ABSTRACT Paddy rice production based on traditional soil management emits large amounts of methane (CH4) into the atmosphere. This study assessed the potential of no-tillage (NT) and winter cover crops (WCC) to mitigate net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in a subtropical paddy rice ecosystem. A long-term (20-yrs) experiment was evaluated regarding the effect of NT combined with winter fallow or three WCC (ryegrass, white oat, and birdsfoot trefoil) on seasonal CH4 -C and nitrous oxide (N2O-N) emissions and on soil […]

Most studies related to soil aggregation associate the effect of managements or land use types with the organic matter content. However, a direct evaluation of microorganisms and their processes in undisturbed soil allows a better understanding of the real effect of different managements. The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes induced by different types of land use (pasture, eucalyptus forest, araucaria forest, conventional tillage with carrot, and conventional tillage with pumpkin) on soil chemical properties (pH, Ca, […]

One of the expected benefits of no-tillage systems is a higher rate of soil C sequestration. However, higher C retention in soil is not always apparent when no-tillage is applied, due e.g., to substantial differences in soil type and initial C content. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of no-tillage management to increase the stock of total organic C in soils of the Pampas region in Argentina. Forty crop fields under no-tillage and conventional tillage […]

Conservational management systems increase the content of soil organic C and N. However, their effects on the light fractions of the soil organic matter (SOM) are not very well known, particularly under tropical climate conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of soil tillage systems on the distribution of light fraction (free and intra-aggregate) organic matter in a Red Latosol (Rhodic Haplustox) cultivated with vegetable crops. The study site was located in Paty do Alferes (Rio […]

Soil pans caused by tillage operation may restrict root growth thus reducing yield. Physical properties of soil such as bulk density and soil strength have been used as parameters for management decision in order to promote root growth. This work was carried out to evaluate the relationship among these soil parameters and root growth, in a 7 year field experiment with five soil tillage systems and soybean (Glycine Max L.). The tillage systems combined summer and autumn tillage with disk […]

The association of conservation tillage with cover crops is an important tool for improving soil quality. When legumes are used as cover crops there is an increase in nitrogen (N) availability for the first crop in succession (immediate effect). However, the long term use of legumes as cover crop increases soil N availability (residual effect). This long-term experiment was carried out to evaluate the immediate effect and residual effect of cover crops on a Paleadulf from Rio Grande do Sul, […]