Volume 36, Number 5, 2012

The Stolf impact penetrometer is a dynamic cone penetrometer to measure soil resistance, in use since its release in 1982. In the original design, a centimeter scale to measure penetration depth was engraved on the proper penetration rod. The idea was to make the equipment easier to understand for farmers and to allow direct readings on the penetration rod while also avoiding additional parts. The purpose of this study was to incorporate a millimeter ruler to enable the operator to […]

In soils under no-tillage (NT), the continuous crop residue input to the surface layer leads to carbon (C) accumulation. This study evaluated a soil under NT in Ponta Grossa (State of Paraná, Brazil) for: 1) the decomposition of black oat (Avena strigosa Schreb.) residues, 2) relation of the biomass decomposition effect with the soil organic carbon (SOC) content, the particulate organic carbon (POC) content, and the soil carbon stratification ratio (SR) of an Inceptisol. The assessments were based on seven […]

Leaching of nitrate (NO3–) can increase the groundwater concentration of this anion and reduce the agronomical effectiveness of nitrogen fertilizers. The main soil property inversely related to NO3– leaching is the anion exchange capacity (AEC), whose determination is however too time-consuming for being carried out in soil testing laboratories. For this reason, this study evaluated if more easily measurable soil properties could be used to estimate the resistance of subsoils to NO3– leaching. Samples from the subsurface layer (20-40 cm) […]

The mobility of boron (B), a commonly deficient micronutrient in cotton, has been shown to be low in the plant phloem. Nevertheless, studies have indicated that cotton cultivars can respond differently to B application. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to compare B absorption and mobility in cotton cultivars grown in nutrient solution. Treatments consisted of three cotton cultivars (FMT 701, DP 604BG and FMX 993), and five B rates (0.0, 2.5, 5.0, 10.0, and 20.0 µmol L-1). Plant growth and […]

In some soils with low levels of exchangeable potassium, non-exchangeable forms can participate in plant supply. There is evidence that K supply in non-exchangeable forms depends more on plant nutrient demand than on soil properties. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the supply and depletion of K forms in a Cerrado Oxisol, as affected by residual K fertilization and successive cultivation of Brachiaria ruziziensis (Syn. Urochloa ruziziensis). Soil samples were collected in the 0-20 cm layer in plots […]

Large quantities of poultry litter are being produced in Brazil, which contain appreciable amounts of phosphorus (P) that could be of environmental concern. To assess the immediate environmental threat, five poultry litters composed of diverse bedding material were incubated for 43 days under greenhouse conditions. The litters consisted of: coffee bean husk (CH); wood chips (WC); rice husk (RH); ground corn cobs (CC) and ground napier grass (NG) (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.), in which the change in forms of soluble P […]

High rates of phosphate fertilizers are applied to potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), which may cause antagonistic interactions with other nutrients and limit crop yields when over-supplied. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of phosphorus (P) levels in nutrient solution on P use efficiency, nutritional status and dry matter (DM) accumulation and partitioning of potato plants cv. Ágata. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse, arranged in a completely randomized block design with four replications. Treatments […]

Silicon (Si) is beneficial to plants in several aspects, but there are doubts about the effectiveness of leaf application. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effects of Si, applied in a newly developed stabilized silicic acid form to the leaf, on nutrition and yield of irrigated white oat and wheat. Two experiments were performed (one per crop) in winter 2008, in Botucatu-SP, Brazil. A completely randomized block design with 14 replications was used. Treatments consisted of a […]

Much of the Brazilian castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) production is concentrated in the semi-arid region (Caatinga biome) of the Northeast, as an alternative crop. The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in C and N pools due to land use change in the Caatinga biome by castor bean production. The study was conducted on the Fazenda Floresta in the municipality of Irecê (Mid -North region of Bahia, Brazil). The climate is type BSwh (Koppen) – Semi-arid climate. […]

In no-tillage systems, plant residues are used as soil cover to control soil erosion and promote nutrient cycling. The objective of this study was to evaluate the dry matter production and nutrient accumulation after different crop sequences in no-tillage. A field experiment was carried out on a Rhodic Eutrudox in Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil (48°18’W and 21°15’S). A randomized split-block design with three replications was used. The treatments were combinations of three summer crop sequences (soybean-corn rotation, corn monoculture and soybean […]