Volume 34, Number 2, 2010

The cohesive character is a property of subsurface soil horizons with hard to extremely hard consistency when dry, and friable or firm when wet. Despite the agricultural importance, the formation of these horizons has not been fully explained. The objective of this study was a chemical, mineralogical and micromorphological characterization of cohesive soils of the Coastal Tablelands in Northeast Brazil, to understand their pedogenesis and identify properties for the definition of the cohesive character by the Brazilian System of Soil […]

In Roraima, the spatial distribution of indigenous peoples indicates a background of constant search for soils capable of sustaining shift cultivation. This study aimed to establish a relationship between the understanding of soil by the Yanomami tribe from the mid-Catrimani river region and the Brazilian System of Soil Classification and evaluate the type of agricultural land use according to soil fertility tests, in two steps. The first consisted of visiting eight Indian communities to collect soil samples at 21 sites […]

Nutrients recycle is related to the absorption capacity by different cover crop species. Already speeds of decomposition and of nutrient release of straws produced is mostly related with C/N ratio, with a marked difference between grasses and leguminous. In this sense, the objective of this study was to evaluate the biomass production and macronutrient contents and accumulation, decomposition, and nutrient release from straw of millet (Pennisetum typhoides (Burm.) Stapf) and millet – jack – bean (Canavalia ensiformes (L.) DC.) intercropping, […]

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is the most important non-CO2 greenhouse gas and soil management systems should be evaluated for their N2O mitigation potential. This research evaluated a long-term (22 years) experiment testing the effect of soil management systems on N2O emissions in the postharvest period (autumn) from a subtropical Rhodic Hapludox at the research center FUNDACEP, in Cruz Alta, state of Rio Grande do Sul. Three treatments were evaluated, one under conventional tillage with soybean residues (CTsoybean) and two under no-tillage […]

The conversion of native vegetation into agricultural areas can modify soil organic matter content and decomposition and synthesis processes and therefore the nutrient avalilability. The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical and physical soil properties (0-15 cm depth) in a toposequence characterized by planted pasture beside the native Cerrado vegetation cover. The study was carried out in Colméia, State of Tocantins. Ten sampling points were determined (five samples in native vegetation and five samples in pasture) for […]

The scarcity of information on pesticide transport in tropical soils under no-tillage is disproportional to the relevance of knowledge in the evaluation of the risk of soil and ground water contamination. The experiments simulated strong rains with continuous water flow using a new method for simultaneous advection, diffusion and sorption measurement, representing pesticide transport along the different studied soil layers. Results showed no correlation between soil permeability and atrazine leaching. The ten times higher permeability in no-tillage (NT) and natural […]

The application of treated and stabilized sewage sludge to soils has been shown to be a viable disposal alternative, since costs are low and cause no negative impacts, but contribute to the restoration of the original characteristics of some degraded soils. This experiment was carried out in Mogi Guaçu, State of São Paulo (Brazil) to evaluate the effect of doses (0, 20, 40, and 80 Mg ha-1) of an organic compost of sewage sludge and grass residues on the recovery […]

The disposal of sewage sludge and other organic waste on the soil seems be an alternative for the public sector since this can provide nutrients for the growth and maintenance of plant species that constitute the urban systems of green areas. This experiment was conducted in Mogi Guaçu, State of São Paulo to evaluate the effect of doses (0, 20, 40 and 80 Mg ha-1) of an organic sewage sludge compost and grass residue on the recovery of a humusless […]

The use of sewage sludge in Brazilian agriculture was regulated by the resolution no. 375 Conama, in 2006. However, there is a lack of research to adequate the mineral N and P fertilizer doses to be applied in agricultural fields treated with this residue. In a field experiment, the effects of application rates of sewage sludge and mineral N and P fertilizers on the productivity and technical characteristics of the cane-plant and first ratoon (residual effect) crops were evaluated. Four […]

Coal mining rejects can raise the concentration of heavy metals and impede the growth of plants in these areas. One strategy for restoring these environments is the association of microorganisms with the rhizosphere, which can help promote plant growth, as well as decreasing the toxicity of heavy metals. The objective of this study was to isolate and identify endospore-forming rhizobacteria (EFR) in areas affected by coal-mining waste, in a deposit in the municipal district of Capivari de Baixo, Santa Catarina […]