Soil carbon and nitrogen mineralization caused by pig slurry application under different soil tillage systems

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar as alterações na mineralização de C e N do solo resultantes da aplicação de dejetos líquidos de suínos (DLS) em sistemas de preparo do solo convencional (CT) e plantio direto (NT). O experimento foi conduzido em um Latossolo Vermelho eutrófico, de textura argilosa, em Palotina, PR, Brasil. Doses crescentes de DLS (0, 30, 60 e 120 m3 ha-1 por ano) foram aplicadas nos dois sistemas de preparo do solo, com três repetições. Metade das dosagens de DLS foi aplicada antes do preparo do solo da cultura de verão e a outra metade antes do da cultura de inverno. As áreas foram cultivadas com soja (Glycine max L.) e milho (Zea mays L.) nos verões de 1998 e 1999, respectivamente, e trigo (Triticum sativum Lam.) nos invernos de ambos os anos. As amostras de solos foram coletadas nas profundidades de 0–5, 5–10 e 10–20 cm. A aplicação de DLS aumentou a mineralização de C e de N, tanto no sistema CT como no NT. Contudo, o aumento da dose de DLS diminuiu a razão de mineralização entre C e N. No sistema de NT, a mineralização de C e de N foi maior que no CT.The objective of this work was to evaluate the change in soil C and N mineralization due to successive pig slurry application under conventional tillage (CT) and no tillage (NT) systems. The experiment was carried out in a clayey Latossolo Vermelho eutrófico (Rhodic Eutrudox) in Palotina, PR, Brazil. Increasing doses of pig slurry (0, 30, 60 and 120 m3 ha-1 per year) were applied in both tillage systems, with three replicates. Half of the pig slurry was applied before summer soil preparation, and the other half before the winter crop season. The areas were cultivated with soybean (Glycine max L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) in the summers of 1998 and 1999, respectively, and with wheat (Triticum sativum Lam.) in the winters of both years. Soil samples were collected at 0–5, 5–10, and 10–20 cm depths. Under both CT and NT systems, pig slurry application increased C and N mineralization. However, increasing pig slurry additions decreased the C to N mineralization ratio. Under the NT system, C and N mineralization was greater than in CT system

Mycorrhizal effectiveness on physic nut as influenced by phosphate fertilization levels

In recent years, physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) has attracted attention because of its potential for biofuel production. Although it is adapted to low-fertility soils, physic nut requires soil acidity corrections and addition of a considerable amount of fertilizer for high productivity. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) (control without AMF inoculation, Gigaspora margarita inoculation or Glomus clarum inoculation) on increasing growth and yield of physic nut seedlings under different rates of P fertilization (0, 25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg kg-1 P soil) in greenhouse. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized, block in a factorial scheme design with four replications. The physic nut plants were harvested 180 days after the beginning of the experiment. Mycorrhizal inoculation increased physic nut growth, plant P concentration and root P uptake efficiency at low soil P concentrations. The P use quotient of the plants decreased as the amount of P applied increased, and the P use efficiency index increased at low P levels and decreased at high P levels. Mycorrhizal root colonization and AMF sporulation were negatively affected by P addition. The highest mycorrhizal efficiency was observed when the soil contained between 7.8 and 25 mgkg-1 of P. The physic nut plants responded strongly to P application, independent of mycorrhizal inoculation

Soil microbial biomass under different tillage and levels of applied pig slurry

ABSTRACT The objective of this work was to evaluate the changes in microbial biomass C, N and P due to the application of pig slurry under different soil tillage systems. The experiment was established in a clayey Oxisol, Eutrophic Red Latossol in Palotina, PR. Different quantities of pig slurry (0, 30, 60 and 120 m3 ha-1 year-1) were applied to the soil prior to the summer and winter crop season under conventional tillage (CT) and no tillage (NT), in three replicates. The area was cultivated with soybean (Glycine max L.) or maize (Zea mays L.) in the summer and wheat (Triticum sativum Lam.) or oat (Avena sativa L.) in the winter. The soil samples were collected in March and October of 1998 and 1999 at depths of 0-5, 5-10 and 10-20 cm. The soil tillage and pig slurry application influenced the microbial biomass C, N and P. The microbial biomass and the microbial activity presented high sensibility to detect changes in the soil due to tillage and the application of pig slurry. The soil microbial biomass and Cmic/Corg relation increased as the quantity of applied pig slurry increased. The metabolic quotient under CT increased with depth while under NT it decreased. The soil microbial biomass was enriched in N and P under NT and as the quantity of applied pig slurry increased

Response of castor bean to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and levels of phosphorus

O objetivo no presente estudo foi avaliar a resposta da mamoneira inoculada com fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (FMA) e diferentes níveis de P no solo. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação, em Londrina-PR, com a utilização de solo arenoso (LVd) autoclavado como substrato, em vasos com capacidade de 4 kg. Os tratamentos foram instalados em um esquema fatorial A x B, casualizados, sendo utilizado o híbrido de mamona Iris. Fator A: representado pela inoculação dos fungos micorrízicos: Controle, Gigaspora margarita, Glomus clarum, e uma mistura de espécies, e o fator B pelos cinco níveis de P (0, 20, 40, 80, 160 mg P kg solo-1), com quatro repetições. Foram avaliados: massa seca de plantas, micorrização e o teor de P na parte aérea. Houve efeito significativo da inoculação de fungos micorrizícos arbusculares na massa seca e no teor de P na parte área. A adição de doses de P influenciou de modo significativo a produção de matéria seca e os teores de P no tecido, porém diminuiu a colonização radicular e o número de esporos de FMA. A mamoneira mostrou-se dependente de FMA no solo com baixo nível de P.The aim of this study was to evaluate the response of castor bean inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and different levels of P in the soil. The experiment was carried out under greenhouse condition, in Londrina-PR, using disinfected sandy soil (LVd) as substrate, in pots with capacity of 4 kg. The treatments were conducted in a randomized factorial design, using Iris castor bean cultivar. The treatments with mycorrhizal were: Control, Gigaspora margarita, Glomus clarum, and a mixture of species, and five levels of P (0, 20, 40, 80, 160 mg P kg soil-1), with four replicates. There were evaluated: dry mass, content of P in the shoot and mycorrhization. There was a significant effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation on the dry mass and in the P content in the shoot. The addition of P influenced, significantly, the production of dry mass and P content in the plant tissue, however it decreases the root colonization and mycorrhizal sporulation. The castor bean show dependence of AMF in soil with low levels of P

Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on early development of persimmon seedlings

The present study evaluated the effects of five species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on vegetative development parameters and nutrient uptake of persimmon (Diospyros kaki L.) seedlings. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized experimental design with six treatments involving AMF inoculation (non-inoculated; Dentiscutata heterogama, Claroideoglomus etunicatum, Rhizophagus clarus, Acaulospora scrobiculata and A. morrowiae), in sterile soil (Oxisol – Dystrophic Red Latosol) under greenhouse conditions. Persimmon seeds were germinated in sterile sand and the seedlings were transplanted to the sterile soil and received AMF inocula. After 360 days, the following vegetative parameters were analyzed: plant height, number of leaves, leaf surface area, stem diameter, shoot and root dry mass, percentage of root colonization and nutrient accumulation in shoot and root biomass. We observed different responses to the AMF species tested. Seedling height and leaf surface area were promoted by inoculation with D. heterogama and A. morrowiae, and these species also promoted a higher percentage of root colonization. Plants inoculated with D. heterogama and C. etunicatum presented a greater number of leaves, but only D. heterogama promoted significant increases in stem diameter. Shoot dry mass was improved by inoculation with D. heterogama, A. morrowiae and C. etunicatum, while the first two species and R. clarus increased root dry mass. Nutrient accumulation in shoot and root biomass was stimulated by AMF inoculation, especially by D. heterogama and A. morrowiae. Therefore, the effects on early vegetative development were more pronounced in the persimmon seedlings inoculated with D. heterogama

Effect of tillage systems and permanent groundcover intercropped with orange trees on soil enzyme activities

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different soil tillage systems and groundcover crops intercropped with orange trees on soil enzyme activities. The experiment was performed in an Ultisol soil in northwestern Paraná State. Two soil tillage systems were evaluated [conventional tillage (CT) across the entire area and strip tillage (ST) with a 2-m strip width] in combination with various groundcover vegetation management systems. Soil samples were collected after five years of experimental management at a depth of 0-15 cm under the tree canopy and in the inter-row space in the following treatments: (1) CT-Calopogonium mucunoides; (2) CT-Arachis pintoi; (3) CT-Bahiagrass; (4) CT-Brachiaria humidicola; and (5) ST-B. humidicola. The soil tillage systems and groundcover crops influenced the soil enzyme activities both under the tree canopy and in the inter-row space. The cultivation of B. humidicola provided higher amylase, arylsulfatase, acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase than other groundcover species. Strip tillage increased enzyme activities compared to the conventional tillage system