Low Carbon Technologies for Agriculture in Dryland: Brazilian Experience

Anthropogenic activities have altered the atmospheric composition since the industrial era, especially with the increasing greenhouse gas emission due to fossil fuel combustion, cement production, and land-use change. The Brazilian semiarid, covering approximately 969.589 km2 with 21 million people, region has 1.6 million agricultural establishments and 95% are classified as family farms. The typical agricultural systems are characterized by high grazing density, slash and burn practices, and fruits and legumes by irrigated monocultures. Consequently, soil degradation occurs due unsustainable soil management, decreasing soil carbon stock, and the biodiversity. The soil carbon depletion is also associated with saline, water, and thermal stresses. Saline, water, and thermal stresses in dryland, the impact of the land-use change associated with climate change, and few technological resources available for use in agricultural systems are the main reasons responsible for low productivity in the Brazilian semiarid region. Low-cost agricultural practices can contribute to build healthy and sustainable agroecosystems: among these, the selection of plant species tolerant to saline, water, and thermal stresses, the use of rhizobial inoculants, adoption of no-tillage, sowing green manure, and adoption of technologies to stock water to improve its efficiency and productivity

Atributos de fertilidade e frações húmicas de um Latossolo Vermelho no Cerrado

The objective of this study was to evaluate fertility attributes and the fractions of organic matter, fulvic acid, humic acid, and humina, in a Rhodic Ferralsol, under different cultivation systems in Brazilian Cerrado. The experiments were carried out from 1993 to 2003. The treatments were divided in four groups: tillage (1 and 7), rotation tillage/pasture (3 and 5), rotation pasture/tillage (4 and 6), and continuous pasture (2 and 8), all in no-tillage system. Chemical analyses of soil samples were made for the depth of 0–20 cm, after ten years of cultivation. It was observed that Ca2+ content varied from 4.6 cmolc kg-1 (tillage) to 6.20 cmolc kg-1 (continuous pasture), and available P from 1 to 6 mg kg-1. The Mg2+ content varied from 3 cmolc kg-1, under tillage/pasture, to 3.8 cmolc kg-1 in continuous pasture, and K+, from 0.28 cmolc kg-1, under continue pasture, to 1.10 cmolc kg-1 in tillage/pasture. It was verified that organic C content varied from 16.6 g kg-1 in the tillage, to 28.8 g kg-1under tillage/pasture. The humine fraction presents the largest values among the organic matter fractions.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os atributos de fertilidade e as frações de matéria orgânica, ácido fúlvico, ácido húmico e humina, em um Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico, sob diferentes sistemas de cultivo no Cerrado. Os experimentos foram conduzidos no período de 1993 a 2003. Os tratamentos foram divididos em quatro grupos: lavoura (1 e 7), rotação lavoura/pastagem (3 e 5), rotação pastagem/lavoura (4 e 6) e pastagem contínua (2 e 8), todos em plantio direto. A avaliação do solo foi feita após dez anos de cultivo, com análises químicas de amostras da profundidade de 0–20 cm. Foi observado que os teores de Ca2+ variaram de 4,6 cmolc kg-1 (lavoura) a 6,20 cmolc kg-1 (pastagem contínua), e os de P disponível, de 1 a 6 mg kg-1. Os teores de Mg2+ variaram de 3 cmolc kg-1, sob lavoura/pastagem, a 3,8 cmolc kg-1 em pastagem contínua, e os de K+, de 0,28 cmolc kg-1 sob pastagem contínua, a 1,10 cmolc kg-1 em lavoura/pastagem. Os teores de C orgânico variaram de 16,6 g kg-1 na lavoura a 28,0 g kg-1 sob lavoura/pastagem. A fração humina apresenta os maiores valores entre as frações da matéria orgânica

Atributos químicos e qualidade da matéria orgânica do solo em sistemas de colheita de cana-de-açúcar com e sem queima

The objective of this work was to evaluate soil chemical attributes, to quantify soil contents and stocks of C and N, and to evaluate the chemical quality of soil organic matter in sugarcane harvest systems with or without burning. Cultivated sugarcane areas were evaluated with or without burning of the fields at 6 and 12 years after the last renovation of the sugarcane fields. In addition, a native vegetation area and another one cultivated for 19 years without burning were also evaluated. Soil C content in the unburnt areas was higher thanthat of the burnt ones and lower than that of the areas with native vegetation. Carbon stock at the 0.0–0.3-m soil depth in the burnt areas was 22% lower than in the 6-year unburnt area and 43% lower in the 12-year area. The highest humification degrees occurred in the 19-year unburnt area; and the lowest, in the native vegetation area. The cultivated soils showed higher concentration of phenolic and carboxylic groups in humic acids. Soil fertility increases in the unburnt sugarcane areas because of their more humified organic matter and of the higher quantity of carboxylic and phenolic groups.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar atributos químicos do solo, quantificar os teores e os estoques de C e N, e avaliar a qualidade química da matéria orgânica do solo em sistemas de colheita de cana-de-açúcar com ou sem queima da palhada. Áreas cultivadas com cana-de-açúcar foram avaliadas com ou sem queima da palhada, aos 6 e aos 12 anos após a última reforma do canavial. Além disso, também foram avaliadas uma área de vegetação nativa e outra cultivada por 19 anos sem queima. O teor de C no solo das áreas sem queima foi superior ao daquelas queimadas e inferior ao da área com vegetação nativa. O estoque de C a 0,0–0,3 m deprofundidade, na área queimada, foi 22% menor do que o na área sem queima, aos 6 anos, e 43% menor, aos 12 anos. Os maiores graus de humificação ocorreram na área sem queima por 19 anos; e os menores, na área com vegetação nativa. Os solos cultivados apresentaram maior concentração de grupos fenólicos e carboxílicos nos ácidos húmicos. A fertilidade do solo aumenta em áreas de cana-de-açúcar sem queima, em razão da matéria orgânica do solo mais humificada e da maior quantidade de grupamentos carboxílicos e fenólicos

Influence of the pedological differentiation on the development of rubber-tree cultivation in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil

A expansão da heveicultura em regiões não tradicionais que apresentam condições edafoclimáticas diferentes do seu habitat natural, tem seu desempenho prejudicado pela carência de informações técnicas. No Estado de Minas Gerais, a falta de conhecimento dos fatores inerentes às relações solo-planta tem-se tornado uma séria limitação no processo de implantação e exploração de seringais. Neste trabalho foi estudado um transecto sob vegetação de seringueira, situada na fazenda experimental da Epamig no vale do Piranga, no município de Oratórios, MG. As caracterizações morfoestruturais revelaram forte diferenciação lateral dos solos na vertente, sendo os Latossolos predominantes no topo, e nas partes mais baixas, os Podzólicos, com presença de horizontes B texturais, maciços, coerentes, adensados e pouco porosos. Tais observações foram complementadas por determinações in situ, por meio de testes de infiltração de água e resistência à penetração. Os resultados de laboratório que abrangem as densidades (aparente e real), porosidade (macro e micro) através de curvas de retenção de água, assim como as análises físicas e químicas, confirmam as observações e determinações de campo. Os diferentes resultados foram relacionados com o desenvolvimento do clone de seringueiras IAN 873 (biomassa total, aérea e radicular) e mostram uma estreita dependência entre as características físicas dos solos e o desenvolvimento da seringueira. Foi observado um melhor comportamento do seringal nos Latossolos, quando comparados aos Podzólicos, que apresentam uma forte restrição mecânica à penetração das raízes, uma porosidade globalmente reduzida e uma drenagem interna muito deficiente.The expansion of rubber-tree cultivation in nontraditional regions which presents edafoclimatological different conditions from their natural habitat has its performance damaged by the lack of technical information. In the State of Minas Gerais, the deficiency of knowledge about the inherent factors of the soil-plant relations is a serious limitation to the process of planting and exploration of rubber-trees. In this report, a soil catena under rubber-tree vegetation, situated in the Experimental Station of Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária de Minas Gerais in the Piranga's valley at Oratórios, was studied. The morphostructural characterization of the soils showed a strong lateral differentiation in the slope of the hill, with the Oxisols prevailing at the top, while in the lower parts, there are Podzolic soils, with the presence of B textural horizons, massive, coherent, compact and somewhat porous. Such observations were completed by field determinations in situ, through tests of soil water infiltration and resistance to penetration. The laboratory results, enclosing densities (particle density and bulk density), porosity (macro and micro) through water retention curves, as well as physical and chemical analysis, confirm the field's observations and determinations. These different results were related to the development of one clone of rubber-tree IAN 873 (total biomass, aerial and radicular) and show a close dependence among the physical characteristics of the soils and the development of the rubber-tree. A better behaviour of the rubber-trees was observed in the Oxisols, when compared to the Podzolics that present a strong mechanical restriction to roots' penetration, a global porosity reduced and a too much deficient internal drying

Mapeamento da desertificação do semiárido paraibano com base na sua cobertura vegetal e classes de solos

In the semiarid region of the state of Paraíba there are plenty biophysics where vegetation, climate, soils and the various faces and the relationships and processes that take place between them generate the formation of different ecosystems and habitats with great potential ecological and environmental . There are in the region of vegetation ranging from vegetation, shrubby areas with coverage up to very sparse and mostly absent, setting up in areas where high desertification process. Similarly a variety of soils that are in the region along with vegetation makes this a region of great variation from the viewpoint of environmental supply. This article deals with the realization of a diagnosis of environmental sensitivity to desertification of semiarid paraibano seeking spatialize the different situations in which the environment fulfills a greater or lesser extent, its role as provider of environmental services. For this, we used the mapping of existing vegetation and soil mapping of the state and the established criteria, as well edaphic vegetation cover, featuring the susceptibility to degradation and performed the intersection of these two bases of information to profile the sensitivity to desertification. The results show that the semi-arid region of Paraiba has the following values of areas undergoing desertification: 5.76% in class weak; 8.39% in the moderate class; 62.48% in class sharp and severe 23.36% in class.Pages: 3112-311

Decomposição e liberação de nutrientes de coquetéis vegetais para utilização no Semiárido brasileiro The decomposition and release of nutrients by plant mixtures in the Brazilian semi-arid regions

A decomposição e liberação de nutrientes de resíduos vegetais podem assumir importante papel no manejo da fertilidade dos solos da região semiárida. Portanto, o presente estudo teve por objetivo avaliar a taxa de decomposição da matéria seca (MS) e liberação de carbono (C) e nutrientes de coquetéis vegetais no Semiárido brasileiro. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação, no período de novembro de 2007 a junho de 2008, com coquetéis vegetais compostos por espécies de leguminosas (L) (calopogônio, Crotalaria juncea, Crotalaria spectabilis, feijão de porco, guandu, lab-lab) e não leguminosas (NL) (gergelim, girassol, mamona, milheto e sorgo), combinados nos seguintes tratamentos: T1 - 100% NL; T2 - 100% L; T3 - 75% L e 25% NL; T 4 - 50% L e 50% NL; T5 - 25% L e 75% NL. As taxas de decomposição da MS e liberação dos nutrientes foram monitoradas por meio de coleta dos resíduos, realizadas aos 8; 15; 30; 60; 90; 120; 150; 180 e 210 dias após o início do experimento. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental em blocos casualizados com três repetições. Os coquetéis apresentaram taxas de decomposição de MS e liberação de nutrientes semelhantes, exceto para Ca, Cu e Mn, em que os coquetéis compostos com predominância de espécies NL apresentaram liberação mais rápida. A partir da média dos valores de k para todos os coquetéis estabeleceu-se a seguinte ordem de liberação de macronutrientes: K > N > Ca > Mg > P e de micronutrientes: Fe > Mn > Cu > Zn > B.The decomposition and release of nutrients from plant residues can play an important role in the maintenance of soil fertility in semi-arid regions. Thus this study aimed to evaluate the rate of decomposition of dry matter (DM) and the release of carbon (C) and nutrients from plant mixtures used as green manure in the Brazilian Semi-arid regions. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse, from November 2007 to July 2008, using plant mixtures made up of leguminous species (L) (calopo, Crotalaria juncea, Crotalaria spectabilis, jackbean, pigeon pea, lab-lab) and non-leguminous species (NL) (sesame, sunflower, castor, millet and sorghum) combined to give the following treatments: T1 - 100% NL, T2 - 100% L, T3 - 75% L and 25% NL, T4 - 50% L and 50% NL, T5 - 25% L and 75% NL. The rates of decomposition and the release of nutrients were monitored through collection of the residue at 8; 15; 30; 60; 90; 120; 150; 180 and 210 days after the beginning of the experiment. A randomized-block design was used, with three replications. The mixtures showed similar decomposition rates of DM and nutrient release, except for Ca, Cu and Mn, where the mixtures composed predominantly of NL species showed a higher release rate./ From the average values of k for all of the mixtures, it was possible to establish the following order of release of macronutrients: K> N> Ca> Mg> P and micronutrients: Fe> Mn> Cu> Zn> B

IMPACTO DO MANEJO CONVENCIONAL SOBRE PROPRIEDADES FÍSICAS E SUBSTÂNCIAS HÚMICAS DE SOLOS SOB CERRADO IMPACT OF CONVENTIONAL MANAGEMENT UPON BOTH PHYSICAL PROPERTIES AND HUMIC SUBSTANCES OF SOILS UNDER CERRADO

A utilização do manejo convencional em solos sob cerrado tem acarretado modificações nas suas propriedades, bem como no comportamento e qualidade da sua matéria orgânica. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi investigar o impacto do manejo convencional nas propriedades físicas e no conteúdo e qualidade de substâncias húmicas de um Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo, originalmente sob cerrado. O estudo foi realizado em uma propriedade agrícola no município de São Desidério-BA. Foram avaliadas quatro áreas sob diferentes períodos de uso e uma sob cerrado nativo. Os tempos de uso foram de um, dois, três e seis anos, sendo que a área estudada após seis anos passou por um período de três anos de pousio. O sistema de preparo do solo utilizado foi o tradicional da região, que consiste no uso de duas passadas de grade pesada aradora e duas de grade niveladora. Também foram realizadas, na ocasião de cada plantio, uma adubação com N-P-K + micronutrientes e calagens com base em resultados de análise de solo. As áreas foram cultivadas com milho e soja em sistema de rotação. Verificou-se que o manejo adotado não foi sustentável, pois já nos primeiros três anos de uso agrícola, ocorreu grande deterioração das propriedades físicas do solo, como densidade, porosidade e conteúdo de água disponível. O processo de humificação e a qualidade da matéria orgânica foram influenciados pela aplicação de calcário e pela rotação de culturas (milho/soja) e, ainda, que o sistema de manejo utilizado mostrou-se mais benéfico para o processo de estabilização das substâncias húmicas do que para as propriedades físicas dos solos estudados.The utilization of intensive conventional management system on soils under cerrado biome has caused modification in their properties, as well as, in the behavior and quality of the organic matter. The objective of this research was to evaluate the impact of conventional soil management practices upon physical properties, contents and qualities of humic substances of a Red-Yellow Oxisol, formerly, under cerrado (savana-like) natural vegetation. The study was accomplished on an private agricultural property in the municipal district of São Desidério-BA. They were appraised four areas under different length of times of agricultural use and one area under native cerrado (savana-like). The length of time under agriculture use was one, two, three and six years, and after six years the studied area was left uncultivated for a period of three years. The soil has been prepared under traditional systems which consists of plowing the land twice with heavy disks followed by twice grading. It was also applied, during the seedling time, N-P-K fertilizer plus micronutrients and lime according to soil analysis. The areas have been cultivated with corn and soybeans in a rotation system. It was observed that the adopted management system was not sustainable, because, at the first three years under cultivation occurred a great deterioration of physical properties such as soil density, porosity and available water contents. The humification process and the quality of the organic matter were influenced by both utilization of lime and by the rotation system (corn/soybeans). The used system was more benefic for the process of stabilization of the humic substances than for the physical properties of the studied soils

Comportamento espectral do solo da Caatinga em diferentes tipos de manejos

The premise that guides this work is to discriminate, from reflectance measurements obtained in the laboratory, the chemical attributes of the same type of soil in three experimental areas of the Embrapa at systems of distinct management and land use. The systems of use and management of the soils are: organic mango crop, Caatinga degraded and Caatinga preserved. Thus, it is expected that the soil characteristics can be estimated by differences at reflected energy. From the spectral analysis was possible to identify the attributes existing in the samples because the absorption bands which varied in breadth and depth, but not in placement.In part, this can be attributed to organic matter that directly affects the biological characteristics of the soil acting as a carbon source, energy and nutrients for microorganisms and is significantly correlated with the intensity of reflectance across the spectrum. Thus, from the spectra, it was found that the content of organic matter is higher in the savanna preserved because it has a lower reflectance, while the cultivation of organic mango has a higher reflectance consequently a lower content of organic matter. This research aims to assist the technical progress of agriculture as the basis for planning without affecting the environmental aspects.Pages: 9080-908

Changing in chemical and physical attributes of a sandy soil under irrigated mango cultivation in semiarid region

Accelerated land use changes have been observed in Brazil. In Northeast, the Caatinga (native vegetation) has been replaced by fruit production, especially by mango and grapevine cultivation. Land use changes, tied to management techniques, can change the soil chemical and physical attributes. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the impact of irrigated mango cultivation in soil chemical and physical attributes in relation to the native Caatinga in the semi-arid region. The study was carried out at Boa Esperança Farm located in Petrolina, Pernambuco State, Brazil. In areas under irrigated mango and native Caatinga soil samples at 0-10 and 10-20 cm depth were collected. After collected and prepared soil samples, it was determined the macro (Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, P) and micronutrients (Cu2+, Fe2+, Zn2+, Mn2+) contents, Na content, electrical conductivity, pH, exchangeable acidity (Al3+) and potential acidity (H+Al). It was also determined soil texture, bulk density, particle density and total porosity. The mango cultivation increased the macronutrient contents, as well as, the micronutrients except for Fe2+ content. The physical attributes did not show difference comparing irrigated mango to native caatinga