ABSTRACT In some rural properties of Brazil, soil and water conservation practices are partially or inappropriately implemented, intensifying soil erosion, even in no-tillage (NT) areas. This study aimed to check the farmer’s understanding of conservation agriculture (CA) and assess whether they are using practices appropriate to soil conservation. A basin in the state of Paraná, in Southern Brazil, was selected. Surveys were conducted based on a structured questionnaire and in-person interviews of 234 farmers. Among these farmers, 67 % do […]

Surface roughness of the soil is formed by mechanical tillage and is also influenced by the kind and amount of plant residue, among other factors. Its persistence over time mainly depends on the fundamental characteristics of rain and soil type. However, few studies have been developed to evaluate these factors in Latossolos (Oxisols). In this study, we evaluated the effect of soil tillage and of amounts of plant residue on surface roughness of an Oxisol under simulated rain. Treatments consisted […]

The Brazilian semi-arid region has limited production capacity, due to its intrinsic characteristics in relation to vegetation, climate, and soil. Soil cover, a recommended practice for this region, increases infiltration, providing for better use of rainwater, and contributing to crop development by reducing water loss through runoff. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different types of soil cover in maintaining soil moisture under natural rainfall conditions, as well as to evaluate the […]

The soil cover by crop residues dissipates the kinetic energy of raindrops, while, the surface roughness dissipates the kinetic energy of runoff, therefore, both store water and retain sediments on surface, decreasing water erosion. The objective of this study was to determine the persistence and the influence of crop residues and surface roughness in cultivated soil on soil and water losses, compared to bare and uncovered soil under the following treatments: i) cultivated soil: covered by ryegrass mulch (Lolium multiflorum), […]

Nutrients accumulated in dry crop residues and released in the decomposition process return to the soil and may become available to subsequent crops. The objective of this study was to evaluate the decomposition and nutrient release of plant residues of different no-tillage crop sequences in the second growing season. A field experiment was carried out on a Rhodic Eutrudox in Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil (48°18’W and 21°15’S), arranged in a randomized split-block design with three replications. The treatments consisted of combinations […]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of successively repeated precipitation patterns applied to bare and to covered soil, to quantify their effect on the formation of a soil crust and, consequently, on the soil water infiltration rate (Ti). Three rainfall events were simulated in 24 h intervals, with constant, decreasing exponential, early and late double exponential precipitation patterns, at a rainwater amount corresponding to 55 mm. The decrease factor of the infiltration rate (Ti) was adjusted […]

Although a number of studies related to environmental issues address air pollution, the increased use of biotechnology and mechanical harvesting of sugar cane, less attention has been paid to the negative environmental impacts caused by laminar erosion. This study aimed to determine the levels of organic matter (OM) and nutrients (P, K, Ca and Mg) in sediment and runoff water from interrill erosion from different sugarcane harvest systems (green and burnt cane), on a loamy Dystrophic Red Latosol (Oxisol). The […]

A change in the type of land use, if not properly planned and conducted, may result in soils with diminished production capacity and increased erosion susceptibility, which will reduce crop yields and hamper soil and water conservation. This study had the purpose of investigating the soil erosion caused by rainfall in an originally native pasture area, in the second and third year of cultivation of two annual row crops (respectively, cowpea – Vigna unguiculata – and shorgum – Shorgum bicolor), […]

In regions with water stress, irrigation methods that optimize water application to crops are required for agricultural production. Knowledge on soil water storage in the soil rooting zone during an agricultural crop cycle is essential for water and soil management. The objective of this study was to evaluate water storage in an Inceptisol under drip-irrigated muskmelon, with and without soil cover. The experiment was carried out in the Apodi Tableland, county of Baraúna, state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil […]

Rainfall in the semiarid region of Pernambuco is characterized by irregular distribution in time and space, which significantly hinders the rainfed agriculture in the region. This work aims to evaluate the temporal profile of soil moisture in the semiarid region of the Pernambuco State (Brazil) and the effect of different soil surface conditions on soil water content variation and the yield of rainfed beans. To monitor soil water content, five plots 4.5 m wide by 11 m long were installed in a […]