Modern agriculture techniques have a great impact on crops and soil quality, especially by the increased machinery traffic and weight. Several devices have been developed for determining soil properties in the field, aimed at managing compacted areas. Penetrometry is a widely used technique; however, there are several types of penetrometers, which have different action modes that can affect the soil resistance measurement. The objective of this study was to compare the functionality of two penetrometry methods (manual and automated mode) […]

Nitrogen fertilization is a major component of the cost of agricultural production, due to the high cost and low efficiency of fertilizers. In the case of urea, the low efficiency is mainly due to losses by volatilization, which are more pronounced in cultivation systems in which plant residues are left on the soil. The objective of this work was to compare the influence of urea coated with sulfur or boric acid and copper sulfate with conventional N fertilizers on N […]

The soil CO2 emission has high spatial variability because it depends strongly on soil properties. The purpose of this study was to (i) characterize the spatial variability of soil respiration and related properties, (ii) evaluate the accuracy of results of the ordinary kriging method and sequential Gaussian simulation, and (iii) evaluate the uncertainty in predicting the spatial variability of soil CO2 emission and other properties using sequential Gaussian simulations. The study was conducted in a sugarcane area, using a regular […]

Obtaining information about soil properties under different agricultural uses to plan soil management is very important with a view to sustainability in the different agricultural systems. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in certain indicators of the physical quality of a dystrophic Red Latosol (Oxisol) under different agricultural uses. The study was conducted in an agricultural area located in northern Paraná State. Dystrophic Red Latosol samples were taken from four sites featuring different types of land use […]

The use of sewage sludge in Brazilian agriculture was regulated by the resolution no. 375 Conama, in 2006. However, there is a lack of research to adequate the mineral N and P fertilizer doses to be applied in agricultural fields treated with this residue. In a field experiment, the effects of application rates of sewage sludge and mineral N and P fertilizers on the productivity and technical characteristics of the cane-plant and first ratoon (residual effect) crops were evaluated. Four […]

Accelerated soil erosion is a serious global problem that degrades agriculture lands. Since erosion research is normally expensive and time-consuming, the use of models allows to estimate soil losses at locations and under conditions not represented directly in the research. The objective of this study was to estimate the soil erosion in an area intensively cultivated with sugarcane near the city of Piracicaba, São Paulo, contributing to diagnose the current land uses aimed at controlling erosion. The study was carried […]

Soil water content and management systems can promote changes in compressibility parameters. The objective of this research was to study the effects that water content and sugarcane management systems have on the compaction degree and compressibility parameters of a cohesive Yellow Argisol. Four sites were selected in the surroundings of the sugar mill Triunfo, in the state of Alagoas, Brazil; one site with irrigation and a second without irrigation, a third with vinasse application and a fourth under native forest, […]

Different sugarcane management systems on soils of coastal tablelands can cause alterations in their original soil structure. Effects of the different sugarcane management systems on the properties of a cohesive Yellow Argisol were studied in four areas of the Triunfo sugar mill in Alagoas State, Brazil. The treatments consisted of a site with and without cultivation irrigation each, one site with vinasse application and another under undisturbed native forest. Samples were collected at depths of 0-0.2, 0.2-0.4 and 0.4-0.8 m to […]

The shear tension and soil cohesion are important soil physical properties. They are affected by management systems and the content of Fe, Si and Al oxides in the soil. The effects of different sugarcane management systems on the shear tension, angle of internal friction, soil cohesion, and the contents of Fe, Si and Al oxides in a Cohesive Yellow Argisol were studied in four areas of the Triunfo mill in Alagoas State, Brazil. The treatments consisted of an area cultivated […]

Six soil profiles were selected in a drained lowland área at Coruripe sugarmill aiming to study chemical properties of acid sulfate soils occurring in the fluvial plain of the Coruripe river valley, Alagoas State, Brazil. The soils were morphologically characterized and samples were taken from each horizon to determine chemical properties of soil and saturation extract, using dry and wet samples (field conditions). A greenhouse liming experiment was carried out with compound samples collected at the sites of two selected […]