Volume 40, 2016

ABSTRACT Microorganisms have a fundamental importance in agricultural ecosystems and may be influenced by several factors, including soil management. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of cropping systems and soil covers on the microbial community in soil cultivated with muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.). The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The treatments were arranged in a split plot design with cropping systems (no-tillage and conventional tillage systems) assigned to the […]

ABSTRACT: Optimization of symbiosis between nitrogen-fixing bacteria and legumes has been extensively studied, seeking agricultural sustainability. To evaluate the symbiotic efficiency of nitrogen-fixing bacterial strains belonging to the Bradyrhizobium genus with pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) cv. Fava-Larga, experiments were conducted in Leonard jars (axenic conditions), pots with soil, and in the field. Ten strains were tested in Leonard jars, and three strains, in addition to BR 29, were selected according to their ability to promote the growth of […]

ABSTRACT: Knowledge of soils in the Amazon rainforest is becoming increasingly essential due to dynamics adopted by farmers that substitute forest for pastures, together with growing pressure from diverse segments of society towards adoption of sustainable production systems. The objective of this study was to characterize the soils along two toposequences, one under forest (F) and the other under pasture (P), and to verify how the change in land use influences soil attributes, evaluating their inclusion in the Brazilian Soil […]

ABSTRACT: Highland environments favor accumulation and preservation of soil organic matter (SOM) due to low temperatures, leading to the formation of Histosols. The Itatiaia National Park (INP), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, offers conditions for preservation of SOM deposited over time, which has led to the formation of these soils. The objective of this study was to characterize Histosols in this environment, with the premise that it may provide evidence of changes in vegetation. Organossolos (Histosols) were sampled, characterized, described, and […]

We are grateful to De Jong van Lier for raising queries about our study () which merits some clarification, and we would like to reply to his comments. The principal purpose of our study () was to determine soil physical quality in the Haihe River Basin in northern China using the S-index proposed by . The S-theory, developed with a basis on European soils, has been applied worldwide and produced plausible results. We noted the argument from De that the […]