ABSTRACT Despite limited geographic expression of Organosols in Brazil, their high carbon storage capacity and natural environmental vulnerability justifies further studies on C and N stocks in these soils and their relationship to the nature of organic matter. Evaluation of physical and chemical properties of organic soils and their ability to store C is important so as to develop sustainable management practices for their preservation. The objectives of the study were to measure the total organic carbon stock (OCst), total […]

ABSTRACT Microorganisms have a fundamental importance in agricultural ecosystems and may be influenced by several factors, including soil management. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of cropping systems and soil covers on the microbial community in soil cultivated with muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.). The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The treatments were arranged in a split plot design with cropping systems (no-tillage and conventional tillage systems) assigned to the […]

ABSTRACT Digital soil mapping (DSM) permits continuous mapping soil types and properties through raster formats considering variation within soil class, in contrast to the traditional mapping that only considers spatial variation of soils at the boundaries of delineated polygons. The objective of this study was to compare the performance of SoLIM (Soil Land Inference Model) for two sets of environmental variables on digital mapping of saturated hydraulic conductivity and solum depth (A + B horizons) and to apply the best […]

ABSTRACT A compacted subsurface soil layer can be a limiting factor for soybean growing, reducing soybean yield. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different tillage systems on the physical properties of two Albaqualf soils of the Central Plains region in the state of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil. Two experiments were conducted: one in Santa Maria, RS, during the 2013/14 and 2014/15 crop seasons, and another in Formigueiro, RS, during the 2013/14 crop […]

ABSTRACT In no-tillage (NT) systems, there is no plowed layer since the soil is not tilled. Thus, the soil layer for fertility evaluation can be defined as the one in which the fertility indices are affected by the surface application of lime and fertilizers and soil properties have the closest relationship with crop yields. The objective of this study was to determine the most appropriate soil layer under long-term NT for sampling for fertility evaluation in the South-Central region of […]

ABSTRACT Soil fertility evaluation through soil analysis traditionally does not consider interaction among elements. To include the interaction effect in interpretation of soil analyses, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of nitrogen fertilization (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 kg N per plant per cycle) with urea (45 % N) and potassium fertilization (0, 0.55, 1.1, and 2.2 kg K2O per plant per cycle) with potassium chloride (60 % K2O) on soil cationic balance. The experiment was carried out […]

ABSTRACT Quantification of ammonia volatilization after addition of animal residues and nitrogen (N) mineral fertilizers to the soil is important for N management in fertilization programs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of adding a urease inhibitor to N fertilizers to minimize ammonia losses following soil application. The experiment was carried out in a laboratory with samples of a Brazilian Oxisol containing 790 g kg-1 clay and 23 g kg-1 organic matter. Treatments consisted of addition […]

ABSTRACT Improper management of rangelands can cause land degradation and reduce the economic efficiency of livestock activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate soil properties and quantify plant biomass production in four natural rangeland management systems in the Santa Catarina Plateau (Planalto Catarinense) of Brazil. The treatments, which included mowed natural rangeland (NR), burned natural rangeland (BR), natural rangeland improved through the introduction of plant species after harrowing (IH), and natural rangeland improved through the introduction of plant […]

ABSTRACT Given the increase in crop yields and the expansion of agriculture in low fertility soils, deficiency of micronutrients, such as iron, in plants grown in tropical soils has been observed. The aim of this study was to evaluate Fe availability and Fe uptake by corn (Zea mays L.) plants in 13 different soils, at two depths. Iron was extracted by Mehlich-1, Mehlich-3, and CaCl2 (Fe-CC) and was fractionated in forms related to low (Feo) and high (Fed) crystallinity pedogenic […]

ABSTRACT The removal of original vegetation for crops and pasture production and then followed by natural regeneration is a standard practice in the Atlantic Forest, which has produced patches with different degrees of degradation and regeneration across the landscape. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of replacement of native forest by pasture and natural regeneration of vegetation on soil and on soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics in the dry and rainy season in an Atlantic Forest […]