Plinthite and petroplinthite are commonly present features in soils developed on sandstone of the Bauru Group, Adamantina Formation, in the northern and western region of São Paulo State. The objective of this study was to evaluate chemical properties as well as pedogenic processes that led to the formation of these materials and the soil profile. Two soils at the foot of a representative mountainside of the local landscape with plinthic, petroplinthic and mottling features were selected within areas of the […]

Soil fertility characteristics were evaluated on a typical dystrophic Red Latosol (Typic Haplorthox) located in Passo Fundo, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, after eight years of use under mixed production systems (1993 to 2000). The effects of production systems integrating grain production with winter annual and perennial pastures under no-tillage were assessed. Four production systems were evaluated: system I (wheat/soybean, white oat/soybean, and common vetch/corn); system II (wheat/soybean, white oat/soybean, and grazed black oat + grazed common vetch/corn); system III [perennial […]

The effect of N applications (time and rates) on chlorophyll and N contents in bean leaves was evaluated and correlations among them and with the yield established. Carried out in the Selvíria region, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, the experiment was set up in a completely randomized block design in a factorial 3 x 5 scheme. Treatments consisted in the combination of N (urea) application by side dressing at five levels (0, 35, 70, 105, and 140 kg ha-1 of N) at three times […]

The iron oxide mineralogy of sand, silt and clay fractions was studied in five soil materials. Samples were collected from a pedon of a Red Nitossolo (Brazilian Soil Classification; related to an Alfisol in US Soil Taxonomy) developing on a tholeiitic basalt, near the town Tupaciguara (18 o 35 ‘ 33 ” S; 48 o 42 ‘ 18 ” W) in the region of Triângulo Mineiro, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Portions of sand and silt were analyzed by magnetic separation and selective chemical treatments with NaOH […]

To evaluate a fractionation scheme for Zn in a sandy soil (Ultisol) and its relation with Zn availability for Cynodon spp cv. Tifton-85, an experiment was carried out in greenhouse, with a factorial scheme (5 doses of zinc, 2 doses of lime and 2 times of sampling), in a completely randomized block design, with three replications. The doses of Zn were: 0; 2.5; 5.0; 7.5 and 10 mg dm-3; half of the pots did not received liming (V = 42%) and, in the other half, liming was […]

Primavera do Leste is one of the most important farming areas of Mato Grosso State. This study was carried out in a Red-Yellow Latosol to evaluate the microbial biomass and enzyme activities in soils under native vegetation (known as “Cerradão”) and in soils under annual and perennial cropping systems. Soil samples were collected, at the beginning of the rainy season, at two depths (0-5 and 5-20 cm) in areas under a vineyard (row and between rows), annual crops (soybean) and native […]

In this study the split application of nitrogen and the maize crop pre-sowing nitrogen application under a no-tillage system followed by black oat, with two rainfall regimes were evaluated. Treatments were: (a) application of 150 kg ha-1 of N in pre-sowing and 30 kg ha-1 of N at sowing with 1997/98 “El-Niño” rainfall applications; (b) nitrogen application, being 30 kg ha-1 of N at sowing, and 30 kg ha-1 of N at 31 and 57 days after emergency (DAE), with “El-Niño” rainfall applications; (c) without N application and “El-Niño” […]

Properties of a claim loam soil, collected in Aranjuez (Madrid) and enriched with organic matter and microorganisms, were evaluated under controlled temperature and moisture conditions, over a period of three months. The following treatments were carried out: soil (control); soil + 50 t ha-1 of animal manure (E50); soil + 50 t ha-1 of animal manure + 30 L ha-1 of effective microorganisms (E50EM); soil + 30 t ha-1 of the combination of various green crop residues and weeds (RC30) and soil + 30 t ha-1 of the combination of […]

The distributions of microbial biomass carbon (MBC), enzymes activities and readily mineralizable carbon were evaluated across soil aggregates recovered from a Dark-Red Clayey Oxisol in areas under native Cerrado vegetation and where no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) management systems have been established for 21 years. Soil samples were collected at a 0 to 5 cm depth and aggregates were prepared using a wet sieving procedure. The size classes 8.0 to 2.0 mm, 0.5 to 0.25 mm and 0.25 to 0.106 mm and samples denominated […]

Soil management affects the soil physical quality, but the magnitude of the changes is dependent of use time and regional edaphoclimatic conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term (21 yr) effect of conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT) systems on some physical properties in the 0.2 m top layer of an Oxisol from Paraná, southern Brazil. In comparison with an adjacent forest soil used as reference, the use of CT system increased the soil bulk density, penetrometer resistance […]