Relevance of farm-scale indicators and tools for farmers to assess sustainability of their mixed crop-ruminant livestock systems.

Ensuring the sustainability and circularity of mixed crop-ruminant livestock systems is essential if they are to deliver on the enhancement of long-term productivity and profitability with a smaller footprint. The objectives of this study were to select indicators in the environmental, economic and social dimensions of sustainability of crop-livestock systems, to assess if these indicators are relevant in the operational schedule of farmers, and to score the indicators in these farm systems. The scoring system was based on relevance to farmers, data availability, frequency of use, and policy. The study was successful in the assemblage of a suite of indicators comprising three dimensions of sustainability and the development of criteria to assess the usefulness of these indicators in crop-ruminant livestock systems in distinct agro-climatic regions across the globe. Except for ammonia emissions, indicators within the Emissions to air theme obtained high scores, as expected from mixed crop-ruminant systems in countries transitioning towards low emission production systems. Despite the inherent association between nutrient losses and water quality, the sum of scores was numerically greater for the former, attributed to a mix of economic and policy incentives. The sum of indicator scores within the Profitability theme (farm net income, expenditure and revenue) received the highest scores in the economic dimension. The Workforce theme (diversity, education, succession) stood out within the social dimension, reflecting the need for an engaged labor force that requires knowledge and skills in both crop and livestock husbandry. The development of surveys with farmers/stakeholders to assess the relevance of farm-scale indicators and tools is important to support direct actions and policies in support of sustainable mixed crop-ruminant livestock farm systems.

Responses of Centrosema pubescens Benth. to different mineral fertilization, in four soils of the State of São Paulo, Brazil / Respostas da centrosema pubescens benth. A diferentes fertilizações minerais em quatro solos do estado de São Paulo

The objective of this work was to study the responses of Centrosema pubescens fertilized with phosphorus. calcium and Sulphut (correpondent to 500kg/ha of single superphosphate) and the fertilization with these three elements added lo limestone. potassium, molybdenum and zinc. The legume was planted in lour representative soils of the State of São Paulo: Red-Yellow Latasol Terrace Phase, Pinda series (Pindamonhangaba); Red-Yellow Podzolic Soil Laras variation (Nova Odessa); Ortho Dark Red Latosol (Itapetininga) and Quartzous Sand (Brotas). The treatments consisted on the combination of soils with different mineral fertilizations: 1. control (whithout fertilization 2. phosphorus, calcium and Sulphur; 3. treatment 2 plus limestone, potassium, zinc and molybdenum. A split-plot design replicated four times was used in which soils formed the main plots and the fertilizations the subplots. The results showed that for the Brotas soil treatment 3 was better than the other treatments, for plant height and dry matter production. For the soil of Pindamonhangaba and Nova Odessa treatments 2 and 3 were not statistically different for most of dependent variables studied, differing, mean while, from treatment 1.

O presente trabalho visou estudar a resposta da Centrosema pubescens Benth. submetida á fertilização com fósforo, cálcio e enxofre (correspondente a 500kg/ha de superfosfato simples) e à fertilização com esses três elementos acrescidos de calagem, potássio, molibdênio e zinco. A leguminosa foi cultivada em quatro solos típicos de regiões do Estado de São Paulo: Latosol Vermelho-Amarelo - fase terraço, série Pindamonhangaba (Pindamonhangaba); Podzólico Vermelho-Amarelo - variação Laras (Nova Odessa); Latosol Vermelho-Escuro orto (Itapetininga) e Areia Ouartzosa (Protas). Os tratamentos consistiram na combinação desses solos com as diferentes fertilizações minerais: 1. testemunha (sem fertilização); 2. fósforo, cálcio e enxofre; 3. tratamento 2 mais calagem, potássio, zinco e molibdênio. O delineamento experimental adotado foi de blocos ao acaso, com parcelas subdivididas, com quatro repetições, em que os solos constituíram as parcelas e as fertilizações, as subparcelas. Os resultados mostraram que, para o solo de Brotas, o tratamento 3 se apresentou superior aos demais, quanto à altura de plantas e produção de matéria seca. Para os solos de Pindamonhangaba e Nova Odessa, os tratamentos 2 e 3 não se mostraram diferentes para a maior parte dos parâmetros estudados, diferindo, no entanto, do tratamento 1. Já para o solo de Itapetininga, a centrosema não mostrou um desenvolvimento n

Responses of Centrosema pubescens Benth. to different mineral fertilization, in four soils of the State of São Paulo, Brazil / Respostas da centrosema pubescens benth. A diferentes fertilizações minerais em quatro solos do estado de São Paulo

The objective of this work was to study the responses of Centrosema pubescens fertilized with phosphorus. calcium and Sulphut (correpondent to 500kg/ha of single superphosphate) and the fertilization with these three elements added lo limestone. potassium, molybdenum and zinc. The legume was planted in lour representative soils of the State of São Paulo: Red-Yellow Latasol Terrace Phase, Pinda series (Pindamonhangaba); Red-Yellow Podzolic Soil Laras variation (Nova Odessa); Ortho Dark Red Latosol (Itapetininga) and Quartzous Sand (Brotas). The treatments consisted on the combination of soils with different mineral fertilizations: 1. control (whithout fertilization 2. phosphorus, calcium and Sulphur; 3. treatment 2 plus limestone, potassium, zinc and molybdenum. A split-plot design replicated four times was used in which soils formed the main plots and the fertilizations the subplots. The results showed that for the Brotas soil treatment 3 was better than the other treatments, for plant height and dry matter production. For the soil of Pindamonhangaba and Nova Odessa treatments 2 and 3 were not statistically different for most of dependent variables studied, differing, mean while, from treatment 1.

O presente trabalho visou estudar a resposta da Centrosema pubescens Benth. submetida á fertilização com fósforo, cálcio e enxofre (correspondente a 500kg/ha de superfosfato simples) e à fertilização com esses três elementos acrescidos de calagem, potássio, molibdênio e zinco. A leguminosa foi cultivada em quatro solos típicos de regiões do Estado de São Paulo: Latosol Vermelho-Amarelo - fase terraço, série Pindamonhangaba (Pindamonhangaba); Podzólico Vermelho-Amarelo - variação Laras (Nova Odessa); Latosol Vermelho-Escuro orto (Itapetininga) e Areia Ouartzosa (Protas). Os tratamentos consistiram na combinação desses solos com as diferentes fertilizações minerais: 1. testemunha (sem fertilização); 2. fósforo, cálcio e enxofre; 3. tratamento 2 mais calagem, potássio, zinco e molibdênio. O delineamento experimental adotado foi de blocos ao acaso, com parcelas subdivididas, com quatro repetições, em que os solos constituíram as parcelas e as fertilizações, as subparcelas. Os resultados mostraram que, para o solo de Brotas, o tratamento 3 se apresentou superior aos demais, quanto à altura de plantas e produção de matéria seca. Para os solos de Pindamonhangaba e Nova Odessa, os tratamentos 2 e 3 não se mostraram diferentes para a maior parte dos parâmetros estudados, diferindo, no entanto, do tratamento 1. Já para o solo de Itapetininga, a centrosema não mostrou um desenvolvimento n