Tillage influences both surface and subsurface soil physical conditions, and consequently the values of the factors related to the rainfall-water erosion process. A field experiment using simulated rainfall was conducted from October, 1999 to May, 2000, in the Planalto Sul Catarinense region, Lages, Santa Catarina State, Brazil, in order to evaluate some of the factors related to the rainfall-water erosion process under steady runoff-rate, with three different soil tillage methods. The soil used in the study was a clayey Typic […]

Studies about nitrogen and carbon mineralization in soils amended with urban waste compost are important to evaluate the reactions of this waste in soil and to define the best rates for crops. Two experiments were carried out under laboratory conditions to evaluate carbon and nitrogen mineralization in an Ultisol fertilized with urban waste compost. The Ultisol first experiment had a completely randomized design, with five urban waste compost rates of 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 t ha-1 and three replicates. In […]

Soil management systems affect the P dynamics in content and forms. The aim of this work was to measure the effect of several cultivations systems in the long term (16 years) on the different soil P forms. The treatments consisted of combinations of the two cultivation systems: sole corn (C) and corn-bean intercrop (CB), with two levels (0 and 1) of organic fertilizer (OF), at rates of 0 and 40 m3 ha-1 year-1 and three levels (0, 1, 2) of mineral fertilizer (MF) […]

The susceptibility of soils to compaction, measured by the Proctor test, decreases with increasing soil organic matter (SOM) content. For a given energy level, with increasing SOM contents the maximum obtained density decreases and the corresponding critical moisture content increases. Due to its low density, elasticity and deformation susceptibility, straw is potentially able to dissipate applied loads. This study was conducted to evaluate the SOM effect on the soil compaction curve and to evaluate the ability that mulch has to […]

This study compared the residual effect of reactive natural phosphate originated from Morocco with that of triple superphosphate on the oat biomass production, soybean yield and yield components, availability of phosphorus and sulfur in the soil and determined these nutrient contents in soybean leaf tissue in response to the phosphorus and sulfur sources and doses. The study consisted of soybean and oat crops cultivated under minimum tillage cultivation system. The experiment had a complete randomized block design with four replications […]

Vermicomposts present a high content of humic substances and their effects on soil properties are well-documented. However, direct effects of humic substances on plant metabolism are less known. The aim of this work was to evaluate the use of humates isolated from cattle manure vermicompost with 0.1 mol L-1 KOH on root growth and ATP metabolism of lettuce seedlings. After germination, lettuce seedlings were treated with different humate concentrations (0 to 100 mg L-1 of C) for 15 days. The root growth and the H+-ATPase […]

The timing of N application to maize is a key factor to be considered in no-till oat/maize sequential cropping. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of pre-planting, planting and sidedress N application on oat residue decomposition, on soil N immobilisation and remineralisation and on N uptake by maize plants in no-till oat/maize sequential cropping. Undisturbed soil cores of 10 and 20 cm diameter were collected from the 0-15 cm layer of a no-till Red Latossol, when the oat cover crop was […]

In untilled soils with green manure cultivation in during the dry season and the management of the nitrogen fertilization usually change the dynamics and the recovery of the nitrogen in the soil-plant system. The objective of this study was to evaluate the amount of native soil nitrogen absorbed by corn under no-tillage and submitted to different N rates in succession to sunnhemp (Crotalaria juncea), millet (Pennisetum americanum) and fallow in a Red Latosol in the Cerrado. The experiment was carried […]

This experiment aimed at the evaluation of imazaquin sorption and transport in soils with different chemical, physical and mineralogical characteristics using batch and miscible-displacement techniques. The experiment was carried out with Neossolo Quartzarênico (RQ), Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo (LVA) and Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico (LVdf) soils which were air-dried, passed through a 2 mm sieve and followed by chemical, physical and mineralogical characterization. A CaCl2 solution was applied in the miscible displacement experiment for the establishment of a Cl– elution curve that was used […]

Cattle manure availability is one of the most limiting factors for vermicompost production. The effects of the partial substitution of manure with sugarcane bagasse or residues of Gliricidia sepium on the quality of vermicomposts and the bioactivity of their humates were evaluated by analyzing the root growth and H+-ATPase activity of lettuce seedling roots. The substitutions of manure by sugar cane bagasse and legume cover crops residues did not affect the chemical properties of humates. Humates isolated from the different […]