The use of legume cover crops contributes to soil conservation and would be an economical N source to maize. Since only winter legumes were evaluated in southern Brazil, this study was carried out to assess the effect of four intercropped summer species (Canavalia ensiformis, Cajanus cajan, Stizolobium niveum and Glycine sp.) on N supply and maize yield increase, in comparison with a control treatment, without legume cover crops. Cropping system effects on maize crop were evaluated under three mineral N […]

Seeds of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) with high P concentration, obtained from plants which had received foliar fertilization, were used in a greenhouse experiment to evaluate the effects of seed P concentration on growth and nodulation of common bean during the vegetative stage.The experiment had a 2x2x 3×3 factorial randomized block design with four replicates: two cultivars (Carioca and Rio Tibagi), two seed P concentrations (low and high, corresponding to 4.3 and 5.6mgg-1 for Carioca, and 4.8 and 6.3mgg-1 […]

The movement of nitrate in soil percolate was evaluated in a field experiment using a Typic Hapludox cultivated with sugarcane and amended with urban compost waste or inorganic fertilizer. The experiment, conducted during the years of 1996/97 and 1997/98, had the following treatments: lime + inorganic fertilization, and control and urban compost waste applied in three levels: 20, 40 and 60 Mg ha-1 (dry weight basis). In the second year (1997/98), the urban compost waste was applied to soil in […]

Legumes cover-crops represent a good alternative to supply N as well as to improve yield of commercial crops. The acceptance of this technique by growers and extension agents, however, depends on its economical advantage in relation to traditional systems. In this study, the effect of four summer legumes cover-crops (Canavalia ensiformis, Cajanus cajan, Stizolobium niveum and Glycine sp), was evaluated in association with three N rates (0, 60 and 120 kg ha-1), on the net income of corn. Two medium-term […]

This study analyzes homogenous stands of Eucalyptus grandis and Pinus caribaea var. hondurensis in different growth stages as well as fragments of natural vegetation of “Cerrado” and Atlantic Forest. The climatic, edaphic and floristic conditions of the chosen areas are representative of the native forests and forest plantations established at the Western plateau of the state of São Paulo. Soil samples (0-15 cm) were incubated under aerobic and anaerobic laboratory conditions by successive periods of 3, 3, 4, 4, 6 […]

Black oats and common vetch are the main winter cover crops in southern Brazil. Grass-legume bicultures grown as winter cover crops are rarely used by farmers, although they can provide a more balanced biomass C/N ratio than single crops, besides erosion control and N supply to corn. In order to evaluate this hypothesis, this work was carried out on a Hapludalf with a sandy-loam texture, located at the Federal University of Santa Maria (RS). The treatments comprised different seeding density […]

Nitrogen top dressing period affects wheat grain yields and should occur at the stages when yield potential is established. In order to determine the critical stages related to N needs, field experiments were conducted at Estação Experimental Agronômica/UFRGS, Eldorado do Sul (RS), Brazil, in 1993, 1994 and 1995. Wheat cultivars BR 23 (1993 and 1994) and Embrapa 16 (1995) were sown by the end of June at 300 seeds m-2. Nitrogen treatments (40 kg ha-1) were applied at the following stages: (a) plant emergence, (b) […]

A field experiment was conducted in the state of Paraná, Brazil, to evaluate the effect of liming on soil acidity, soil nutrient availability and yields of maize and soybeans on a Red Latosol (Oxysol), which had been cultivated for three, six and nine years under no-tillage (NT). Lime was broadcasted to the soil surface in four rates- 0, 33.3, 66.7 and 100% of the amount calculated to increase the soil base saturation (V%) to 70%; an additional treatment consisted of […]

An experiment was carried out under greenhouse conditions to evaluate the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and, or rhizobium inoculation, with the addition of industrial waste from lactic acid production (Ferkal), on the growth of Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia. Plastic pots of 6 L of capacity were used, filled with degraded soil from clay extraction areas with four levels of the Ferkal residue (0, 50, 100 and 200 g dm-3). Six microbiological treatments were conducted: indigenous AMF; AMF Glomus clarum; rhizobium; indigenous AMF + Rhizobium; […]

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 […]