Omar Cruz Rocha

Microbiological properties and oxidizable organic carbon fractions of an oxisol under coffee with split phosphorus applications and irrigation regimes

Phosphorus fertilization and irrigation increase coffee production, but little is known about the effect of these practices on soil organic matter and soil microbiota in the Cerrado. The objective of this study was to evaluate the microbiological and oxidizable organic carbon fractions of a dystrophic Red Latossol under coffee and split phosphorus (P) applications and different irrigation regimes. The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design in a 3 x 2 factorial design with three split P applications (P1: 300 kg ha-1 P2O5, recommended for the crop year, of which two thirds were applied in September and the third part in December; P2: 600 kg ha-1 P2O5, applied at planting and then every two years, and P3: 1,800 kg ha-1 P2O5, the requirement for six years, applied at once at planting), two irrigation regimes (rainfed and year-round irrigation), with three replications. The layers 0-5 and 5-10 cm were sampled to determine microbial biomass carbon (MBC), basal respiration (BR), enzyme activity of acid phosphatase, the oxidizable organic carbon fractions (F1, F2, F3, and F4), and total organic carbon (TOC). The irrigation regimes increased the levels of MBC, microbial activity and acid phosphatase, TOC and oxidizable fractions of soil organic matter under coffee. In general, the form of dividing P had little influence on the soil microbial properties and OC. Only P3 under irrigation increased the levels of MBC and acid phosphatase activity.

Ajuste do modelo Chistiansen-Hargreaves para estimativa da evapotranspiração do feijão no cerrado

Bean producers from the Brazilian Cerrado region have only one technology for the irrigation management: the measurement of the water tension in the soil through the use of tensiometers. Although this methodology has high potential, it has not been widely adopted by the producers. Thus, the utilization of models to estimate evapotranspiration estimate has shown to be applicable to the Cerrado region. So, this paper aims to evaluate the performance of the Chistiansen-Hargreaves model to estimate evapotranspiration of black bean crop in the dry season of the Brazilian Cerrado region. It also aims to provide producers an the adjusted model to estimate evapotranspiration which permit an efficient management for the agricultural irrigated system of the Cerrado region. The evapotranspiration of the black bean crop was measured with the use of a weighing lysimeter. The experiment was carried in the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa Cerrados), located in Planaltina, DF, Brazil. When calculated with crop coefficient, determined in the research and tested with adjusted energetic term (S0=0.5), the Chistiansen-Hargreaves model presented an excellent performance and may be used in irrigation management.

Qualidade físico-hídrica de um latossolo sob irrigação e braquiária em lavoura de café no cerrado

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of irrigation and cultivation of brachiaria among coffee trees lines on physical-hydric Oxisol quality at Brazilian central plateau. The experiment was carried out in five randomized blocks in a factorial design 2 x 2, with two water treatments, irrigated and rainfed systems, and two management systems, with and without brachiaria between coffee trees lines. The research strategy was based on studying soil water storage based on porosity distribution due to the behavior of physical parameters in different water and management treatments. Soil samples were collected in duplicate in each plot at depths from 0.0 to 0.05, 0.05 to 0.10, 0.10 and 0.20 m. The irrigation regime increased soil bulk density in the surface layer without reducing its readily available water that, due to presence of brachiaria was increased by 18%. In general, irrigated brachiaria had a positive effect on the physical-hydric soil characteristics of the soil and promoted an increase in readly available soil microporosity from the redistribution of pore diameter characterized by increasing retention curve amplitude in the soil water tension range corresponding to the readily-available water.