Volume 37, Number 6, 2013

The problem of soil erosion in Brazil has been a focus of agricultural scientific research since the 19th century. The aim of this study was to provide a historical overview of the institutional landmarks which gave rise to the first studies in soil erosion and established the foundations of agricultural research in Brazil. The 19th century and beginning of the 20th century saw the founding of a series of institutions in Brazil, such as Botanical Gardens, executive institutions, research institutes, […]

The topographic conditions controls many hydrological, geomorphological and pedological processes, affectting the solar radiation, pluvial precipitation, superficial water flow, evaporation, soil moisture and vegetation types, among others. Topographic properties derived from a digital elevation model were used to explain the differentiation between soils with an argillic horizon in the region of ”Mar de Morros” in the northwestern State of Rio de Janeiro. Eight soil profiles (four Red Argisols and four Red-Yellow Argisols) developed from noritic granulites, in the municipalities of […]

Studies on Spodosols in tropical coastal tablelands are still scarce. This paper studied such soils on coastal tablelands and a marine sandbank, in the States of Paraiba and Pernambuco, in Northeastern Brazil. Physical, chemical and mineralogical analyses were performed in 14 soil profiles on mostly plain surfaces under sugarcane cultivation. With regard to drainage, most of the profiles were defined as moderate to poorly drained and groundwater was detected at a depth of 182, 85 and 74 cm in three […]

Despite their importance and vulnerability, little is known about the soils in the calcareous karst systems in Brazil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the genesis of soils formed from calcareous parent materials and to characterize their properties, as a contribution to the Brazilian Soil Classification System (SiBCS). Three profiles located at footslope (P1), backslope (P2) and summit (P3) positions in a toposequence with slightly undulated relief, were studied in the Serra da Bodoquena, Mato Grosso do Sul […]

Phosphorus is one of the limiting nutrients for sugarcane development in Brazilian soils. The spatial variability of this nutrient is great, defined by the properties that control its adsorption and desorption reactions. Spatial estimates to characterize this variability are based on geostatistical interpolation. However, inherent uncertainties in the procedure of these estimates are related to the variability structure of the property under study and the sample configuration of the area. Thus, the assessment of the uncertainty of estimates associated with […]

The use of cover crops has been suggested as an effective method to maintain and/or increase the organic matter content, while maintaining and/or enhancing the soil physical, chemical and biological properties. The fertility of Cerrado soils is low and, consequently, phosphorus levels as well. Phosphorus is required at every metabolic stage of the plant, as it plays a role in the processes of protein and energy synthesis and influences the photosynthetic process. This study evaluated the influence of cover crops […]

The least limiting water range (LLWR) has been widely used as an agronomic indicator of soil physical quality, however only a few studies have linked the LLWR to the plants growth and yield. The scarce results are insufficient to confirm or rebut the efficiency of LLWR, but indicate a discrepancy between LLWR and crop yields. The purpose of this study was to analyze the correlation of LLWR with variables of growth and grain yield of corn (Zea mays L.) in […]

The effects of soil use and management on soil physical quality have been largely discussed due to its environmental and agronomic impacts. The least limiting water range (LLWR) is a modern indicator of soil physical quality that can indicate processes and mechanisms linked to soil physical degradation caused by soil use and management. The aim of this work was to quantify the influence of different land uses and soil tillage on the LLWR of an Oxisol (170, 40 and 790 […]

Management systems may lead to a loss of soil physical quality as a result of removal of the plant cover and excessive agricultural mechanization. The hypothesis of this study was that the soil aggregate stability, bulk density, macro- and microporosity, and the S index and saturated hydraulic conductivity may be used as indicators of the soil physical quality. The aim was to study the effects of different periods and managements on the physical attributes of a medium-textured Red Oxisol under […]

The retention and availability of water in the soil vary according to the soil characteristics and determine plant growth. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate water retention and availability in the soils of the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil, according to the textural class, soil class and lithology. The surface and subsurface horizons of 44 profiles were sampled in different regions of the State and different cover crops to determine field capacity, permanent wilting point, available water […]