Manejo da irrigação e fertilizantes nitrogenados para reduzir a volatilização de amônia

Nitrogen losses by ammonia (NH3) volatilization can be reduced by appropriate irrigation management or by alternative N sources, replacing urea. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of irrigation management and N source combinations in decreasing NH3 volatilization from an Argissolo Vermelho Distrófico típico cultivated for 28 years with black oat (Avena strigosa) and maize (Zea mays), under no-tillage in the region of Depressão Central, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design with split plots with three replications, where the main plots consisted of irrigation systems: no irrigation; irrigation immediately before and irrigation immediately after fertilization. The subplots were treated with different N sources: urea, urea with urease inhibitor and slow-release fertilizer, at an N rate of 180 kg ha-1, broadcast over maize, plus a control treatment without N fertilization. Ammonia volatilization was assessed using semi-open static collectors for 1, 2, 4, 6, and 10 days after N fertilization. In general, more than 90 % of total NH3-N losses occurred until three days after N fertilization, with peaks up to 15.4 kg ha-1 d-1. The irrigation was efficient to reduce NH3 losses only when applied after N fertilization. However, reductions varied according to the N fertilizer, and were higher for urea (67 %) and slightly lower for urea with urease inhibitor (50 %) and slow-release fertilizer (40 %), compared with the mean of the treatments without irrigation and irrigation before fertilization. The use of urea with urease inhibitor instead of urea was only promising under volatilization-favorable conditions (no irrigation or irrigation before N fertilization). Compared to urea, slow-release fertilizer did not reduce ammonia volatilization in any of the rainfed or irrigated treatments.A redução das perdas de nitrogênio pela volatilização de amônia (NH3) pode ser alcançada pelo manejo adequado da irrigação, bem como pelo uso de fontes de N alternativas à ureia comum. A eficiência desses fatores em reduzir a volatilização de NH3 foi avaliada em experimento conduzido num Argissolo Vermelho Distrófico típico cultivado por 28 anos no sistema aveia-preta/milho (inverno/verão) em plantio direto na Depressão Central do RS. O delineamento experimental foi de blocos casualizados com parcelas subdivididas, em três repetições, onde as parcelas principais receberam os tratamentos de irrigação (sem irrigação e irrigação imediatamente antes ou após a adubação), e nas subparcelas foram aplicadas diferentes fontes de N (ureia comum, ureia com inibidor de urease e fertilizante de liberação lenta) na dose de 180 kg ha-1 N, além de um tratamento-controle sem adubação nitrogenada. As avaliações de volatilização de NH3 foram realizadas com coletor semiaberto estático aos um, dois, quatro, seis e 10 dias, após a adubação. Mais de 90 % das perdas totais de NH3 por volatilização ocorreram nos três dias que sucederam a aplicação dos fertilizantes, com picos de até 15,4 kg ha-1 d-1 de N. A irrigação foi eficiente em reduzir a volatilização de NH3 apenas quando aplicada posterior à adubação Essa redução variou em razão do fertilizante nitrogenado, sendo superior quando da aplicação da ureia (67 %) e pouco inferior no caso da ureia com inibidor de urease (50 %) e fertilizante de liberação lenta (40 %), em comparação à média dos tratamentos sem irrigação e com irrigação anterior à adubação. A utilização de ureia com inibidor de urease em substituição à ureia comum apenas evidenciou-se promissora quando em condições propícias à volatilização (sem irrigação ou com irrigação anterior à adubação). Em comparação à ureia comum, o fertilizante de liberação lenta não demonstrou potencial de reduzir volatilização em nenhuma situação avaliada

Potassium fertilization for long term no-till crop rotation in the central-southern region of Paraná, Brazil

Fertilization programs for annual crops in the state of Paraná, southern Brazil, are based on studies that focused on conventional tillage and were established more than 30 years ago. The primary purpose of this study was to assess potassium (K) fertilization on long-term (>30 years) no-tillage soybean, corn, wheat, and barley crops grown in rotation on Oxisols in the central-southern region of Paraná. A total of 47 experiments were carried out from 2008 to 2013, three of which addressed K calibration and the other 44, crop response to K fertilization. Critical K soil-test value and interpretation classes were established from the ratio between relative crop yield [RY = (yield without K/max yield) × 100] and soil K levels. Winter cereals were found to be more demanding of K than were soybean and corn; also, the former governed critical K soil-test value for crop rotation: 0.23 cmolc dm-3 in the 0.00-0.20 m soil layer. Recommended fertilization rates for soils in the low and medium soil K levels were established by using the build-up approach for soil correction; and those for the high and very high soil K levels were established by removing K at harvest and assessing economic return in crop response experiments. The K rates calculated for the high yield classes exceeded those currently recommended for use in Paraná

Sampling layer for soil fertility evaluation in long-term no-tillage systems

In no-tillage (NT) systems, there is no plowed layer since the soil is not tilled. Thus, the soil layer for fertility evaluation can be defined as the one in which the fertility indices are affected by the surface application of lime and fertilizers and soil properties have the closest relationship with crop yields. The objective of this study was to determine the most appropriate soil layer under long-term NT for sampling for fertility evaluation in the South-Central region of Paraná, Brazil. A total of 99 field experiments of crop rotations were performed, including soybean, corn, barley, wheat, and white oat, all on Oxisols (Hapludox). Despite the surface application, lime and fertilizers increased base saturation (V) and available K to a depth of 0.20 m. The relationship with crop yields was high for V and low for available K for both soil layers (0.00-0.10 and 0.00-0.20 m); for P, however, the relationships with soybean and corn yields were strongest in the 0.00-0.20 m layer. Thus, considering the soil layer fertilized by the surface application of lime and potassium fertilizers and the highest relationship of soil P contents with the yield of the main crops of the crop rotation, the 0.00-0.20 m layer is the most appropriate for soil fertility evaluation under long-term no-tillage systems

Nutrient transfer by runoff under no tillage in a soil treated with successive applications of pig slurry

AbstractHigh rates and successive applications of pig slurry can cause nutrient transfer by surface runoff. The aim of this study was to evaluate the importance of surface runoff in transferring nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) under a no tillage system and for successive applications of pig slurry. The research was carried out in the Agricultural Engineering Department of the Federal University of Santa Maria, Brazil, from 2002 to 2007 in a Typic Hapludalf soil. Pig slurry rates of 0, 20, 40 and 80m3ha−1 were applied, scattered on the surface, before the sowing of each species in a cultivation sequence. On average 119, 238 and 475kgha−1yr−1 of N; 102, 203 and 406kgha−1yr−1 of P and 43, 87 and 173kgha−1yr−1 of K were added, for rates of 20, 40 and 80m3ha−1 of pig slurry, respectively. Samples of water runoff from the soil surface were collected during the entire period and the minerals, N, P and K were determined. Successive applications of pig slurry decreased surface runoff. In relative terms, the K losses were higher than N and P. As regards total nutrients applied through pig slurry, losses through surface runoff were of 2.74, 1.61 and 1.37% of mineral N; 6.29, 5.01 and 3.51% of available P and 17.16, 9.01 and 11.14% of available K, for the three rates of applied pig slurry, respectively. Repeated applications of pig slurry on a no tillage managed soil caused losses of N, P and K from the soil through surface runoff, in the sequence: K>P>N. The losses of N and K are positively related to the volume of surface runoff, whereas the losses of P are positively related to the quantities of P added through pig slurry. Applications of pig slurry along the years decrease the surface runoff

Phosphorus fertilization for high yield of soybean, maize, and winter cereal crops in rotation in oxisols under long-term no-till in the south central region of Parana, Brazil

O Estado do Paraná não dispõe de um sistema de recomendação de adubação para rotação de culturas em plantio direto (PD). Em razão disso, utiliza indicações geradas para culturas individuais há mais de 30 anos e em preparo convencional. Este estudo teve como objetivo consolidar a calibração de P e avaliar a resposta das culturas à adubação fosfatada, visando à proposição de um sistema de indicações técnicas para a adubação fosfatada das culturas da soja, do milho, do trigo e da cevada cultivadas em sistema de rotação em Latossolos com longo histórico de PD (>30 anos) na região centro-sul do Paraná, que se caracteriza por possuir alto potencial produtivo. Três experimentos de calibração foram conduzidos de 2008 a 2013 e consistiram na criação de níveis de P pela aplicação de doses a lanço de até 640 kg ha-1 de P2O5. Quarenta e quatro experimentos de resposta a P foram conduzidos entre as safras de 2011 a 2012/13, tendo como foco avaliar a resposta das culturas a P em solos com distinta disponibilidade do nutriente. Os rendimentos relativos [RR = (rendimento sem P/rendimento máximo) × 100] das culturas e os teores de P no solo (Mehlich-1) foram relacionados, obtendo-se os teores críticos e as classes de disponibilidade de P no solo. Para a estimativa das doses nas classes de disponibilidade Baixa e Média, foram utilizadas as curvas de resposta à adubação de P, seguindo a filosofia de suficiência (adubação de cultura) Nas classes de disponibilidade Alta e Muito Alta, as doses foram com base na exportação pelos grãos. Os cereais de inverno se evidenciaram mais exigentes e determinaram o teor crítico de P de 8 mg dm-3 para a rotação de culturas, considerando a camada de 0-20 cm. As doses de P indicadas para soja, milho, trigo e cevada em solos em PD de longa duração são superiores às de adubação atualmente indicadas no PR, o que, ao menos em parte, justificam-se pelas altas produtividades das culturas e alta capacidade de retenção de P dos solos da região. Embora adotada a filosofia de suficiência/adubação de cultura para a indicação das doses de adubação fosfatada em solos abaixo do teor crítico, estima-se que as doses estipuladas para as culturas elevem o teor de P no solo ao teor crítico após um ciclo da rotação de culturas (três anos).Although the State of Parana, Brazil, has adopted crop rotation and no-till (NT) systems, fertilizer application is still based on recommendations developed more than 30 years ago for monocropping under conventional tillage because fertilizer recommendations developed specifically for crop rotation under NT are lacking. The objective of our study was to consolidate P calibration and evaluate crop responses to P fertilization so as to propose a system of technical recommendations for P fertilization for soybean, maize, wheat, and barley grown in a crop rotation system in Oxisols under long-term (>30 years) NT systems in the high yield potential South-Central region of Parana. Three calibration trials were conducted from 2008 to 2013, consisting of P broadcast application rates of up to 640 kg ha-1 P2O5. Forty-four P fertilization trials were carried out over the 2011-2012/13 growing seasons to evaluate yield response to P fertilization rates in Oxisols with different levels of P availability. Relative crop yield [RR = (yield without P/maximum yield) × 100] and soil P availability (Mehlich-1) were compared to obtain P critical levels and generate soil P availability classes based on crop response. For soils in the Low and Medium availability classes, recommended P fertilizer application rates were based on the yield response curve following the nutrient sufficiency approach For soils in the High and Very High availability classes, P fertilizer recommendations were based on P removal through grain harvest. The winter cereal crops were more demanding to achieve maximum yields - the soil critical P level for the crop rotation system was determined at 8 mg dm-3 based on the requirement of these crops, considering the 0-20 cm soil layer. The recommended P fertilization rates for soybean, maize, wheat, and barley in Oxisols under long-term NT developed in our study are higher than the current P fertilization rates used in Parana, which is explained in part by the high crop yields and high P adsorption capacity of soils in the region. Although the nutrient sufficiency approach was used to determine P fertilization rates in the soils below the critical level, it is estimated that the P rates recommended for the crops will raise soil P availability above the critical level after a full crop-rotation cycle (3 years)

Dairy cattle grazing compacts soil surface without reducing subsequent crop yield

Integrated crop-livestock systems are being increasingly used to intensify food production and make it more sustainable. On the other hand, most studies have focused on extensive systems. This paper analyzed the effects of different managements on soil and plants in an intensive integrated system for milk production. An experiment of management systems was installed in southern Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, on a Latossolo Vermelho (Oxisol), in 2015 to evaluate: rotational grazing of dairy cows in the winter; rotational grazing of dairy cows in winter followed by soil chiseling; and ungrazed area (control). Soil physical properties and yields of crops were evaluated. Trampling by dairy cows increased soil bulk density by 24 % (0.0-0.05 m), but did not influence yields of subsequent soybean or maize. Chiseling reduced the bulk density of the uppermost layer by 19 %, but did not affect the yields of subsequent crops. It was concluded that in years with abundant water, dairy cattle grazing in an integrated crop-livestock system in Southern Brazil compacts the soil surface, but does not compromise the soil physical processes related to the growth and development of subsequent crops