RESUMEN
Soil mechanical resistance, aeration, and water availability directly affect plant root growth. The objective of this work was to identify the contribution of mechanical and hydric stresses on maize root elongation, by modeling root growth while taking the dynamics of these stresses in an Oxisol into consideration. The maize crop was cultivated under four compaction levels (soil chiseling, no-tillage system, areas trafficked by a tractor, and trafficked by a harvester), and we present a new model, which allows to distinguish between mechanical and hydric stresses. Root length density profiles, soil bulk density, and soil water retention curves were determined for four compaction levels up to 50 cm in depth. Furthermore, grain yield and shoot biomass of maize were quantified. The new model described the mechanical and hydric stresses during maize growth with field data for the first time in maize crop. Simulations of root length density in 1D and 2D showed adequate agreement with the values measured under field conditions. Simulation makes it possible to identify the interaction between the soil physical conditions and maize root growth. Compared to the no-tillage system, grain yield was reduced due to compaction caused by harvester traffic and by soil chiseling. The root growth was reduced by the occurrence of mechanical and hydric stresses during the crop cycle, the principal stresses were mechanical in origin for areas with agricultural traffic, and water based in areas with soil chiseling. Including mechanical and hydric stresses in root growth models can help to predict future scenarios, and coupling soil biophysical models with weather, soil, and crop responses will help to improve agricultural management.
RESUMEN
Cerrado areas are agricultural frontiers of Brazil, being important to know the dynamics of carbon and nitrogen in agricultural production systems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of management and soil use in fractions and stocks organic carbon and nitrogen in the Cerrado soil. The experiment was conducted in Latosol with four treatments: native Cerrado (CE), no-tillage 18 years (NT), coffee 10 years (CF) and integrated system for agriculture (ISA) three years, evaluating the fractions and stocks of organic carbon and nitrogen in three depths. Soil management systems, at all depths, were not able to recover the organic carbon, nitrogen and their stocks in relation to the Cerrado. In the surface layer there was a decrease in the organic carbon content of 21, 33 and 46% for NT, CF and ISA respectively. Also there was a reduction in the nitrogen content in the surface layer of 33, 36 and 59% for the NT, CF and ISA respectively. Organic carbon varied from 74.3 Mg ha-1 in the CE, 58.8 Mg ha-1 in NT, 56.4 Mg ha-1 in CF and 50.8 Mg ha-1 in ISA. It was concluded that the total organic carbon, nitrogen and its fractions were effective in demonstrating the effects of managements and soil use; that of no-tillage and coffee were not efficient in the recovery of stocks of carbon and nitrogen requiring managements with more carbon input and the integrated production system is still in consolidation process.
Áreas de cerrado são fronteiras agrícolas do Brasil, sendo importante conhecer a dinâmica do carbono e nitrogênio em sistemas de produção agrícola. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os efeitos do manejo e uso do solo em frações e estoques de carbono orgânico e nitrogênio em solo de Cerrado. O experimento foi realizado em Latossolo Vermelho com quatro tratamentos: Cerrado nativo (CE), plantio direto 18 anos (PD), área com café 10 anos (CF) e sistema integrado de produção agropecuária (SIPA) 3 anos avaliando as frações e estoques de carbono orgânico e nitrogênio em três profundidades. Os sistemas de manejo do solo, em todas as profundidades, não foram capazes de recuperar o teor carbono orgânico, nitrogênio e seus estoques em relação ao Cerrado. Na camada superficial houve diminuição no teor de carbono orgânico de 21, 33 e 46% para PD, CF e SIPA, respectivamente. Também verificou-se redução no teor de nitrogênio na camada superficial de 33, 36 e 59% para o PD, CF e SIPA, respectivamente. Os estoques de carbono orgânico variaram de 74,3 Mg ha-1 no CE, 58,8 Mg ha-1 no PD, 56,4 Mg ha-1 no CF e 50,8 Mg ha-1 no SIPA. Conclui-se que o carbono orgânico total, nitrogênio e suas frações foram eficientes para demonstrar os efeitos dos manejos e uso do solo; que os sistemas de PD e CF não foram eficientes na recuperação dos estoques de carbono e nitrogênio necessitando de manejos com maior entrada de carbono e que SIPA ainda esta em processo de consolidação.
