ABSTRACT Since the industrial revolution, human activities have emitted approximately 2,500 Gt of CO2, increasing the concentration of atmospheric CO2 by 50 % compared to pre-industrial levels. To better understand the potential for mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through proper management of degraded pasture areas, we conducted a systematic literature review and identified 23 publications reporting carbon sequestration values for pastures managed under different conditions in the south and southeast regions of Brazil. From this dataset, 17 publications considered to […]

ABSTRACT: The study of soils, including their physical and chemical properties, is essential for agricultural management. Soil quality must be maintained to ensure sustainable production of food and conservation of natural resources. In this context, soil mapping is important to provide spatial information, which can be performed using remote sensing (RS) techniques. Modeling through use of satellite data is uncertain regarding the amplitude of replicability of the models. The aim of this study was to develop a quantification model for […]

ABSTRACT Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) is a fast and cheap alternative for soil clay, but needs further investigation to assess the scope of application. The purpose of the study was to develop a linear regression model to predict clay content from DRS data, to classify the soils into three textural classes, similar to those defined by a regulation of the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply. The DRS data of 412 soil samples, from the 0.0-0.5 m layer, […]

Since the 70s, spectroscopic techniques, especially those with infrared radiation (NIRS -Near Infrared Spectroscopy and DRIFTS – Diffuse Reflectance Fourier Transformed Spectroscopy) have been proposed for inorganic soil analysis, but only few methods found routine use in Brazil so far. This fact is probably due to the difficulty in building calibration models based on multivariate tools with real soil samples that have a complex composition that varies geographically and according to the management. The objective of this study was to […]

The adoption of no-tillage systems (NT) and the maintenance of crop residues on the soil surface result in the long-term increase of carbon (C) in the system, promoting C sequestration and reducing C-CO2 emissions to the atmosphere. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the C sequestration rate and the minimum amount of crop residues required to maintain the dynamic C equilibrium (dC/dt = 0) of two soils (Typic Hapludox) with different textural classes. The experiment was arranged in […]

The dispersion of the samples in soil particle-size analysis is a fundamental step, which is commonly achieved with a combination of chemical agents and mechanical agitation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of a low-speed reciprocal shaker for the mechanical dispersion of soil samples of different textural classes. The particle size of 61 soil samples was analyzed in four replications, using the pipette method to determine the clay fraction and sieving to determine coarse, fine and […]

The use of mass (g) or volume (cm3) as a measure of the amount of soil for determination of soil organic matter (SOM), as well as methods of quantitative analysis used for the same purpose, can directly affect the interpretation of results. Therefore, the methods of titulometric and colorimetric determination of organic matter were compared in three soils with different texture, sampling the soil based on mass and on volume. The organic matter content determined for a same soil differed […]

Tannery wastes generation is increasing every year and a suitable method for tannery sludge management is necessary in order to decrease this environmental problem. The composting is recognized as a suitable method for sludge recycling.. The effect of tannery sludge compost (TSC) rates on growth, nodulation and N fixation of cowpea was investigated. Sandy and clayey soils were amended with TSC at rates of 0, 7.5, 15, 30, and 60 t ha-1. The shoot dry weight of cowpea plants 45 […]

Particle size distribution (PSD) in the soil profile is strongly related to erosion, deposition, and physical and chemical processes. Water cycling and plant growth are also affected by PSD. Material sedimented upstream of the dam constructions formed large areas of deposited farmland (DF) soils on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP), which has been the site of the most severe soil erosion in the world. Two DFs without tillage on the CLP were chosen to study the combined effect of erosion […]

The agricultural potential of Latosols of the Brazilian Cerrado region is high, but when intensively cultivated under inappropriate management systems, the porosity can be seriously reduced, leading to rapid soil degradation. Consequently, accelerated erosion and sedimentation of springs and creeks have been observed. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate structural changes of Latosols in Rio Verde, Goiás, based on the Least Limiting Water Range (LLWR), and relationships between LLWR and other physical properties. Soil samples were collected […]