Anderson Luiz Zwirtes

Use of penetrometers in agriculture: a review

Soil physical quality can be easily and quickly evaluated by using simple equipment to identify levels of soil compaction. Hence, it is necessary to know the variables responsible for changes in the soil penetration resistance (SPR). The aim of this review is to identify the main factors related to the various equipment used for assessing SPR as a soil physical quality indicator in agriculture. This literature review describes the different types of equipment used and its relationship with SPR. A wide range of procedures, devices, and equipments are available. Much of variability in SPR results is related to the equipment model, cone angle and diameter, and penetration rate. Usually, restrictions to root growth are correlated with SPR values above 2-3 MPa. However, comparisons of SPR values obtained under different soil moisture regimes in the same soil type have provided conflicting results of difficult interpretation. In order to minimize these problems, there is a need for standardization of measurement procedures and interpretation, and/or correction of SPR values according to a soil water content of reference.

Alterações da temperatura em solo coberto de palha de aveia-preta

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of different amounts of black oat (Avena strigosa) straw covering soil surface on soil temperature at different depths. The treatments consisted of 0, 3, 6, and 9 Mg ha-1 straw. Soil temperature was measured hourly by a thermocouple inserted at different depths (0, 5, 15, 30, and 50 cm) and was used to adjust an equation correlating the temperature of covered soil with that of bare soil. With the correlations, it was possible to observe a point value of temperature (inversion temperature of straw effect), below which the presence of straw acts positively on the maintenance of soil temperature and above which the presence of straw acts negatively on soil heating.

EFFECTS OF A STRAW LAYER ON THE SOIL THERMAL BEHAVIOR

The presence of crop residue on the soil surface has an impact on evaporation, water storage, soil temperature and soil heat flux. Consequently, changes the energy transfer in the soil-atmosphere system. The objective of this work is study the influence of crop residues in the soil thermal variables. It was concluded that the thermal effect of a straw layer is large, leading to surface temperature differences around 10°C. With depth increasing, the effect of straw coverage decreases, leading to a temperature difference to 4°C of 5cm depth. The most important consequence of higher temperature on bare ground is an increase of soil heat flux. In stable weather conditions, this difference can reach 29 W/m 2 .