The no-till system with complex cropping sequences may improve the structural quality and carbon (C) sequestration in soils of the tropics. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of cropping sequences after eight years under the no-till system on the physical properties and C sequestration in an Oxisol in the municipality of Jaboticabal, Sao Paulo, Brazil. A randomized split-block design with three replications was used. The treatments were combinations of three summer cropping sequences – corn/corn […]

The use of urban waste compost as nutrient source in agriculture has been a subject of investigation in Brazil and elsewhere, although the effects on soil physical and chemical properties and processes are still poorly known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of application of urban waste compost and mineral fertilizer on soil aggregate stability and organic carbon and total nitrogen content of a Rhodic Hapludox under no-tillage in the northwestern region of Rio Grande do […]

Different yield potentials between plots and within them have been verified in areas managed under no-till (NT). Precision farming (PF) techniques can help in identifying these distinct areas, but for efficient soil fertility management in areas under long-term NT, there must be representative sampling. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of soil chemical properties on wheat yield in accordance with the sampling layer or depth in an area under long-term NT using zones of a plot […]

Dark subsurface horizons with morphological characteristics similar to sombric horizons are found in higher altitude areas of the eastern portion of the Sul-Rio-Grandense Shield, Brazil. They developed in the A2, AB (or AC), and BA horizons of Ultisols, Alfisols, and Entisols. The mechanisms responsible for their genesis are still poorly understood, although most authors agree on the illuvial origin of the humus horizon and on its diagnostic character. The objective of this study was to characterize and analyze nine soil […]

In the southern highland (Planalto Sul) region of Santa Catarina, Brazil, most of the pine forests were planted without soil fertilization. Currently, many areas are in the second or third rotation, and their productivity may be limited by low soil fertility. An alternative to mitigate this problem would be fertilization in the established forest. This study was carried out with the objective of evaluating the effect of fertilization with N, P, and K at different growth stages of Pinus taeda. […]

Soils of the tropics are prone to a decrease in quality after conversion from native forest (FO) to a conventional tillage system (CT). However, the adoption of no-tillage (NT) and complex crop rotations may improve soil structural quality. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the physical properties of an Oxisol under FO, CT, and three summer crop sequences in NT: continuous corn (NTcc), continuous soybean (NTcs), and a soybean/corn rotation (NTscr). Both NT and CT decreased soil […]

A form of increasing the efficiency of N fertilizer is by coating urea with polymers to reduce ammonia volatilization. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of polymer-coated urea on the control of ammonia volatilization, yield and nutritional characteristics of maize. The experiment was carried out during one maize growing cycle in 2009/10 on a Geric Ferralsol, inUberlândia, MG, Brazil. Nitrogen fertilizers were applied as topdressing on the soil surface in the following urea treatments: polymer-coated urea […]

Selection of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars with enhanced root growth would be a strategy for increasing P uptake and grain yield in tropical soils, but the strong plasticity of root traits may compromise their inclusion in breeding programs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the magnitude of the genotypic variability of root traits in common bean plants at two ontogenetic stages and two soil P levels. Twenty-four common bean genotypes, comprising the four growth habits that […]

The pressure applied by animal hooves can lead to soil surface compaction in a crop-livestock system (CLIS), with effects on soil physical quality. The hypothesis of this study was that the trampling of animals as a result of grazing on oat and ryegrass crops in a Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico (Oxisol) under no-tillage in a CLIS degrades soil physical quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different grazing heights on soil bulk density (BD), total porosity […]

The graphical representation of spatial soil properties in a digital environment is complex because it requires a conversion of data collected in a discrete form onto a continuous surface. The objective of this study was to apply three-dimension techniques of interpolation and visualization on soil texture and fertility properties and establish relationships with pedogenetic factors and processes in a slope area. The GRASS Geographic Information System was used to generate three-dimensional models and ParaView software to visualize soil volumes. Samples […]