Fabiano André Petter

Soil fertility and upland rice yield after biochar application in the Cerrado

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of biochar made from Eucalyptus on soil fertility, and on the yield and development of upland rice. The experiment was performed during two years in a randomized block design with four replicates, in a sandy loam Dystric Plinthosol. Four doses of NPK 05-25-15, annually distributed in stripes (0, 100, 200 and 300 kg ha-1), and four doses of biochar (0, 8, 16 and 32 Mg ha-1), applied once in the first year - alone or with NPK - were evaluated. In the first year, biochar positively affected soil fertility [total organic carbon (TOC), Ca, P, Al, H+Al, and pH], at 0-10 cm soil depth, and it was the only factor with significant effect on yield. In the second year, the effect of biochar diminished or was overcome by the fertilizer. TOC moved down in the soil profile to the 0-20 cm depth, influencing K availability in this layer. In the second year, there was a significant interaction between biochar and the fertilizer on plant growth and biomass dry matter accumulation.

Biochar: Agronomic and environmental potential in Brazilian savannah soils

A B ST R A C T Due to the high activity of microorganisms, the loss of soil organic matter is high in tropical regions. This loss becomes even greater if the soil is managed improperly or when there is no technology that leverages the permanence of the soil carbon by maintaining appropriate levels of organic matter, providing chemical, physical and biological soil improvements and contributing to reduce CO 2 emissions to the atmosphere. Due to its aromatic structure, biochar is a highly stable form of carbon in the soil that may contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, such as CO 2 , N 2 O and CH 4 , and act as a soil conditioner, improving the physical and chemical properties of the soil. Biochar may also result in increased productivity due to the improvement of soil attributes or a possible electrophysiological effect. Research over the past decades has demonstrated the potential of biochar as a soil conditioner, improving fertility and nutrient-use efficiency, in addition to maximising the productivity of crops, such as soybean and rice.

Produção e ciclagem de nutrientes por plantas de cobertura nas culturas de arroz de terras altas e de soja

The cover crops in no-till system can contribute to the formation of mulch and nutrient cycling to annual crops in succession. The objective of this study was to evaluate biomass production and nutrient cycling of cover crops sown in the second growing season, in crop rotation after upland rice and soybean, in no-tillage and conventional tillage systems, on a Red Latassol of Rio Verde, state of Goias, from April 2008 to April 2010. The experiment was evaluated in randomized strips, in a 5 x 6 factorial design, with four replications. In the horizontal strips two soil management systems (after three years of no-tillage and conventional systems) were evaluated and the cover crops in the vertical strips. Biomass and ground cover and nutrient cycling rates were only evaluated in the no-till treatments, in a 5 x 6 factorial arrangement, where the plots were subdivided, corresponding to six harvest dates of dried biomass 0, 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120 days after cutting of the cover crops. The following cover crops were sown in the second growing season: Brachiaria ruziziensis, Pennisetum glaucum and B. ruziziensis + Cajanus cajan and a fallow treatment as reference. Biomass production and the rates of soil cover and nutrient accumulation and release by cover crops as well as rice and soybean yield were evaluated. B. ruziziensis and B. ruziziensis + C. cajan performed best in biomass production, ground cover and nutrient accumulation at the end of the cover crops. The nutrients N and K had the highest concentration in the biomass, and the highest nutrient release to the soil was observed for K and P. The highest rice yield was observed when grown in no-tillage on crop residues of P. glaucum and B. ruziziensis, while soybean yields did not differ in the treatments.

Ciclagem de nutrientes por plantas de cobertura e produtividade de soja e arroz em plantio direto

The objective of this work was to evaluate nutrient cycling by cover crops and its influence on the performance of the rotation between upland rice and soybean. The crops were sown under no-tillage, in a Rhodic Haplustox, in the Cerrado region of the state of Goias, Brazil. The cover crops were sown mechanically, also under no-tillage, after the harvest of soybean (3/25/2008) and rice (4/7/2009). A randomized complete block design was used, split-plotted in time, with four replicates. The treatments consisted of the following cover crop species, besides fallow: Urochloa ruziziensis, U. brizantha, Pennisetum glaucum and U. ruziziensis + Cajanus cajan. The evaluation of the remaining nutrient in straw was performed at 0, 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 days from the desiccation date of the cover crops. Urochloa ruziziensis and U. brizantha were the most efficient in the accumulation and release of nutrients, especially potassium. Urochloa ruziziensis is the most suited species for use as a cover crop previous to upland rice cultivation under no-tillage. However, none of the cover crop species significantly affect soybean grain yield.

Uso e manejo do solo e seus impactos sobre a qualidade física

The rational use of the soil has been the subject of study and discussion due to search for technological alternatives that allow the adequate management of the soil and consequently, a sustainable agriculture. The objective of this study was to collect data about the hydro-physical quality and its relation to the impacts caused by soil management through a literature review, contributing to better understanding of existing information in the literature. The use of indicators of physical quality of soil permit the designation of most appropriate soil management practices, especially those exposed to intensive agriculture. A critical analysis of indicators of soil quality show that the index proposed by Reynolds et al. (2002) has limitations about its use, the optimal hydric interval presents good results, and the S index needs more works with the use of h (soil-water suction) as the independent variable. Thus, the indicators of physical quality of soil are useful for evaluating the state of soil conservation, to making possible the secure management of natural resources, however, the existing indicators present very high complexity of the implementation and acquisition costs, which configures opportunity for the development of new indicators of physical quality of soil.

Carvão pirogênico como condicionante para substrato de mudas de Tachigali vulgaris L.G. Silva & H.C. Lima

The objective of the present study was to investigate the efficiency of charcoal as amendment to the substrate used for high vigor of growing seedlings, testing Tachigali vulgaris as representative species of the ‘Cerrado’ Biome. Amazonian dark earth soil (Terra Preta de Indio), enriched by pyrogenic carbon and available nutrients were taken as model example. The experiment was carried out in the nursery of the State

Cover crops on the development of beggar's-tick

Studies to identify potential cover crops species for the no-till system and minimal amounts of biomass required to reduce the emergence and development of weeds in cereal crop areas may represent an important tool in the integrated weed management. Thus, this study aimed at evaluating the inhibition of the emergence and growth of Bidens pilosa plants, using different cover crops biomass levels on the soil surface. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse located in Bom Jesus, Piaui State, Brazil, from December 2011 to March 2012, in a randomized experimental blocks design with four replications, in a (5x6)+1 factorial scheme, consisting of six cover crop species and five biomass levels on the soil surface, plus a control with no soil cover. The species evaluated were Pennisetum glaucum (ADR 7010 and ADR 300 cultivars), Crotalaria ochroleuca , Urochloa ruziziensis (syn. Brachiaria ruziziensis ), Crambe abyssinica and Fagopyrum tataricum , at five biomass levels corresponding to 4.0 t ha -1 , 8.0 t ha -1 , 12.0 t ha -1 , 16.0 t ha -1 and 20.0 t ha -1 . Urochloa ruziziensis and Fagopyrum tataricum were considered the best ones for controlling B. pilosa , with 4.0 t ha -1 of their biomass being sufficient to reduce the total number of emerged plants, germination speed index, shoot dry biomass, leaf area, root dry biomass and root volume of B. pilosa .

Profundidade de semeadura e crescimento inicial de espécies forrageiras utilizadas para cobertura do solo

O uso do consorcio entre plantas de cobertura e culturas anuais, no Cerrado, tem sido pratica cada vez mais difundida, pela possibilidade de implantacao das forrageiras durante o desenvolvimento das culturas anuais, atraves da diferenca de profundidade e sistema de semeadura. Objetivou-se, neste trabalho avaliar a emergencia e algumas caracteristicas agronomicas de quatro especies de plantas de cobertura, em diferentes profundidades, visando ao seu emprego na consorciacao e sobressemeadura em culturas anuais. O experimento foi conduzido em casa-de-vegetacao, no delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, em arranjo fatorial 4 x 7, composto pelas plantas de cobertura Brachiaria brizantha, B. decumbens, B. ruziziensis e Panicum maximum cv. Tanzânia, e por seis profundidades de semeadura e um sistema de cobertura de sementes (0 sem cobertura, 0 com cobertura, 1, 4, 8, 10 e 15 cm). As sementes foram semeadas em vasos e as plantas cultivadas por 40 dias. Avaliou-se o indice e o tempo de emergencia, a altura de plantas, a fitomassa verde e seca da parte aerea, a area foliar, a fitomassa seca radicular e a densidade de comprimento radicular. O maior desenvolvimento das plantas estudadas foi detectado nas semeaduras ate 1 cm de profundidade. O P. maximum nao apresentou aptidao para uso em consorcio com culturas anuais.Nao se recomenda a semeadura das plantas de cobertura a partir de 10 cm.

Interferência de plantas daninhas na cultura do sorgo sacarino

This work aimed to carry out a phytosociological study and to determine the critical period of weed interference on sweet sorghum crop. The experimental design adopted was randomized blocks with three replications. Treatments consisted by increasing periods of control or coexistence of weeds in different phenological stages of crop growth: 0-3 (V3), 0-5 (V5), 0-7 (V7), 0-9 (V9), 0-11(V11) fully expanded leaves and 0-R5 (harvest). The weed community was evaluated based on number the number of individuals and their correspondent dry mass accumulation, for each weed population in different periods of coexistence. Sweet sorghum was harvested at 101 days after emergence, when was measured plant height, culm diameter, total soluble solids (°Brix) in function of coexistence periods between crop and weeds, besides the yield of culms. Commelina benghalensis e Panicum maximum were the two species of higher relative importance at the crop harvested. The lack of weed control, during the crop cycle, caused an increase in total soluble solids (°Brix) and reduction of, respectively, 9 and 25% in plant height and culms diameter when compared with the hoed control during all cycle. Accepting losses of 5% in culm yield, was observed that the critical period of weed interference corresponded to the period of time between the phenological growth stage V3 to V11.

Desenvolvimento inicial de Urochloa ruziziensis e desempenho agronômico da soja em diferentes arranjos espaciais no cerrado Mato-Grossense

The consolidation of the no-tillage system in the Cerrado still faces difficulties regarding the establishment of cover crops. In this sense, has chosen by the technique of oversown aiming to take advantage of the moisture at the end of the rainy season. However, there is not always successful the establishing of the crops with this sowing system. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the initial development of Urochloa ruziziensis in oversown on stage R5.3 and agronomic performance of soybean under different spacing between the lines of cultivation. The field experiment was carried out in the Barra do Garcas (MT) Brazil, in 2010/2011 crop season. The experimental design was randomized blocks in a 5x2 factorial arrangement with four replications, characterized by five different row spacings (0.40; 0.45; 0.50; 0.55 and 0.60 m) and two soybean cultivars (P99R01 and M-Soy 9144RR). We evaluated the plant height, number of pods plant-1, thousand grain weight, number of plants of U. ruziziensis at 7, 14 and 21 days after emergence (DAE), index of closing of lines (ICL), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) below the canopy and PAR intercepted at 30, 45, 60 and 75 DAE and the yield of grain. Regardless of cultivar, the spacings of 0.45 m to 0.50 m yielded the highest values in plant height, number of pods plant-1, number of plants of U. ruziziensis and yield of grain. There was no effect on weight of thousand grains. Regardless of cultivar, row spacing below of 0.50 m provide higher IFL, higher PAR interception and a lower incidence of PAR below the canopy.