In a no-tillage system, cover crops must be used that combine shoot dry matter production and nutrient recycling. The aim of this study was to evaluate shoot dry matter production, decomposition rate and macronutrient and silicon release from pigeonpea and pearl millet in monoculture and intercropping systems. A randomized block design was used with a 3 x 6 factorial arrangement, with four replications. The first factor consisted of three cover crops (pigeonpea, pearl millet and intercropping of these cover crops) […]

The use and management of Quartzipsamments can influence soil organic matter (SOM), but the magnitude of these variations for the specific conditions in the Cerrado (savanna-like vegetation) is still poorly studied. The aim of this work was to study the variations in SOM in a Quartzipsamment, after the conversion of native vegetation to cropland (soybean-millet rotation). Soil was sampled from 0-5, 0-10, 0-20 and 0-40 cm depths of a commercial field in Alto Garças, Mato Grosso, Brazil, of plots under […]

Currently research verified that glyphosate or ammonium glufosinate herbicides use for cover crop desiccation in conservationist systems may reduce N amount in straw. The aim of this study was to evaluate nitrogen mineralization in millet straw after glyphosate or ammonium glufosinate application and the N uptake by corn plants. A complete randomized design was used with six treatments and five replications, in a 3 x 2 factorial scheme: cover crop management (without herbicide application, glyphosate or ammonium glufosinate desiccation) and soil type […]

The objective of this experiment was to compare the ability of soybean (Glycine max), corn (Zea mays), Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu and pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) for P-uptake, at different levels of the Alvorada natural rock phosphate, under controlled conditions. The soil used was a dystrophic Hapludalf (180 g kg-1 clay), which was limed and fertilized with N, K and micronutrients. The crops were grown in 18 dm3 pots for 50 days in a greenhouse, at different P2O5 rates (0, […]

In São Paulo State, the autumn – winter seasons rainfall distribution restriction as well as high temperatures constitute a serious limitation for soil surface covering and crop production. For this reason it is very important to study alternatives for the no tillage system establishment in that State, specially for biomass production and for adequate management for better mulching in amount enough to improve soil physical quality and organic matter content. This study was carried out at the Lageado Experimental Station […]

Pearl millet is usually grown in periods when water is deficient in soil; a fact that possibly affects the K uptake. The experiment in Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil, was conducted to evaluate the effects of soil water content (-0.03;-0.05;-0.10 and -0.50 MPa) associated with K rates (15 and 120 mg dm-3 of K) on the K mass flow and diffusion to pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) Leek) roots in greenhouse conditions. In pots with soil from the arable layer of a Red […]