Orientador: Orivaldo Arf / Banca: Salatiér Buzetti / Banca: Marco Eustaquio de Sa / Banca: Rita de Cássia Félix Alvarez / Banca: Flávio Ferreira da Silva Binotti / Resumo: A utilização de resíduos vegetais no solo é uma prática cultural antiga. No entanto, com o passar dos anos, em função da utilização de fertilizantes químicos, esta prática foi perdendo interesse, porém recentemente tem despertado novamente a atenção por parte dos produtores e pesquisadores. O trabalho teve como objetivo analisar o crescimento, produtividade e qualidade fisiológica do feijoeiro de inverno irrigado cultivado após diferentes plantas de cobertura, bem como as possíveis interações dessa pratica com diferentes doses de P 2O5 em semeadura, e a influência das plantas de cobertura sobre as características químicas e físicas do solo. A pesquisa foi conduzida no período de inverno de 2010 e 2011, na Fazenda de Ensino, Pesquisa e Extensão da Faculdade de Engenharia do Campus de Ilha Solteira - UNESP, localizada no Município de Selvíria/MS. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos casualizados, em esquema de parcelas subdivididas com 4 repetições. Constituídos pela combinação de plantas de cobertura (milheto, Crotalaria juncea, mucuna-preta, guandu, milheto + Crotalaria juncea, milheto + guandu e milheto + mucuna-preta), além de ser também utilizada uma área em pousio, e níveis P2O5 em semeadura, constituídos por ausência de adubação fosfatada e doses de P2O5 (60, 90 e 120 kg ha-1). Foram avaliados: porcentagem de recobrimento, produção e teor de nutrientes na matéria seca das culturas de cobertura; teor de nutrientes nas folhas de feijoeiro; matéria seca das plantas; componentes de produção, produtividade e qualidade fisiológica das sementes. Foram realizadas avaliações físicas e químicas do solo. De acordo com os resultados, pode se concluir que: o uso de palhada de Crotalaria juncea, milheto + Crotalaria juncea e milheto + mucuna-preta proporcionaram melhores condições... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The use of plant residues in soil is an ancient cultural practice. However, over the years, depending on the use of chemical fertilizers, this practice was losing interest, but recently has attracted renewed attention from producers and researchers. The study aimed to analyze the growth, yield and physiological quality of irrigated winter common bean cultivated after different cover crops, as well as possible interactions of practice with different doses of P2O5 at sowing, and the influence of cover crops on the chemical characteristics and physical soil. The survey was conducted during winter 2010 and 2011, at the Unesp experimental farm, Ilha Solteira campus, in Selviria, Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil. The experimental design was a randomized block in split plot with four replications. Constituted by the combination of cover crops (millet, sunn hemp, velvet bean, pigeon pea, pearl millet + sunn hemp, pearl millet + millet + pigeon pea and velvet bean), and is also used in a fallow field, and P 2O5 levels in seeding consisting of the absence of phosphate and levels of P2O5 (60, 90 and 120 kg ha-1). Were evaluated: percentage of coverage, production and nutrient content in dry matter of cover crops, nutrient content in bean leaves, plant dry matter, yield components, yield and physiological quality of seeds. Evaluations were carried out physical and chemical soil in relation to the use of cover crops. According to the results, it can be concluded that the use of straw sunn hemp, consortia millet + sunn hemp and millet + black velvet bean provided better conditions for the production of beans and economy in the application of phosphorus in no- tillage system, the species used as cover caused changes in soil chemical properties, the highest values of macroporosity and lower bulk density occurring in layer 0-0,20... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

A study was carried out to determine the effects of oat (Avena sativa) and grazing vetch (Vicia darsycapa) winter cover crops and fertilizer application on SOM, phosphorus (P) pools, nutrient availability, nutrient uptake, maize yield and seedbanks of problematic weeds in an irrigated maize-based conservation agriculture (CA) system. A separate experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of the winter cover crops on nitrogen (N) management, N use efficiency and profitability. After four years of continuous rotation, the winter cover crops significantly (p<0.05) increased particulate SOM and hot water soluble carbon in the 0 – 5 and 5 – 20 cm soil depths. When fertilized, oat was better able to support SOM sequestration in water stable aggregates at 0 – 20 cm whilst grazing vetch was more effective at 20 – 50 cm. Where no fertilizer was invested, there were significant (p<0.01) reductions in biomass input and SOM on oat-maize and weedy fallow-maize rotations whereas vetch-maize rotations did not respond, both at 0 – 5 and 5 – 20 cm. Targeting fertilizer to the winter cover crop required less fertilizer, and yet gave a similar SOM response as targeting the fertilizer to the maize crop. In addition to increasing SOM in the surface soil (0 – 5 cm), the winter cover crops significantly (p<0.05) increased labile pools of P, including microbial P. The cover crops also significantly (p<0.05) increased maize P concentration during early growth, extractable soil P, Cu, Mn, and Zn but had no effect on Ca and K. Grazing vetch increased soil mineral N but reduced extractable soil Mg. Without fertilizer, there were sharp declines in maize grain yield on oat and weedy fallow rotations over the four year period, but less so, on the grazing vetch. Grazing vetch increased maize growth, grain yield response to N fertilizer, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and profitability for fertilizer rates below 180 kg N ha-1. Oat effects however on maize yield and NUE were generally similar to weedy fallow. Based on the partial factor productivity of N, the highest efficiencies in utilization of fertilizer N for maize yield improvement under grazing vetch and oat are obtained at 60 kg N ha-1 and would decline thereafter with any increases in fertilizer application rate. Grazing vetch gave N fertilizer replacement values of up to 120 kg N ha-1 as well as the highest marginal rates of return to increasing N fertilizer rate. The cover crops were more effective than the weedy fallow in reducing seedbank density of Digitaria sanguinalis, Eleusine indica, Amaranthus retroflexus and Datura stramonium at 0 – 5 cm soil depth, causing weed seed reductions of 30 - 70%. The winter cover crops however, selectively allowed emergence of the narrow leafed weeds; Cyperus esculentus and Digitaria sanguinalis in the maize crop. The findings of this study suggested that grazing vetch is suited for SOM improvement in low fertilizer input systems and that fertilizer is better invested on winter cover crops as opposed to maize crops. Oat, on the other hand, when fertilized, would be ideal for C sequestration in water stable aggregates of the surface soil. Grazing vetch is ideal for resource poor farmers who cannot afford mineral fertilizers as it gives grain yield improvement and high fertilizer replacement value. Grazing vetch can produce enough maize yield response to pay its way in the maize-based systems and oat may not require additional N than that applied to the weedy fallow. Phosphorus and Zn are some of the major limiting essential plant nutrients on South African soils and the winter cover crops could make a contribution. The cover crops also hasten depletion of some problematic weeds from seedbanks, leading to reduced weed pressure during maize growth.

Thermal desorption (TD), a remediation method used to remove hydrocarbons from contaminated soils, may cause changes in soil properties that threaten soil function and plant productivity. The goal of this research is to better understand the effect that TD treatment has on soils intended for agricultural use. A series of soil phosphorus (P) sorption and desorption experiments were conducted on soils before and after TD treatment to determine P availability for plant uptake and risk for run-off. TD-treated soils retained more P, likely due to mineral transformations of Fe- and Al-oxides. In addition, a three-year field study using mixtures of topsoil (A), crude-contaminated soil (SP), and TD-treated soils (TDU) was conducted. Yields were significantly greater in plots that included A in the mixture compared to SP and TDU soils alone. TD-treated soils can be a replacement for topsoil, but the addition of topsoil will reduce the time to successful reclamation.

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This thesis examines the conditions presiding over conceptual changes in soil sciences in Québec since 1960, and the legitimation of research in agrobiology. At the beginning of the seventies, researchers in soil sciences opted for a physico-chemical interpretation of soil fertility phenomena and for a scientific practice that involved analytical and experimental tools centered around the ionic movements of nutrients in soil solution and the attainment of high yields. Following soil degradation problems, researchers’ turned toward composting practices fostered by agrobiologists and foresters. After recognizing the role of organic matter in agricultural productivity, soil scientists adopted a biological interpretation of soil fertility and studied the role of microorganisms in the evolution of organic matter and in the provision of nutrients. The knowledge produced in soil biology benefited from the existence of a network of agrobiologists who, while insuring the diffusion of that knowledge, secured the agrobiological identity of composting practices for soil conservation. The commensurability of experimental practices and theoretical entities in soil fertility and agrobiology, as well as the support of agrobiologists for applying the knowledge produced in soil biology legitimated research in agrobiology. / Master of Science

Intensive forest management techniques such as whole-tree harvesting and use of herbicides to control weeds can have an effect on nutrient cycling and nutrient pool sizes in the mineral soil. This study was conducted to measure differences in soil carbon (C), nutrient pools, or phosphorus (P) fractions associated with harvest-intensity (bole-only vs. whole-tree harvest) and weed-control treatments (initial weed control vs. five years of annual weed control) after ten years. Soil C, nitrogen (N), and P, and exchangeable calcium (Ca), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), and Hedley P fractions were measured prior to treatment establishment and after ten years in two Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) plantations in the Pacific Northwest. We observed increases in most nutrient concentrations with initial weed control compared with annual weed control at Matlock, with opposite trends at Molalla. Exchangeable Ca and Mg content showed responses to weed control treatments. Harvesting treatments had no significant effects on soil C and nutrient pools at either site. Total P and many of the Hedley P fractions decreased over time, but these effects were ameliorated with the less-intensive initial-weed-control-only treatment at Matlock and the more-intensive annual-weed-control at Molalla. Ten-year responses suggest that harvesting intensity has not impacted potential for maintaining soil C and nutrient pools, with the exception of P, for long-term productivity. Knowledge of the on-site vegetative communities and their role in nutrient cycling is required to anticipate what effect weed control might have on nutrient pools through ensuing stand development. / Master of Science

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Thesis (doctoral)--Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 2005. / Thesis documentation sheet inserted. Appendix consists of reproductions of 5 published papers and manuscripts, four co-authored with others. Includes bibliographical references. Issued also electronically via World Wide Web in PDF format; online version lacks appendix of papers; map in online version displays in color.

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