Accelerated soil erosion, a process basically induced by human activities contributes greatly to the degradation of arable land quality throughout the world, and is the main non-point source of surface water resource pollution. Considering the effective demand for developing indicators to evaluate the impact of soil erosion on soil quality in agriculture production systems, the objective of this study was to develop an index with a predictive value to be applied as a planning tool for interpreting soil loss tolerance […]

The land use history and management of fertilization influence the soil phosphorus supply capacity. In this study, the P fractions in a Red Argisol (Ultissol) of the cerrado region were evaluated under different application methods and with phosphorus sources of different solubility, after three successive corn crops. The area had already been fertilized and cultivated in the past and remained covered with Brachiaria grass. A randomized block design with four replications was used, in a 4 x 3 + 1 factorial scheme, involving four […]

Nowadays, inoculant application in the sowing furrow of soybean is widely used, but there is little information underlying this practice, which would prove the efficiency in different environments under no-tillage systems. This study aimed to evaluate the viability of inoculant application to soybean, via seed and in-furrow, in soil never cultivated with soybean or previously cultivated with soybean. Two field experiments were carried out as of December 2004 in a Red Yellow Latosol (Oxisol), using the same methodology and applying […]

Rainfall erosivity represents the potential of rainfall causing soil erosion. The EI30 index is a method to determine rainfall erosivity and is calculated by the product of the total kinetic energy of rainfall and the maximum intensity in 30 min. The objective of this study was to calculate rainfall erosivity in Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil, for practical applications in soil conservation, based on daily rainfall charts. For each rainfall chart, segments with the same intensity were separated, registered in worksheets, digitalized and […]

Sewage sludge (SS) may be used as a nutrient source in agricultural soils, resulting in environmental and economical benefits, provided that specific technical criteria are applied. Unlike field conditions, residue application rates are estimated based on N mineralization trials under optimum temperature and humidity conditions. The objective of this study was to verify whether it is necessary an addition of mineral N (0, 60 and 120 kg ha-1 N) to sewage-sludge (14 and 16 t ha-1, dry weight) applied to sugarcane ratoon. Sugarcane (RB855536) […]

Practices of soil use and management are based on the physical and hydric soil behavior. Our objective was to evaluate the inter-relationships between physical properties and coefficients of soil water retention curves in an Oxisol under different soil use systems. In 2004, three contiguous areas were selected, covered for over 20 years by forest (native), Brachiaria decumbens (fallow) and annual crops (cultivation). Twenty-five undisturbed soil samples were collected at a depth of 0-0.15 m to determine the soil water retention curves. […]

Nutrition and crop yield can be affected by chemical modifications of the soil owing to lime and phosphogypsum surface application. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of surface application of lime and phosphogypsum, at the establishment of a no-tillage system, on nutrition and grain yield of black oat, in a dry-winter region, in area previously used with conventional tillage. The experiment was carried out in 2003 and 2004, on a Haplorthox in Botucatu County, São Paulo […]

Monitoring the state of soil compaction periodically by assessing soil penetration resistance is a practical way of evaluating the effects of different management systems on the soil structure and crop root development. This study aimed to evaluate the variation of soil penetration resistance in response to the number of replications (sample population) of different field sampling forms of an Oxisol under three management types: non-tillage (PD), perennial crop (CP) and conventional tillage (PC). The experiment was carried out in the […]

The timing of desiccation of the cover crop before crop sowing can favor the development of the plants and, consequently, increase yields. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of intervals after desiccation of distinct cover crops and corn sowing on soil fertility, nutritional content and the initial development of corn. The experiment was carried out under controlled conditions in a greenhouse, and consisted of the following treatments: four desiccation periods preceding the corn crop (21, 14, […]

Microbial activity is highly relevant for nutrient cycling and soil fertility in forest plantations. Due to the long growth cycles, continuous litter production and dead roots contribute to storage and increase of soil organic matter. Changes in soil and litter microbial biomass and activity under 1, 3, 5 and 13-year-old eucalypt plantations were evaluated. Soil and climate conditions were the same at the sites. Microbial biomass C and N were higher in litter than in soil. Then, litter could be […]