Soil structure plays a prominent role in plant growth and erosion control, and consequently in food production and soil and water conservation. This research was developed with the objective of implementing and accompanying the restoration process of the structure of a degraded soil, by planting crop sequences under no-tillage (autumn-winter and spring-summer, grass and legume, in single and intercropped systems), and later verifying the relations with water and soil losses caused by rainfall erosion, under distinct surface physical conditions (untilled […]

Of all nutrients, N has the strongest effect on grass growth and an adequate N fertilization can reduce the time required for the formation of high-quality mats. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of N fertilization on Bermuda grass sod production and quality. The experiment was conducted in an area of commercial sod production, in Capela do Alto, state of São Paulo. Cynodon dactylon (Pers) L., known as Bermuda grass, was evaluated in a randomized complete block design with […]

Soil roughness is influenced by soil management, particularly by soil tillage and mainly reduced by rainfall action. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of different systems of soil management and artificial rainfall application on soil surface roughness. The treatments were a result of the combination of three systems: no-tillage, conventional tillage and minimum tillage, with three levels of dry soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill): residue: 0; 2; and 4 Mg ha-1. Experimental units received artificial rain (seven rains), at […]

Increasing underground plant biomass and soil aggregate stability by application of adequate management practices enhances the quality in terms of water infiltration and erosion resistance. Based on this premise, an erosion study using simulated rainfall was carried out in the field, at an experimental station of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul – EEA/UFRGS), in Eldorado do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, in the summer of 2003/2004, in a 7.5 year soil management experiment. The purpose […]

Among the different forms of water erosion, interrill erosion is one of the most deleterious to the productivity of soils used in agriculture, causing losses of soil, water and nutrients. This study sought to evaluate the efficiency of environmental protection by the Shrub cover types caatinga, Guandu (Cajanus cajan) and sweet potato (Ipomoea potatoes Lam) as compared to bare soil, as well as the effect of these crops on the interrill erosion and hydraulic properties of surface runoff in a […]

Brazil is the world’s largest sugarcane producer, so changes in sugarcane management in Brazil can affect the environment to a great extent. During almost one century, studies were carried out in cropping systems involving pre-harvest burning of aerial sugarcane residues. Nowadays the green trash management of sugarcane residues has become a common practice, although the effects are still poorly documented. The objective of this work was to compare topsoil carbon and nitrogen stocks, aggregation and bulk density in Brazilian sugarcane […]

In this study the split application of nitrogen and the maize crop pre-sowing nitrogen application under a no-tillage system followed by black oat, with two rainfall regimes were evaluated. Treatments were: (a) application of 150 kg ha-1 of N in pre-sowing and 30 kg ha-1 of N at sowing with 1997/98 “El-Niño” rainfall applications; (b) nitrogen application, being 30 kg ha-1 of N at sowing, and 30 kg ha-1 of N at 31 and 57 days after emergency (DAE), with “El-Niño” rainfall applications; (c) without N application and “El-Niño” […]

Crop residue in direct contact with the soil surface is very effective in dissipating the energy of raindrop impact on soil, being also a physical barrier against interrill overland flow. The presence of these residues may strongly affect the interrill soil erosion process. A study was carried out with the objective of evaluating the relationship between interrill erosion and amounts of crop residue in direct contact with soil surface and to verify the differences in this relationship for corn and […]

Soil water infiltration rate may be the soil property which best reflects the general soil physical conditions, especially the structural quality. A field study was conducted at the Embrapa Trigo, Passo Fundo, Brasil in an Oxisol under long-term soil tillage systems, to evaluate the influence of these systems on soil water infiltration rate as a function of the soil cover and soil physical conditions caused by the different tillage systems. During a corn cropping period, a simulated rainfall with intensity of […]

The best measures of crop residue quality for soil protection against erosion are the percentage of soil cover and its persistence on the soil surface. These two variables, in turn, may be strongly affected by soil tillage. This study was carried out in Rio Grande do Sul State, Southern Brazil (30°06’S; 51°39’W). Crop residue mulch persistence was evaluated over a fallow period, following the harvest of a soybean crop. Three conservation tillage methods (chiseling, disking, and no-till) were used as […]