Volume 34, Number 5, 2010

The soil structure transformation from ferralic to nitic horizons was studied in a toposequence on quaternary red clayey sediments and diabase in Piracicaba (SP), Brazil. Morphological and micromorphological studies, image analysis, soil water characteristic curves and monitoring of (total) soil water potential head were used. The presence of polyconcave vughs, clayskins and planar voids shows that the vertical and lateral transition and structural transformation from ferralic to nitic horizons is given by the coalescence of the microaggregates, probably due to […]

The crop type and seed row direction in relation to the land slope can modify the total amount and size of runoff-transported sediment. They may alter the relation between organic carbon levels in the sediments and the eroded soil. The current study aimed to quantify the sediment size and proportion transported at constant runoff rate and the organic carbon level in the sediments and the eroded soil, under oat and vetch sown in two row directions. Four simulated rainfalls were […]

Pasture is the main form of land use in Amazonia. Over time the pasture grass loses vigor and yields decrease, indicating a certain degree of degeneration. The main causes of degradation are lack of pasture maintenance and subsequent weed infestation, the choice of regionally unsuitable forage species and excessive grazing. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of different recovery managements on soil chemical properties and grass yield of a degraded pasture in Rondônia. For this […]

In regions with water stress, irrigation methods that optimize water application to crops are required for agricultural production. Knowledge on soil water storage in the soil rooting zone during an agricultural crop cycle is essential for water and soil management. The objective of this study was to evaluate water storage in an Inceptisol under drip-irrigated muskmelon, with and without soil cover. The experiment was carried out in the Apodi Tableland, county of Baraúna, state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil […]

Rainfall in the semiarid region of Pernambuco is characterized by irregular distribution in time and space, which significantly hinders the rainfed agriculture in the region. This work aims to evaluate the temporal profile of soil moisture in the semiarid region of the Pernambuco State (Brazil) and the effect of different soil surface conditions on soil water content variation and the yield of rainfed beans. To monitor soil water content, five plots 4.5 m wide by 11 m long were installed in a […]

Due to human activity, large amounts of organic residue are generated daily. Therefore, an adequate use in agricultural activities requires the characterization of the main properties. The chemical and physical characterization is important when planning the use and management of organic residue. In this study, chemical and physical properties of charcoal, coffee husk, pine-bark, cattle manure, chicken manure, coconut fiber, sewage sludge, peat, and vermiculite were determined. The following properties were analyzed: N-NH4+, N-N03–, and total concentrations of N, P, […]

Potassium (K) availability to plants is estimated based on the exchangeable K fraction. Multielement methods increase the analysis efficiency in soil laboratories. The cation exchange capacity (CEC) of soils may affect the prediction of available K. Thus, the purpose of this study was to estimate the available K for corn and soybean in soils in the Rio Grande do Sul (RS) state using Mehlich-1 (M1), Mehlich-3 (M3), ion-exchange resin (resin), ammonium acetate pH 7.0 (AcNH4), and verify whether the CTC affects […]

The high oxygen diffusion in different materials makes the establishment and maintenance of oxygen-free environments difficult. The techniques used to obtain oxygen-free environments are little efficient and not representative of flooded soil conditions. The purpose of this study was to develop a method for obtaining roots in a hypoxic environment to evaluate iron plaque and aerenchyma formation in rice plants. A hypoxic condition similar to that of flooded soils was created in 50 L tanks, based on the oxygen diffusion capacity […]