Ivo Ribeiro da Silva

Altered aluminum inhibition of soybean root elongation in the presence of magnesium

Variations in genotype rankings among screenings for Al tolerance in hydroponics may be related to differences in the composition of the solutions. In the present study, we investigated the involvement of Mg ions in modifying Al rhizotoxicity in soybeans. Root elongation was strongly inhibited by Al in a simple, 800 μM CaSO4 solution, but elongation increased noticeably when the solutions also contained Mg. Amelioration of Al rhizotoxicity was not associated with an increase in ionic strength of treatment solutions because Al3+ activities were kept constant. Concentration series experiments indicated that the Mg effect occurred in the μM range, while Ca amelioration of Al toxicity occurred at mM concentrations. The positive effect of Mg on root elongation was greatest for Al-sensitive genotypes and minimized genotypic differences for Al-tolerance. The Mg protection against Al rhizotoxicity apparently does not occur with all species, because it was not observed in Atlas and Scout 66 wheat varieties. The ability of Mg to ameliorate Al toxicity in soybean at μM levels suggests the involvement of distinct physiological factors.

Dry-Matter Production and Phosphorus Accumulation by Maize Plants in Response to the Addition of Organic Acids in Oxisols

Abstract Organic acids (OA) play an important role in phosphorus (P) availability in soils. They can be adsorbed with great energy by the soil mineral fraction, reducing P adsorption and increasing P availability to plants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different sources (acetic acid, AA; citric acid, CA; and humic acids, HA) and doses of OA on P uptake and dry‐matter production by corn plants grown in highly weathered soils. Samples (2 dm3) of a clayey Red Latosol, RL (Rhodic Haplustox), and a sandy loam Red Yellow Latosol, RYL (Typic Haplustox), were accommodated in plastic pots located in a greenhouse. Phosphorus (K2HPO4) and/orOA were applied at different timings: organic acid added before (OABP) or simultaneously (OASP) to the phosphate application. The OA doses ranged from 0.0 to 8.0 mmol L−1. The doses of humic acids ranged from 0.0 to 12 g dm−3 and were equivalent to an organic compost addition of 0 to 80 t ha−1. The addition of OA influenced dry‐matter production and P uptake by corn plants in both soils. The effectiveness of OA in increasing P uptake and dry‐matter production of corn plants followed the order humic acids>citric acid>acetic acid. In both soils, the greatest dry‐matter production and P uptake were obtained when OA were applied to the soil before P was added (OABP).

Alterations of soil chemical properties by eucalyptus cultivation in five regions in the Rio Doce Valley

Little is currently known about modifications in edaphic characteristics caused by short-rotation eucalyptus and the impacts of these alterations on the sustainability of eucalyptus wood production. This study was carried out to identify theses changes at five sites of eucalyptus plantation in the region of the Rio Doce Valley, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Areas with more than three previous eucalyptus cycles, adjacent to pasture land or native forest, were chosen. Soil samples were collected and soil fertility analyzed by routine methods and other fractionation methods in order to measure alterations in the K, Ca and Mg contents as a consequence of eucalyptus cultivation. In the eucalyptus areas, reductions in the exchangeable Ca2+, Mg2+ and K+ contents and pH were observed and increased Al3+ and Hxa0+xa0Al contents. Of all nutrients, only P contents (Mehlich-1xa0P) increased in the eucalyptus areas. The reduction in exchangeable forms and in medium-term soil nutrient pools indicates the need for higher nutrient rates than the currently applied in order to prevent nutritional limitations and soil nutrient exhaustion. After several eucalyptus rotations there was a recovery in the SOM content in comparison to degraded pasture soils, although not to the level of the native forest soil. The positive correlation between effective CEC and medium-term non-exchangeable Ca, Mg and K with SOM emphasizes the need for adequate fertilizer and plant residue management to sustain or even increase forest productivity in future cycles.

Caracterização química de resíduos da produção de biodiesel compostados com adição mineral

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of different mineral enrichments during composting of biodiesel production residues on chemical characteristics of the end product. The following materials were used: sugar cane bagasse, ashes of sugar cane bagasse, poultry manure, filter cake and castor oil cake. These materials were mixed and enriched with mineral nutrients NPK, serpentinite and micaxist powdered rocks and gneiss powdered rocks, to obtain eight different composts. At 0, 30, 90 and 120 days after starting composting, these materials were sampled to measure pH, electrical conductivity, C, N, ashes, and, at the last sampling, CEC and total nutrients. Only the compost enriched with NPK (with N as ammonium sulphate) comply with the legislation pertinent to compost, while the composts that received filter cake and castor oil cake, with and without, mineral addition presented pH below the accepted limit and had C and N concentrations below the minimum established in the Brazilian legislation. The addition of serpentinite and micaxist powdered rocks contributed to raise the CEC of composts.

Urea coated with oxidized charcoal reduces ammonia volatilization

Urea is the most consumed nitrogen fertilizer in the world. However, its agronomic and economic efficiency is reduced by the volatilization of NH3, which can reach 78 % of the applied nitrogen. The coating of urea granules with acidic compounds obtained by charcoal oxidation has the potential to reduce the volatilization, due to the acidic character, the high buffering capacity and CEC. This work aimed to evaluate the effect of HNO3-oxidized carbon on the control of NH3 volatilization. These compounds were obtained by oxidation of Eucalyptus grandis charcoal, produced at charring temperatures of 350 and 450 oC, with 4.5 mol L-1 HNO3. The charcoal was oxidized by solubilization in acidic or alkaline medium, similar to the procedure of soil organic matter fractionation (CHox350 and CHox450). CHox was characterized by C, H, O, N contents and their respective atomic relations, by the ratio E4 (absorbance 465 nm) by E6 (absorbance 665 nm), and by active acidity and total acidity (CEC). The inhibitory effect of CHox on the urease activity of Canavalia ensiformis was assessed in vitro. The NH3 volatilization from urea was evaluated with and without coating of oxidized charcoal (U-CHox350 or U-CHox450) in a closed system with continuous air flow. The pH of both CHox was near 2.0, but the total acidity of CHox350 was higher, 72 % of which was attributed to carboxylic groups. The variation in the ionization constants of CHox350 was also greater. The low E4/E6 ratios characterize the high stability of the compounds in CHox. CHox did not inhibit the urease activity in vitro, although the maximum volatilization peak from U-CHox450 and U-CHox350 occurred 24 h after that observed for uncoated urea. The lowest volatilization rate was observed for U-CHox350 as well as a 43 % lower total amount of NH3 volatilized than from uncoated urea.

Effect of compaction on microbial activity and carbon and nitrogen transformations in two oxisols with different mineralogy

The use of machinery in agricultural and forest management activities frequently increases soil compaction, resulting in greater soil density and microporosity, which in turn reduces hydraulic conductivity and O2 and CO2 diffusion rates, among other negative effects. Thus, soil compaction has the potential to affect soil microbial activity and the processes involved in organic matter decomposition and nutrient cycling. This study was carried out under controlled conditions to evaluate the effect of soil compaction on microbial activity and carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) mineralization. Two Oxisols with different mineralogy were utilized: a clayey oxidic-gibbsitic Typic Acrustox and a clayey kaolinitic Xantic Haplustox (Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo acrico - LVA, and Latossolo Amarelo distrofico - LA, respectively, in the Brazil Soil Classification System). Eight treatments (compaction levels) were assessed for each soil type in a complete block design, with six repetitions. The experimental unit consisted of PVC rings (height 6 cm, internal diameter 4.55 cm, volume 97.6 cm3). The PVC rings were filled with enough soil mass to reach a final density of 1.05 and 1.10 kg dm-3, respectively, in the LVA and LA. Then the soil samples were wetted (0.20 kg kg-1 = 80 % of field capacity) and compacted by a hydraulic press at pressures of 0, 60, 120, 240, 360, 540, 720 and 900 kPa. After soil compression the new bulk density was calculated according to the new volume occupied by the soil. Subsequently each PVC ring was placed within a 1 L plastic pot which was then tightly closed. The soils were incubated under aerobic conditions for 35 days and the basal respiration rate (CO2-C production) was estimated in the last two weeks. After the incubation period, the following soil chemical and microbiological properties were detremined: soil microbial biomass C (CMIC), total soil organic C (TOC), total N, and mineral N (NH4+-N and NO3--N). After that, mineral N, organic N and the rate of net N mineralization was calculated. Soil compaction increased NH4+-N and net N mineralization in both, LVA and LA, and NO3--N in the LVA; diminished the rate of TOC loss in both soils and the concentration of NO3--N in the LA and CO2-C in the LVA. It also decreased the CMIC at higher compaction levels in the LA. Thus, soil compaction decreases the TOC turnover probably due to increased physical protection of soil organic matter and lower aerobic microbial activity. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that under controlled conditions, the oxidic-gibbsitic Oxisol (LVA) was more susceptible to the effects of high compaction than the kaolinitic (LA) as far as organic matter cycling is concerned; and compaction pressures above 540 kPa reduced the total and organic nitrogen in the kaolinitic soil (LA), which was attributed to gaseous N losses.

Organic acid adsorption and mineralization in oxisols with different textures

SUMMARY Organic acids play an important role in the nutritional conditions of plants. Their relevance is related to their formation dynamics, mineralization rate and adsorption by soil colloids. This study was carried out to evaluate the dynamics of mineralization and adsorption of organic acid (acetic acid - AA, citric acid - CA and humic acid - HA) applied to the soil. Samples of two Oxisols were used: Rhodic Haplustox (LV) and Typic Haplustox (LVA). The mineralization experiment was arranged in a 2 x 3 x 5 factorial design, based on the factors: two soils (LV and LVA) x three organic acid (OA) types (AA, CA and HA) x five OA rates (0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 mmol dm -3 ). Organic carbon mineralization in samples was measured by the C-CO2 efflux, produced by the microbial activity, in a 30-day (measurements after 4, 8, 12, 21, and 30 days) and in a 4-day experiment (measured after 24, 48, 72 and 96 h). Organic acid adsorption was tested in a 2 x 2 x 5 x 4 factorial design, with the factors and levels: two Oxisols; two organic acids (AA and CA); five OA rates (0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 mmol dm -3 ) and four adsorption periods (6, 24, 48, and 72 h). The C-CO2 production of soil treated with CA was highest. In the adsorption experiment, the affinity of CA to soil adsorption sites was greatest. The adsorption of organic acids to soils may be an important mechanism by which bioavailability and thus mineralization capacity by microbial activity are reduced.

Nutrient relations during an eucalyptus cycle at different population densities

To synchronize nutrient availability with the requirements of eucalyptus during a cultivation cycle, the nutrient flow of this system must be well understood. Essential, for example, is information about nutrient dynamics in eucalyptus plantations throughout a cultivation cycle, as well as impacts on soil nutrient reserves caused by the accumulation and subsequent export of nutrients via biomass. It is also important to quantify the effect of some management practices, such as tree population density (PD) on these fluxes. Some nutrient relations in an experiment with Eucalyptus grandis, grown at different PDs in Santa Barbara, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, were evaluated for one cultivation cycle. At forest ages of 0.25, 2.5, 4.5, and 6.75 years, evaluations were carried out in the stands at seven different PDs (between 500 and 5,000 trees ha-1) which consisted in chemical analyses of plant tissue sampled from components of the aboveground parts of the tree, from the forest floor and the litterfall. Nutrient contents and allocations of the different biomass components were estimated. In general, there were only small and statistically insignificant effects of PD on the nutrient concentration in trees. With increasing forest age, P, K, Ca and Mg concentrations were reduced in the aboveground components and the forest floor. The magnitud of biochemical nutrient cycling followed the sequence: P > K > N > Mg. At the end of the cycle, the quantities of N, P, Ca and Mg immobilized in the forest floor were higher than in the other components.

Decomposição de fontes orgânicas e mineralização de formas de nitrogênio e fósforo

Diferentes residuos in natura (farinhas, tortas e vinhacas) e compostos (lixo domiciliar e lodo de esgoto) foram avaliados quanto a decomposicao e mineralizacao de formas orgânicas de N e P, quando incorporados a um Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo, em condicoes de ambiente controlado. A decomposicao foi determinada em experimento de respirometria e a mineralizacao, por incubacao. Para um periodo de incubacao de 30 dias, os residuos in natura apresentaram maior evolucao acumulada de C-CO 2 em comparacao aos residuos na forma compostada. No periodo de incubacao de 60 dias, os compostos de lodo de esgoto (4.500 mg kg -1 ) e lixo domiciliar (2.000 mg kg -1 ) mineralizaram N, em contraste com a farinha de carne e osso (385 mg kg -1 ) e a torta de filtro (281 mg kg -1 ), que imobilizaram N. A relacao C/N e o teor inicial de N nos residuos nao explicaram o seu processo de mineralizacao. Isso sugeriu que a natureza do residuo e caracteristica s como formas de C facilmente biodegradaveis, teores e capacidade dos polifenois totais soluveis em complexar proteina e, estoques de N nas formas fulvica e humica da materia orgânica interferiram na mineralizacao de N. Para um periodo de incubacao de 45 dias, a mineralizacao do P correlacionou-se positivamente com o teor inicial de P orgânico (r = 0,99**) e negativamente com a relacao C/P (r = - 0,88**) dos residuos. A farinha de carne e osso apresentou maior mineralizacao de P (1.144 mg kg -1 ) em relacao aos outros residuos. Palavras-chave: Residuos industriais, compostos de lixo domiciliar e lodo de esgoto, respiracao do solo.

Modeling changes in organic carbon stocks for distinct soils in southeastern brazil after four eucalyptus rotations using the century model

Soil organic matter (SOM) plays an important role in carbon (C) cycle and soil quality. Considering the complexity of factors that control SOM cycling and the long time it usually takes to observe changes in SOM stocks, modeling constitutes a very important tool to understand SOM cycling in forest soils. The following hypotheses were tested: (i) soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks would be higher after several rotations of eucalyptus than in low-productivity pastures; (ii) SOC values simulated by the Century model would describe the data better than the mean of observations. So, the aims of the current study were: (i) to evaluate the SOM dynamics using the Century model to simulate the changes of C stocks for two eucalyptus chronosequences in the Rio Doce Valley, Minas Gerais State, Brazil; and (ii) to compare the C stocks simulated by Century with the C stocks measured in soils of different Orders and regions of the Rio Doce Valley growing eucalyptus. In Belo Oriente (BO), short-rotation eucalyptus plantations had been cultivated for 4.0; 13.0, 22.0, 32.0 and 34.0 years, at a lower elevation and in a warmer climate, while in Virginopolis (VG), these time periods were 8.0, 19.0 and 33.0 years, at a higher elevation and in a milder climate. Soil samples were collected from the 0-20 cm layer to estimate C stocks. Results indicate that the C stocks simulated by the Century model decreased after 37 years of poorly managed pastures in areas previously covered by native forest in the regions of BO and VG. The substitution of poorly managed pastures by eucalyptus in the early 1970´s led to an average increase of C of 0.28 and 0.42 t ha-1 year-1 in BO and VG, respectively. The measured C stocks under eucalyptus in distinct soil Orders and independent regions with variable edapho-climate conditions were not far from the values estimated by the Century model (root mean square error - RMSE = 20.9; model efficiency - EF = 0.29) despite the opposite result obtained with the statistical procedure to test the identity of analytical methods. Only for lower soil C stocks, the model over-estimated the C stock in the 0-20 cm layer. Thus, the Century model is highly promising to detect changes in C stocks in distinct soil orders under eucalyptus, as well as to indicate the impact of harvest residue management on SOM in future rotations.