Lime mobility and soil acidity correction can be influenced by liming management and the quantity and quality of soil organic matter. Acidity neutralization in function of the lime incoporation and surface liming was evaluated in a red Latosol (Oxisol) under different antecedent vegetation covers (eucalyptus, forest, pasture and pine). The study was carried out from November 2002 to January 2003 at the Soil Science Department of the Lavras Federal University. After 30 days of incubation of soils with lime, the […]

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) is one of the main food crops in the north and northeast of Brazil nowadays, being planted on large areas in other Brazilian regions as well, with bright prospects in the Brazilian agribusiness. Symbiosis of cowpea and nitrogen-fixing bacteria (NFB) can raise yields and decrease yield costs. The first aim of this study was to evaluate the agronomic efficiency of previously selected rhizobia strains compared to the strain recommended until 2004 (BR 2001). The phenotypic diversity of […]

Insights on the variability of soil fertility in cultivated areas can contribute significantly to a rationalized use of fertilizers and soil amendments. The objective of this study was to determine the soil fertility variability through the fractionation of a commercial corn field into small management cells. The study was carried out on the farm Alto Alegre, Planaltina, GO, Brazil, on an Oxisol previously under Cerrado (savannah) in an area of 373 ha under corn in the 2003/2004 growing season. A polygon […]

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an economically and socially highly relevant staple food and an excellent protein source for the Brazilian population. Symbiosis of beans and N2 fixing bacteria can increase yields and decrease yield costs. The first aim of this study was to evaluate the agronomic efficiency of previously selected rhizobia strains compared to the recommended strain (CIAT 899). Phenotypic diversity of rhizobia native populations was evaluated by cultural characteristics and analysis of total protein profiles by polyacrilamide gel […]

Machinery traffic in modern agriculture is the main cause of soil compaction, and it often affects soybean yields. The objective of this study was to evaluate the development of soybean cultivars in relation to soil compaction levels. An experiment was carried out on a sandy-loam Haplustox located in Jaboticabal County, SP, Brazil. The following compaction levels were tested: T0 = 0 (no tractor passing), T1* = 1, T1 = 1, T2 = 2, T4 = 4 and T6 = tractor […]

The use of pig slurry before implanting cover crops in the fall/winter is becoming a common practice in southern Brazil, although its effects on crops and soil are still poorly investigated. The objective of the present study was to analyze the dynamics of soil N as well as to study the cover crop yields under use of pig slurry in the fall/winter. The study was developed in the growing season 2000 on an experimental area of the Soils Department of […]

Aruana grass (Panicum maximum cv. Aruana) is well adapted to pastures, especially those grazed by sheeps, but knowledge on mineral nutrition of this grass is scant. In order to evaluate the nutritional status of this forage in relation to nitrogen, Aruana grass was grown in a nutrient solution with N six rates (14; 112; 210; 294; 378 and 462 mg L-1). The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse in the Spring, from October to December 2000. Each experimental unit consisted of […]

The microenvironment near the seed is directly affected by the type of mechanism of furrow opening and the soil compacting element. This study was therefore carried out to evaluate the soil density close to the seed in a no-till system using computerized tomography. The experiment was set up in a split-plot design in which the plots consisted of three soil water contents (0.22; 0.28; and 0.34 kg kg-1), and the subplots of two mechanisms for furrow opening (stub runner and double disk-type). […]

The presence of straw on soil surface affects K cycling in the production system and can affect soil chemistry by modifying K leaching rate and intensity. An experiment was conducted to evaluate K leaching as affected by 30 mm of simulated rain over pearl millet straw receiving several broadcasted K rates. Pearl millet was grown for 55 days in a green house and then cut at soil level into pieces of 3 to 5 cm. Then it was distributed over the […]

Eucalypt root growth and yield are affected directly by soil compaction during forestry operations, particularly harvesting. These effects are intensified under high soil moisture conditions. An experiment was carried out under controlled conditions in order to evaluate the effects of compaction under increased soil moisture levels, on seedling growth and nutrition. An oxidic-gibbsitic Red Yellow Latosol (LVA) and a kaolinitic Yellow Latosol (LA) were used. The treatments consisted of five compaction pressure levels (0, 60, 120, 180, and 240 kPa) and […]