Volume 42, 2018

ABSTRACT Archaeological Dark Earth (ADE) pedogenesis and pre-Columbian history are fundamental for understanding the biodiversity and pedodiversity of the Neotropical rainforest in the Amazon region. This study aimed to evaluate the morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties as well as NaOH-extractable organic matter [OM(NaOH)] in ADE and Mulatto Earth (ME) overlying volcanic rocks along a toposequence (four soil profiles) in western Amazonia, Brazil. The soil profiles show anthropic A horizons over an argic horizon (Bt) in the ADE (Humic, Pretic […]

ABSTRACT: High copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) contents in soil can cause phytotoxicity to plants and contaminate surface and groundwater, with negative effects on agriculture and the environment. Functionalized charcoal (OCh) has high cation exchange capacity (CEC) and the ability to adsorb Cu and Zn and control their availability in the soil and water. An adsorption study at two pH levels was carried out to evaluate increasing Cu and Zn sorption capacity provided by the functionalization process of a charcoal. […]

ABSTRACT: Ruzigrass (Urochola ruziziensis) has a large capacity to take up K from the soil, including non-exchangeable forms, and can play an important role in nutrient cycling in integrated production systems. However, K transport to roots of brachiarias is not well known, nor the nutrient dynamics in the rhizosphere, where a concentration gradient may be established towards the non-rhizospheric soil, creating a favorable environment for the release of non-exchangeable K. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of ruzigrass on […]

ABSTRACT: In banana cultivation, fertilization recommendations are almost exclusively based on soil chemical analysis, without considering leaf analysis and expected yield, which can help in the adjustment of fertilization programs. The aim of this study was to develop a method to recommend macronutrient fertilization rates which integrates data on leaf analysis, soil chemical analysis, and yield. Yield, soil chemical analysis, and leaf analysis data of fertigated plantations of ‘Prata’ banana were obtained for the first and second halves of the […]

ABSTRACT Soils of the Quadrilátero Ferrífero are rich in mineral resources, especially gold and iron. Soil management and mining activities greatly impact soil biology. However, studies addressed to the diversity of microorganisms and their ecological role in the recovery of these areas are scarce. This study aimed to assess the yeast occurrence in soils with natural vegetation (Atlantic Forest, neotropical savanna, and iron outcrop) and areas with anthropogenic modifications (Eucalyptus stand and rehabilitated area) in the Quadrilátero Ferrífero region. We […]

ABSTRACT: The study of soils, including their physical and chemical properties, is essential for agricultural management. Soil quality must be maintained to ensure sustainable production of food and conservation of natural resources. In this context, soil mapping is important to provide spatial information, which can be performed using remote sensing (RS) techniques. Modeling through use of satellite data is uncertain regarding the amplitude of replicability of the models. The aim of this study was to develop a quantification model for […]

ABSTRACT: The conversion of native grassland into farmland causes changes in the soil. Tillage has profound effects on soil organic matter. The intensification of soil tillage decreases soil quality by reducing aggregate stability. Soil aggregate stability and soil organic matter are key indicators for soil quality and environmental sustainability in agro-ecosystems. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the total organic carbon content and the physical and chemical fractions of the organic matter in a soil under different […]

ABSTRACT Chemical speciation of the soil solution is an important tool to identify Al species related to phytotoxicity. In some Brazilian acid soils, the Al extractable by the KCl 1.0 mol L -1 solution (Al-KCl) exceeds 10 cmol c kg -1 and even then, in some situations, it does not cause toxicity to the plants. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between these high concentrations of Al-KCl found in some Brazilian acid soils and the activity of the different […]

ABSTRACT: Determination of soil physical quality (SPQ) is very important because it is related to many important soil processes. However, it is not clear which indicators should be considered in this evaluation, and information about temporal variation of SPQ under different soil tillage systems is scarce. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of no tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) on temporal variation of capacity SPQ indicators [bulk density (BD), macroporosity (Pmac), air capacity (AC), plant […]

ABSTRACT Quantification of soil properties is essential for better understanding of the environment and better soil management. The conventional techniques of laboratory analysis are sometimes costly and detrimental to the environment. Thus, development of new techniques for soil analysis that do not generate residues, such as spectroscopy, is increasingly necessary as a viable way to estimate a wide range of soil properties. The objective of this study was to predict the levels of organic carbon (OC), clay, and extractable phosphorus […]