Soil management can have effects on nutrient availability and fruit yield. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of phytomass management forms of different cover crop species on soil chemical properties related to organic matter, nutrient availability, and on grapevine yields. The experiment was carried out in Embrapa Uva e Vinho, in Bento Gonçalves, RS, in Southern Brazil, on a Haplic Cambissol, in a vineyard established in 1989, using White and Rose Niagara grape in a horizontal […]

The protective effect of cations, especially Ca and Mg, against aluminum (Al) rhizotoxicity has been extensively investigated in the last decades. The mechanisms by which the process occurs are however only beginning to be elucidated. Six experiments were carried out here to characterize the protective effect of Mg application in relation to timing, location and crop specificity: Experiment 1 – Protective effect of Mg compared to Ca; Experiment 2 – Protective effect of Mg on distinct root classes of 15 […]

The determination of structural characteristics of humic substances (HS) is essential to understand the behavior of surface chemistry of highly weathered soils. Humic acids (HA) and fulvic acids (FA) isolated from the surface horizon of seven Oxisols of different locations of Brazil were characterized by analyses of elemental composition, total and carboxylic acidity, oxidation capacity and spectroscopic techniques. The oxidation degree of the humic substances was high, while acidity and molecular weight were relatively low, indicating a very reactive alkaline […]

The cohesion of hardsetting horizons of Brazilian soils has been mainly associated to inter-related physical and chemical factors, but an influence of mineralogical and crystallographic properties of clay minerals was also suggested by some researchers. In this study we tested the possibility that clay fraction of hardsetting horizons of soils from the Barreiras sediments of Coastal Tablelands are predominantly kaolinitic and highly crystalline and organized, which can favor a face-to-face arrangement of the crystals. The purpose of this study was […]

Knowledge on the surface runoff in watersheds is very important for a good conservation of natural resources. However, surface runoff is a complex and dynamic process, especially in the context of spatial variability. An application of the Geographical Information System (GIS) tools in small grid cells is therefore adequate. This way, it is possible to consider the spatial behavior of variables associated to the origin of surface runoff. This study aimed to program the Hydrological Models SCS-CN (SCS-Curve Number) and […]

Considering that Brazil and many other countries with tropical ecosystems need to enhance methods of embankment cover, it is necessary to study the enhancement of available erosion control means. The study objective was to evaluate the efficiency of three commercial erosion mats: MacMat®, Fibrax® and Tela Biotêxtil® in rainfall surface erosion protection. The experiment was carried out between December 2003 and March 2004 on an embankment of a road section in Viçosa, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Surface runoff from the […]

Campos Gerais in the State of Paraná (Brazil) is an important region of milk production and consequently of cattle slurry. The purposes of this study were: (a) to evaluate losses of water, soil, total P, soluble P and particulate P under simulated rainfall performed immediately after the application of 0, 30, 60 and 90 m3 ha-1 cattle slurry on a Red-Yellow Latossol (Ferralsol) under no-tillage system, and (b) to discuss the possible impacts on water quality. Slurry application increased the surface runoff […]

Adequate management of nitrogen fertilizer is one of the main difficulties on common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) crop. However, the biological N2 fixation is an alternative source of N supply to this crop. This study had the purpose to evaluate the response of common bean to rhizobium inoculation and split application of N fertilizer in terms of plant nodulation and grain yield. Besides, this study aimed to evaluate the economic viability of using N fertilizer application and/or rhizobium inoculation on […]

In view of the high cost of fertilizers and the importance of mineral nutrition on the technology level used by rice producers for yields in southern Brazil, the use of evaluation techniques of the nutritional status, such as foliar diagnosis has become essential. Among the methods for nutritional plant diagnosis, the Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System (DRIS) stands out, which is based on the concept of nutrient balance. The objective of this study was to establish a DRIS reference norm […]

With the expansion of the sugar/alcohol sector, the native vegetation was removed from soils with few limitations as well as with great risks for intensive cultivation and the areas incorporated in the production process. Therefore, the adoption of management systems that maintain the soil structure may be a key for the maintenance of the quality and sustainability of sugarcane production systems. The objective of this study was therefore to evaluate the use potential for sugarcane and structural quality of a […]