Volume 39, Number 1, 2015

The Shape of sand grains plays an important role in evaluation of soil particle size distribution. However, in most sieving techniques it is assumed that grains are spherical and can be described by a single parameter, diameter. Moreover, the subjectivity of the tests used to estimate sand roughness makes it difficult to obtain data that accurately represent reality. The aim of this paper was to study the use of image analysis together with the degree of sphericity and fractal theory […]

Soil compaction is an undesirable consequence of land use for crop production, especially under cultivation with minimum soil turnover as in the no-tillage system (NTS). However, the compaction caused by machine traffic on soils under NTS does not make crop production unviable, indicating that some intrinsic mechanisms promote the reversion of soil compaction. In this study, the influence of alternate contraction and expansion cycles was evaluated with regard to the bulk density (ρ) of a Latossolo Vermelho argiloso (clayey Oxisol) […]

To produce reliable analytical data in a laboratory, all the stages of the analysis protocol must be properly understood and controlled. Extraction of soil P may thus be compromised by the conditions of analysis, and this may explain variability in results. Therefore, the objective of this study was to verify the effect of deviations in agitation speed, time of soil/ solution contact, and environmental temperature on extraction of soil P by Mehlich-1 (M-1) and Mehlich-3 (M-3). The study was conducted […]

Humic substances are the major components of soil organic matter. Among the three humic substance components (humic acid, fulvic acid, and humin), humin is the most insoluble in aqueous solution at any pH value and, in turn, the least understood. Humin has poor solubility mainly because it is tightly bonded to inorganic soil colloids. By breaking the linkage between humin and inorganic soil colloids using inorganic or organic solvents, bulk humin can be partially soluble in alkali, enabling a better […]

The application of pig slurry may have a different effect on nitrogen dynamics in soil compared to mineral fertilization. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the different forms of organic N in a Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico (Typic Hapludox) and their relationship to N uptake by crops in response to 10 years of annual application of pig slurry and mineral fertilizer. The treatments were application rates of 0, 25, 50, 100, and 200 m3 ha-1 of pig slurry, […]

Inorganic phosphorus (Pi) usually controls the P availability in tropical soils, but the contribution of organic P (Po) should not be neglected, mainly in systems with low P input or management systems that promote organic matter accumulation. The aims of this study were to evaluate the changes in the Po fractions over time in soil fertilized and not fertilized with cattle manure and to correlate Po forms with available P extracted by anion exchange resin. The experiment was carried out […]

The use of organic fertilizers and the inoculation of mycorrhizal fungi in the cultivation of oil crops is essential to reduce production costs and minimize negative impacts on natural resources. A field experiment was conducted in an Argissolo Amarelo (Ultisol) with the aim of evaluating the effects of fertilizer application and inoculation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the growth attributes of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and on soil chemical properties. The experiment was conducted at the Federal University of Rio […]

Soils under natural conditions have heavy metals in variable concentrations and there may be an increase in these elements as a result of the agricultural practices adopted. Transport of heavy metals in soil mainly occurs in forms dissolved in the soil solution or associated with solid particles, water being their main means of transport. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the heavy metal and micronutrient content in the soil and in the grapevine plant and […]

Inoculating wheat seeds with nitrogen-fixing bacteria such as Azospirillum brasilense may be beneficial to the crop and reduce the need for N application. Nevertheless, few studies have measured the benefit of this practice on irrigated wheat with the expectation of high yield and demand for N. The objective of this study was to evaluate the yield and N content of irrigated wheat under different N application rates, with and without inoculation with A. brasilense. Two experiments were carried out in […]

In tropical regions there is rapid decomposition of plant material deposited on the soil, and the ability to recycle nutrients through this decomposition is one of the most important aspects of cover crops. The aim of this study was to evaluate the yield and nutrient release from forage crops intercropped with maize for silage, and soybean in succession. The study was conducted in the experimental area of Universidade Estadual Paulista, Ilha Solteira campus, Brazil. The experiment consisted of maize for […]