Pedro Alberto Selbach

Imobilização de nitrogênio em solo cultivado com milho em sucessão à aveia preta nos sistemas plantio direto e convencional

The present research aimed to evaluate the amount of nitrogen immobilized and its remineralization, in conventional and in no-till systems, during the corn cycle. A soil that was used for oats crop was seeded with corn and subjected to under conventional and no-till systems. Samples were collected from the top (0-5cm) soil layer on the day of the corn seeding and after 46, 62, 88 and 112 days. At the same time, the aerial parts of corn plants were collected and nitrogen accumulation was evaluated. Soil samples were assayed for mineral N, potentially mineralizable N and C, activity and immobilized N. Microbial nitrogen immobilization was higher in no-till system, reducing the soil mineral nitrogen concentration and resulting in a lower amount of nitrogen in the aerial parts of corn plants at the end of the growth cycle. Nitrogen remineralization was not observed, indicating that the microbial biomass acted more as an agent of organic N mineralization than as a source of potentially mineralizable N.

Genetic variability of soybean bradyrhizobia populations under different soil managements

Due to their ecologic and economic importance, bradyrhizobia have been extensively studied in recent years. Since 1992, Bradyrhizobium elkanii SEMIA 587 and SEMIA 5019 and Bradyrhizobium japonicum SEMIA 5079 and SEMIA 5080 have been widely used in most Brazilian soybean fields. The objective of this work was to estimate the genetic variability of bradyrhizobial isolates recovered from soils under rhizobial inoculation and different soil managements. Only 25% of the isolates demonstrated high similarities to the original strains, and a strong correlation was obtained between the bradyrhizobial genetic variability and soil management. A high level of genetic diversity was observed both within isolates (H = 5.46) as well as among the different soil practices. Soil under no-tillage presented a higher bradyrhizobia diversity compared with bradyrhizobia isolated from soil under conventional tillage. Serological characterization also indicated that B. elkanii strains SEMIA 587 and SEMIA 5019 were more competitive and presented a higher nodular occupancy capacity than strains belonging to B. japonicum species in Southern Brazilian soils.

Indicadores microbianos de qualidade do solo em diferentes sistemas de manejo

Agricultural activity, by the application of different soil management practices, can cause impacts on soil production capacity that need to be assessed. In this study, different microbiological parameters were evaluated, to assess the relation of soil quality with different tillage practices and crop systems, in comparison to a natural reference soil. The activities of β-glucosidase, urease, acid phosphatase and arylsulphatase were evaluated, as well as soil microbial respiratory activity and microbial biomass. Conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT) were evaluated in two crop rotations and winter fallow. In addition, natural pasture (NP) was also evaluated as reference, for comparison with the other management systems. The analyses were carried out in four growing seasons in two years. The results of the four seasons indicated that the enzyme activities, as well as microbial biomass and respiratory activity, were lower in CT than in the other systems, while results in NP and NT tended to be similar, indicating the capacity of NT to maintain the original soil quality. On the other hand, the evaluated parameters were in general not significantly influenced by the crop systems.

Enhancing bioremediation of diesel oil and gasoline in soil amended with an agroindustry sludge.

Abstract This paper presents a study of the bioremediation of diesel oil and gasoline by a series of controlled laboratory tests. Sludge from an agroindustry was used to enhance biore-mediation of both gasoline and diesel oil mixed with a soil mass to compare its efficiency with that of a mineral fertilizer. Effects of soil microbiology and soil mixtures were investigated by means of evolution of CO2, micro-organism populations at 90 days, pH at 65 and 95 days, mineral nitrogen, and gas chromatographic analysis of the benzene, toluene, methyl tertiary butyl ether, C8, and C9+total aromatics at the end of the experiments. Treatments containing sludge showed better soil conditions after 170 days of treatment (inorganic nitrogen and microbiota activity) compared with gasoline and diesel oil without amendments. Samples had no detectable traces of the measured hydrocarbons at 170 days of treatment.

Reinoculação de bactérias diazotróficas aumentando o crescimento de plantas de trigo

With this work, we aimed evaluate the supply of N from BNF and the ability of diazotrophic bacteria isolates, reinoculated in wheat plants, to enhancer root elongation. In this study, we access nitrogen fixation and root elongation of wheat plants by inoculation of diazotrophic bacteria under controlled conditions. Two tested isolates had been distinguished by enhanced 2.3 times root elongation than treatments without inoculation. All isolates can to supply nitrogen to the wheat plants until 21 days of development. By this study, we can to identify better isolates to inoculation in wheat plants.

Identificação de cultivares de milho eficientes na absorção de nitrogênio e na associação com bactérias diazotróficas

Cultivars adapted to environments poor in nitrogen and capable to associate with diazotrophic bacteria can represent an alternative for the producion of maize in agricultural systems which uses few amounts of fertilizers. Aiming at identifying efficient maize cultivars in nitrogen uptake and diazitrophic bacteria association an experiment was carried out with 32 maize cultivars under different doses of nitrogen. The highest detection of diazotrophic population, the smallest effect of N fetilization and the highest nitrogen content under no nitrogen fertlization can indicate that Santa Helena 8447 may be a promising cultivar to be used in further studies to select efficient cultivars for cultivation in soils of low fertility.

Redução de cromo hexavalente por bactérias isoladas de solos contaminados com cromo

The reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) decrease the toxic effect of this metal in the environment, because Cr(III) is insoluble to the biological membranes. The microbial reduction of Cr(VI) it is an alternative to reduce the environmental impacts caused by this metal used in several industrial processes. The objective of this research was to select microorganisms from chromium contaminated soil and to characterize their ability to reduce Cr(VI). The activity of reduction of Cr(VI) for the isolated was quantified with s-diphenylcarbazide. A group of 20 chromium resistant bacteria were isolated; six of these were able to reduce 100mg L -1 Cr(VI) in 24 hours. The isolated bacteria, from contaminated soil can remediate chromate and presented potential for other studies seeking their application in bioremediation processes.

Alterações microbianas no solo durante o ciclo do milho nos sistemas plantio direto e convencional

The availability of black oat residues, with high C:N ratio, leads to microbial immobilization of soil nitrogen, demanding special strategies to supply nitrogen to subsequent crops. The objective of this work was to evaluate shifts in microbial community structure due to the availability of black oat residues and nitrogen applications during the corn growing season. Soil (Paleudult) samples were collected on the day of the corn seeding and after 46, 62, 88 and 112 days. Nitrogen fertilizer was applied 25 and 49 days after corn seeding. Changes in microbial community were assessed by microbial biomass carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), ninhydrin- reactive N (N-Nin) and carbohydrates (CHO) ratios, besides the analysis of the rDNA of bacteria and fungi. Changes in microbial community shown by rDNA analysis were more related to C:N and C:N-Nin ratios than to C:CHO ratio. The C:N and C:N-Nin ratios and the analysis of the rDNA showed that microbial community was predominantly fungal at the beginning of the evaluation period. After nitrogen application, the bacterial population became preponderant and, at the end of the evaluation period, microbial community turned back to a composition similar to the initial.

Propriedades químicas de um Argissolo tratado sucessivamente com composto de lixo urbano

In order to assess the changes in some chemical properties of soil under the successive addition of urban waste compost, it was conducted a field experiment in an Ultisol soil at Agronomic Experimental Station of UFRGS. The treatments consisted of five successive applications of different doses of municipal solid waste compost (0, 20, 40, 80 and 160t ha-1) for a period of four years and a comparative treatment with mineral fertilizer and a control (without compost and fertilization). The addition of the compost increased soil pH, CEC, organic C, total N, extractable P and Na and the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), calcium, and magnesium and extractable K after the third application. The exchangeable Al had their levels reduced by successive applications of compost. The results showed that application of up to 80t ha-1 yr-1 of urban waste compost can be the dose recommended to improve and maintain the chemical properties of soil.

Populações microbianas em solo agrícola sob aplicação de lodos de curtume

Tannery residues are potential pollution sources in several regions of Brazil, mainly in the State of Rio Grande do Sul. One of the alternatives for the final destination of the sludge resulting from the waste water treatment of tanning industries is the disposal and recycling in the soil. To evaluate the effects of two waste types originated from primary treatment of tannery residual water on soil microbial populations, an open air pot experiment was carried out in a Paleudult soil with ten percent clay from Estância Velha, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, where several tannery industries are located. Mineral fertilization was compared to sludge application of 15, 30 and 60 t ha-1 of sludge originated either from tannin or Cr tanning agents. One treatment with cattle manure and a control were also included. Chromium soil, organic C concentrations, pH and bacteria, fungi and actinomyces populations were determined. Biological degradation was efficient for sludge with Cr up to 60 t ha-1 level and for tannin sludge up to 30 t ha-1 dose. Except for the sludge with Cr on the fungus population, the bacteria, fungi and actinomyces populations were stimulated by tannery sludge application. Due to the organic matter concentration in the soil, bacteria microbial populations were stimulated more than fungi and actinomyces. Chromium, pH and organic C increased as a result of the soil disposal of tannery sludges. The application of both tannery residues did not decrease the biological degradation process when compared to normal soil levels.