Volume 39, Number 6, 2015

ABSTRACT The interaction of organic compounds with clay minerals can change the size of crystals. However, in soils this effect is still unclear because of limitations in separation of pure mineral phases for conducting dissolution experiments. In this study, the relationship between soil organic matter (SOM) and mean crystallite size (MCS) of clay minerals from surface and subsurface horizons of soils from a toposequence in Southern Brazil was evaluated. Soil C and N contents were determined and the nature of […]

ABSTRACT The expansion of eucalyptus plantations in southern Brazil, especially over regions with natural grasslands, which occurred in the last decade potentially changes total organic carbon and nitrogen in soil. The aim of this study was to test the Century model 4.5 in the simulation of changes in inventories of TOC and TN in the surface layer (0.0-0.2 m) soil in Eucalyptus sp. com different ages in three municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Areas adjacent to grasslands […]

ABSTRACT Humic acids (HA) are a component of humic substances (HS), which are found in nearly all soils, sediments, and waters. They play a key role in many, if not most, chemical and physical properties in their environment. Despite the importance of HA, their high complexity makes them a poorly understood system. Therefore, understanding the physicochemical properties and interactions of HA is crucial for determining their fundamental role and obtaining structural details. Cationic surfactants are known to interact electrostatically and […]

ABSTRACT Conversions of plant cover resulting from management practices may alter carbon storage and the natural abundance of 13C. The aim of this study was to evaluate C stocks and natural abundance of C (δ13C) in areas of forest (F) and pasture (P) sequences with different times of usage in an Atlantic Forest area, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Seven usage sequences of forest (F) and pasture (P) were defined through aerial photographs taken in 1957, 1978, and 2008; through interviews with […]

ABSTRACT Knowledge of the responses of bean plants as a function of N fertilization or seed inoculation with rhizobia can direct crops to different market niches in different technological levels. The roots nodulation and the yield grains of 10 bean cultivars on nitrogen fertilization and seed inoculation with Rhizobium freirei were evaluated aiming to identify, in terms of grain yield, the more efficient and responsive to nitrogen fertilization, as well to symbiotic N fixation in relation to N fertilization. Two […]

ABSTRACT The economic exploitation of macaw palm [Acrocomia aculeate (Jacq.) Lodd. ex Mart.] is currently in transition, from extractivism to agricultural cultivation, thus requiring studies on the fertilization of the crop. This study evaluated the response of three genotypes of macaw palm to increasing rates of nitrogen and potassium, grown in the field until the 2nd year and to establish reference contents of mineral nutrients in the leaf. The experiment was a split-plot randomized block design with five main treatments […]

ABSTRACT The sustainability of conservation farming systems is closely linked to return of nutrients to the soil through decomposition of crop residues. The aim of this study was to evaluate decomposition of crop residues and nutrient mineralization in soils with different textures over a 175-day incubation period. The experimental design consisted of a 6 × 4 × 5 factorial arrangement – six treatments, composed of four crop residues (corn, brachiaria, common bean, and Stylosanthes) and two controls, both without residues, […]

ABSTRACT Crop residues on the soil surface not only provide physical protection but may release significant amounts of nutrients to the soil through decomposition. However, the availability of these nutrients to plants has not been sufficiently studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the total contents of organic C and N, pH, and the availability and recovery rate of P, K, Ca, Mg, and S from the biogeochemical cycling of different crop residues over time in built soils […]

ABSTRACT The management of nitrogen fertilization in wheat has proven to be a limiting factor for grain yield in the southern region of Brazil, and new techniques like the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) can be useful for estimating crop yield potential and, consequently, for determining N fertilization requirements. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of NDVI, obtained through active and passive sensors, as a tool for estimating the grain yield of wheat cultivars under different […]

ABSTRACT The literature on fertilization for carrot growing usually recommends nutrient application rates for yield expectations lower than the yields currently obtained. Moreover, the recommendation only considers the results of soil chemical analysis and does not include effects such as crop residues or variations in yield levels. The aim of this study was to propose a fertilizer recommendation system for carrot cultivation (FERTICALC Carrot) which includes consideration of the nutrient supply by crop residues, variation in intended yield, soil chemical […]