Spectroscopic characterization of humic and fulvic acids in soil aggregates, Brazil.

Agricultural management methods affect organic compounds in the soil. The aim of this study was to characterize humic and fulvic acids using infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in aggregates collected from areas under different crop and soil management systems. Soil samples were collected at depths of 0.00-0.10 m in a trial set up in 1989 with four management systems (no-till, no-till with chiseling every three years, disk harrowing and heavy disking) under two production systems (succession and rotation). In the laboratory, the soil was sieved and separated into two fractions: particle size of 2 mm or more, and less than 2 mm. From each of the samples an aliquot was extracted and the humic and fulvic acids purified for FTIR, UV-VIS and NMR-1H analysis. The results obtained showed that the structural characterization of the humic and fulvic acid fractions were linked to organic matter left on the soil surface, especially where the agricultural system involved species diversity. Aggregates ≥2 mm produce higher NMR, UV-VIS and FTIR spectral magnitudes in aromatic and aliphatic structures than those <2 mm. Aggregates collected from soil under no-till retained their aromatic and aliphatic chemical structures, resulting in higher spectral amplitude.

Mechanical and Hydric Stress Effects on Maize Root System Development at Different Soil Compaction Levels.

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.

Hill drop sowing of soybean with different number of plants per hole / Agrupamento de plantas de soja na linha de semeadura com diferentes números de indivíduos por cova

ABSTRACT: In the last few cropping seasons, some soybean producers have tested the application of a hill drop sowing method, usually from three to four seeds every 30 to 40cm. However, there is a lack of information in the literature about the effect of this practice on soybean performance. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a hill drop sowing with different number of plants per hole on soybean performance. The study was conducted in Londrina - PR, Brazil, during the 2013/14, 2014/15 and 2016/17 cropping seasons. The experiment was a randomized complete block design with four replications and a 2x5 factorial scheme. The first factor consisted of two soybean cultivars, BRS 359RR and NK 7059RR analyzed in the first two cropping seasons and BRS 359RR and BRS 1010IPRO in the last cropping season. The second factor was constituted by five in-hill hole-spacing treatments (HS) (8, 16, 24, 32 and 40cm), with rows spaced 50cm apart. To maintain the same plant density in all treatments (270,000 plants ha-1), sowing was performed manually, being then thinned out. After thinning, the distribution was one plant per hole at HS8, 2 plants at HS16, 3 plants at HS24, 4 plants at HS32, and 5 plants at HS40. The agronomic performance of soybean in hill drop sowing with different number of plants per hole is similar to that of an equidistant distribution of plants.

RESUMO: Nas últimas safras, alguns produtores de soja vêm testando a semeadura agrupada de plantas na linha de semeadura, em geral de três a quatro sementes a cada 30 a 40cm. No entanto, há carência de informações na literatura sobre o efeito dessa prática no desempenho da cultura da soja. O objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar o desempenho agronômico da soja em diferentes números de plantas por cova. O trabalho foi conduzido em Londrina, PR, nas safras 2013/14, 2014/15 e 2016/17. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos completos casualizados, com quatro repetições e esquema fatorial 2x5. O primeiro fator foi constituído por duas cultivares de soja (BRS 359RR e NK 7059RR nas duas primeiras safras e BRS 359RR e BRS 1010IPRO na última safra) e o segundo por cinco espaçamentos entre plantas (EP) nas linhas de semeadura (8, 16, 24, 32 e 40cm), sendo utilizado o espaçamento de 50cm entre linhas. Para manter a mesma densidade de plantas em todos os tratamentos (270.000 plantas ha-1), a semeadura foi realizada manualmente. Após o desbaste, a distribuição foi de uma planta por cova em EP8, duas plantas em EP16, três plantas em EP24, quatro plantas em EP32, cinco plantas em EP40. O desempenho agronômico da cultura da soja semeada com diferentes quantidades de plantas por cova é similar à distribuição equidistante de indivíduos na linha.

Multi-Analytical Approach Reveals Potential Microbial Indicators in Soil for Sugarcane Model Systems.

This study focused on the effects of organic and inorganic amendments and straw retention on the microbial biomass (MB) and taxonomic groups of bacteria in sugarcane-cultivated soils in a greenhouse mesocosm experiment monitored for gas emissions and chemical factors. The experiment consisted of combinations of synthetic nitrogen (N), vinasse (V; a liquid waste from ethanol production), and sugarcane-straw blankets. Increases in CO2-C and N2O-N emissions were identified shortly after the addition of both N and V to the soils, thus increasing MB nitrogen (MB-N) and decreasing MB carbon (MB-C) in the N+V-amended soils and altering soil chemical factors that were correlated with the MB. Across 57 soil metagenomic datasets, Actinobacteria (31.5%), Planctomycetes (12.3%), Deltaproteobacteria (12.3%), Alphaproteobacteria (12.0%) and Betaproteobacteria (11.1%) were the most dominant bacterial groups during the experiment. Differences in relative abundance of metagenomic sequences were mainly revealed for Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria and Verrucomicrobia with regard to N+V fertilization and straw retention. Differential abundances in bacterial groups were confirmed using 16S rRNA gene-targeted phylum-specific primers for real-time PCR analysis in all soil samples, whose results were in accordance with sequence data, except for Gammaproteobacteria. Actinobacteria were more responsive to straw retention with Rubrobacterales, Bifidobacteriales and Actinomycetales related to the chemical factors of N+V-amended soils. Acidobacteria subgroup 7 and Opitutae, a verrucomicrobial class, were related to the chemical factors of soils without straw retention as a surface blanket. Taken together, the results showed that MB-C and MB-N responded to changes in soil chemical factors and CO2-C and N2O-N emissions, especially for N+V-amended soils. The results also indicated that several taxonomic groups of bacteria, such as Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria and Verrucomicrobia, and their subgroups acted as early-warning indicators of N+V amendments and straw retention in sugarcane-cultivated soils, which can alter the soil chemical factors.

Atributos físicos do solo e produtividade da soja em sistema de integração lavoura-pecuária com braquiária e soja / Soil physical attributes and soybean production in a crop-livestock integration system with Brachiaria sp and Glycine max

A integração lavoura-pecuária por meio da sucessão entre pastagem de braquiária no outono/inverno e culturas de grãos no verão constitui-se em uma opção para aumentar e diversificar a renda do produtor e melhorar a qualidade do sistema plantio direto. Com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito da época de dessecação da pastagem ou da pressão de pastejo por bovinos sobre atributos físicos do solo e a produtividade da soja em um sistema de integração lavoura-pecuária (SILP), foi conduzido um experimento sobre um Latossolo Vermelho Distroférrico. Nas parcelas principais, foram aplicadas pressões de pastejo equivalentes a 6,9; 9,4; e 16,5 unidades animais por hectare durante 19 dias em pastagem de Brachiaria brizantha cv. 'Xaraes', cuja fitomassa foi dessecada 30 dias antes da semeadura da soja (DAS). Também foram conduzidos tratamentos sem pastejo, nos quais a fitomassa foi dessecada aos 30, 44 e 52DAS. Foi determinada a fitomassa remanescente da pastagem, densidade, porosidade e resistência à penetração do solo e a produtividade das cultivares de soja 'BRS 294RR' e 'BRS 255RR', semeadas em subparcelas. As alterações nos atributos físicos do solo pelo pisoteio se concentraram na camada de 0,0-0,05m, contudo as maiores pressões de pastejo aumentaram o grau de compactação do solo até a camada de 0,2-0,3m. A produtividade da cultivar 'BRS 294RR' aumentou e a da cultivar 'BRS 255RR' não foi afetada pelo incremento da pressão de pastejo, demostrando que há diferença de resposta entre os genótipos ao grau de compactação do solo e, principalmente, à fitomassa remanescente da pastagem. A produtividade da soja em SILP com alta produção de matéria seca de B. brizantha é afetada pelo intervalo entre a dessecação da pastagem e a semeadura da cultura.

Crop livestock integration systems (CLIS) involving pastures of Brachiaria brizantha in autumn/winter and soybeans in summer have been considered an option to increase and diversify crop production and improve no-tillage system. This work aimed to evaluate the effect of grass desiccation timings or cattle grazing pressures on soil physical attributes and soybean yields in a crop-livestock integration system. The experiment was carried out on a dark red Latosol (Rhodic Eutrudox, US Soil Taxonomy) in southern Brazil. In the major plots, grazing pressures of 6.9, 9.4, and 16.5 animal unities per hectare were applied during 19 days to a pasture of Brachiaria brizantha cv. 'Xaraes', which phytomass was desiccated 30 days before soybean sowing (DBS). Ungrazed plots were desiccated 30, 44 and 52 DBS. Remaining phytomass of the pasture; soil bulk density, porosity and soil resistance to penetration; and yield of soybean cultivars 'BRS 294RR' and 'BRS 255RR' (sowed in subplots), were determined. Changes in soil physical attributes by animal trampling were concentrated on topsoil layer (0.0-0.05m), and soil compaction level was increased by the highest grazing pressure down the 0.2-0.3 layer. The yield of soybean cv. 'BRS 294RR' was increased with rising grazing pressures, whereas the yield of soybean cv. 'BRS 255RR' was not affected, showing that soybean genotypes had different responses to soil compaction level and, mainly, to remaining phytomass of pasture. In CLIS with high production of B. brizantha dry mass, soybean yields are closely associated to time interval between grass desiccation and soybean planting.

Chemical interactions of Brachiaria plantaginea with Commelina bengalensis and Acanthospermum hispidum in soybean cropping systems.

Previous results obtained in soybean-wheat rotations under no-tillage conditions showed reductions in the seedbank of the weed species Commelina benghalensis, but no alteration in the seedbank of Acanthospermum hispidum in areas infested with Brachiaria plantaginea. Analyses of the soluble fraction of B. plantaginea indicated the predominance of aconitic acid (AA) among the aliphatic acids and ferulic acid (FA) among the phenolic acids. Laboratory bioassays using C. benghalensis and A. hispidum were carried out to evaluate phytotoxic effects of pure organic acid solutions and dilute extracts of B. plantaginea on seed germination, root development, and fungal germination. Solutions of AA and FA were prepared at 0.25, 0.50, and 1.0 mM. Extracts of B. plantaginea were diluted to obtain concentrations of AA similar to those in the prepared solutions. Seeds were sown on 0.5% agar (containing AA, FA, or diluted extract) in plastic-covered receptacles and maintained in a germination chamber for 10 days. AA and FA solutions and the B. plantaginea extract reduced germination and root length, mainly of C. benghalensis. AA also stimulated the development of endophytic fungi (Fusarium solani), which had complementary adverse effects on C. benghalensis germination. FA and AA may play important roles in reducing the seedbank of some weed species, acting directly on germination and development and, indirectly, by stimulating endophytic fungi that alter germination.