Volume 33, Number 3, 2009

Erosion is the main cause of soil degradation, and it leads to adverse effects to agriculture and environment, with social and economic implications. The objective of this study was to evaluate soil and nutrient losses in different soil tillage systems in a typic Acric Red-Yellow Latosol (Oxisol). On five plots with the following soil tillage treatments were evaluated: conventional tillage and down-slope tillage (CMA); conventional tillage and contour seeding (CEN); tillage with one passage of heavy disk harrow and one […]

The use of sewage sludge (SS) in agricultural soils is one of the most viable forms of recycling this residue. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of SS application on castor bean yield and nutrition in a clayey dystrophic Ultisol following a rotation of sugarcane. The treatments tested were four sewage-sludge rates (0, 5, 10, and 20 t ha-1, dry matter) calculated to supply plants with N at amounts of 0, 37.5 kg ha-1, 75 kg […]

In agricultural systems treated with sewage sludge, the management ought to seek an adequate N supply to plants, while avoiding nitrate enrichment because of its potential to pollute subsurface water bodies. Thus, when determining the maximum amounts to be applied to a specific crop, some sewage sludge and soil properties should be known. One is the fraction of organic N of the waste that will be mineralized (NMF) during the crop cycle. This quantity, combined with mineral N in the […]

One of the essential conditions for soil particle size analysis is the complete dispersion of mineral particles of the soil sample. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of chemical and physical methods in combination to disperse samples of an Ustox irrigated with water from a deep well in Janaúba – MG (16 º 01 ‘ 56 ” S, 43 º 25 ‘ 21 ” W) was evaluated. Soil samples were collected in the 0-0.10 m layer from an irrigated […]

The objective of this study was to extract and concentrate calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystals from plant leaves that form the above mentioned crystals. The chemical and physical studies of CaOx from plant to be performed depend on an adequate amount of the crystals. The plant used in this study was croton (Codiaeum variegatum). The leaves were ground in a heavy duty blender and sieved through a 0.20 mm sieve. The suspension obtained was suspended in distilled water. The crystals were […]

The soil C content has been determined most frequently by wet combustion methods. More recently, however, the dry combustion method has been used as the reference method for soil C determination. The main purpose of this study was to compare three C determination methods for soils under eucalypt plantations in southeastern Brazil. Samples of different soil types and located under distinct climate conditions were collected. Soil C contents were determined by two wet (Walkley-Black and Yeomans & Bremner) and one […]