped cover species between rows of orange trees. The soil of the experimental area previously used as pasture (Brachiaria humidicola) was an Ultisol (Typic Paleudult) originating from Caiuá sandstone in the northwestern part of the State of […]

To mitigate the impacts of eucalypt monoculture, forestry companies in the Upper Jequitinhonha Valley (MG) have adopted the insertion of strips of native vegetation in-between the commercial plantations. The method used for the creation of these corridors is to allow spontaneous regrowth of native vegetation in areas previously under eucalypt. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of cover crops on microbial and soil properties for a detailed description of the restoration process of native vegetation in […]