ABSTRACT Pineapple is a nutrient-demanding plant and information regarding the amounts accumulated in its organs is essential in decision-making for management practices and fertilization recommendations. This study aimed to determine the macronutrient absorption during the plant cycle of pineapple cv. BRS Imperial that was cultivated in sandy loam soil with and without plastic mulch cover. Plants were grown at a spacing of 0.9 × 0.4 × 0.4 m, 38,460 plants per hectare, irrigated by drip and fertilized according to soil […]

Soil management strategies to improve and maintain soil physical quality (SPhQ) are essential for the sustainability of intensive agricultural systems. The least limiting water range (LLWR) is an indicator of SPhQ defined by the range of least restrictive soil water content to plants, i.e., a soil water content within the LLWR indicates an appropriate SPhQ for plants. In this context, soil mulching with crop residues can contribute to the SPhQ by increasing the frequency at which soil water availability is […]

There are great concerns about degradation of agricultural soils. It has been suggested that cultivating different plant species intercropped with coffee plants can increase microbial diversity and enhance soil sustainability. The objective of this study was to evaluate enzyme activity (urease, arylsulfatase and phosphatase) and alterations in C and N mineralization rates as related to different legume cover crops planted between rows of coffee plants. Soil samples were collected in a field experiment conducted for 10 years in a sandy […]