Volume 36, Number 6, 2012

Considering that the soil aggregation reflects the interaction of chemical, physical and biological soil factors, the aim of this study was evaluate alterations in aggregation, in an Oxisol under no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT), since over 20 years, using as reference a native forest soil in natural state. After analysis of the soil profile (cultural profile) in areas under forest management, samples were collected from the layers 0-5, 5-10, 10-20 and 20-40 cm, with six repetitions. These samples were […]

The mapping of rainfall erosivity and rainfall is a practical and indispensable tool to plan the soil and water management on a regional scale, such as countries, states or basins. The purpose of this study was to analyze the spatial continuity of erosive potential of rainfall and rainfall, considering monthly and annual mean values, and to map them for the State of Espírito Santo, Brazil, providing basic information for the planning of sustainable soil use and management. To this end, […]

The physical resilience of soil is the result of regenerative processes with cycles of wetting and drying, freezing and thawing, as well as of biological activities. This study tested the hypothesis that the physical properties of soil such as soil permeability, bulk density, aeration porosity, and total porosity are efficient physical indicators to quantify the resilience of soils with different textures exposed to mechanical stress (compression) and after subsequent wetting and drying cycles. The objective was to evaluate the behavior […]

The use of rain simulators is fundamental to study rainfall erosion. They are used to monitor the experimental conditions, particularly the rain characteristics and to understand the soil erosion process better. Several types of rainfall simulators have been developed since 1930 around the world. Currently, the Swanson model is the most commonly used. However, a small number of these simulators is fully operational in Brazil, due to the high degree of wear and difficulties of maintenance. The purpose of this […]

Swine manure (SM) applications to maize under no-tillage were tested in a 10-year field experiment to define the appropriate rates. The responses in yield and soil property to the treatments were evaluated: SM at rates of 0, 25, 50, 100 and 200 m3 ha-1; soluble fertilizer (SF); and SM plus soluble fertilizer (SM + SF), all annually spread on the soil surface. The soil pH was not affected by SM, but at rates > 100 m3 ha-1, the exchangeable Ca […]

The transport of pollutants via runoff in agricultural areas, mainly in soluble forms, is an environmental problem, even in conservation tillage systems. The objective of this study was to evaluate losses of nitrogen and organic carbon in runoff, after applications of 0, 60, 120, and 180 m3 ha-1 yr-1 of cattle slurry to a clayey Oxisol, with 10 % slope under no-tillage and natural rainfall, in the region of Castro – PR. The application of cattle slurry did not affect […]