Orientador: Edson Lazarini / Banca: Marco Eustaquio de Sa / Banca: Luis Malcolm Mano de Mello / Banca: Júlio Cesar Salton / Banca: Fernando Mendes Lamas / Resumo: Grande parte das áreas de produção do Brasil esta inserida no bioma Cerrado, onde se cultiva principalmente soja, milho, arroz e algodão. Este número limitado de espécies é cultivado utilizando sistema convencional de preparo do solo, com intenso uso de arados e grades. Neste sentido, desenvolveu-se o presente trabalho como o objetivo de avaliar em dois sistemas de manejo do solo (convencional e sistema de plantio direto) a viabilidade da rotação de culturas no verão (milho e soja) e utilização de culturas de cobertura na primavera para produção de palha e ciclagem de nutrientes, em região característica de clima e solo de cerrado. Por se tratar de um experimento de longa duração, optou-se por avaliar e analisar os dados obtidos na cultura da soja e milho na safra de 2005/06. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o em parcela subdividida em faixa. Existem duas áreas (terraços) onde estão alocados os sistemas de preparo do solo (convencional com arações e/ou gradagens pesadas + gradagens leves e sistema plantio direto). Dentro de cada terraço existem faixas com monocultivo de soja ou milho e faixas com soja rotacionada com milho e vice-versa. Em cada sistema de preparo e de cultivo, há presença de culturas de cobertura, com semeadura na primavera (crotalária, milheto, milheto + crotalária (2:1), crotalária + milheto (2:1)) e uma parcela foi mantida em pousio com presença de plantas daninhas. A soja e o milho foram semeados em dezembro de 2005, sendo utilizado a mesma adubação de semeadura para ambas culturas e a variedade BRS 133 de soja e o híbrido AG 20A20 de milho. O espaçamento utilizado foi de 0,45 e 0,90 m, respectivamente para a soja e milho. As avaliações constaram da produção de massa seca pelas culturas de cobertura e plantas daninhas na área em pousio, bem como o teor de macronutrientes presentes nesta, estado nutricional das plantas de milho... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Most of the Brazilian production areas are inserted in the biome Cerrado, where soybean corn, rice and cotton are mainly cultivated. This limited number of species is cultivated under conventional tillage system, with intensive use of disk plow and harrow. The objective of this work was to evaluate, in two systems of soil management (conventional and no-tillage), the viability of crop rotation of summer crops (corn and soybean) and use of spring cover crops for straw production and nutrient cycling in area covered by Cerrado vegetation. This work has been carried out for ten years at experimental area of FE/UNESP -Ilha Solteira campus, located in the county of Selviria , Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil (20º22'S, 251º22'W and 335 m of altitude, approximately). Considering a long-term experiment, the evaluations were based on data obtained from soybean and corn 2005/06 crop season. The experimental design used was a split plot strip. The soil tillage systems (conventional with plowing and/or disk harrow + leveling harrow and no-tillage) were located into two areas (terraces). Inside each terrace there are strips with soybean or corn monoculture and strips with crop rotation with soybean an corn and vice-versa. In each tillage system there are spring cover crops (sunn hemp, millet, millet + sunn hemp (2:1), sunn hemp + millet (2:1) and fallow area with weeds. Soybean and maize were sown on 2005 December. The same fertilization were used for both crops. The soybean cultivar used was BRS 133 and the corn hybrid used was AG 20A20. The row spacing used was 0.45 cm and 0.90 cm for soybean and corn, respectively. The evaluation were done based on cover crops dry mass production and weed dry mass in fallow area, as well as their macronutrients level, nutritional condition of corn and soybean plants at full flowering, agronomic characteristics, yield and straw return due to soybean and corn... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Orientador: Carlos Eduardo Angeli Furlani / Banca: Rouverson Pereira da Silva / Banca: Danilo César Checchio Grotta / Resumo: O uso de sulcadores do tipo haste nas semeadoras-adubadoras utilizadas no plantio direto tem se generalizado, principalmente em áreas de solos argilosos, como alternativa para romper a camada superficial mais compactada. Entretanto, em determinadas condições a eficiência da haste sulcadora não se mantém, devido às características relacionadas ao solo, a semeadura e até mesmo ao próprio sistema de preparo. Portanto, o objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar o desempenho de cinco modelos de hastes sulcadoras, distribuição longitudinal de sementes e o desempenho da cultura utilizando uma semeadora-adubadora em sistema plantio direto. O experimento foi conduzido no campo experimental da empresa Jumil, na cidade de Batatais - SP, com altitude e declividade médias de 862 m e 4%, respectivamente. Foi utilizada uma semeadora-adubadora da marca Jumil, modelo Guerra JM 7090 EX com cinco unidades de semeadura, espaçadas de 0,70 m e acoplada a um trator com tração 4x2 TDA. A semeadura do milho foi realizada sobre palhada de braquiária (Brachiaria decumbens Stapf). Os parâmetros avaliados foram força de tração média e de pico na barra, potência na barra de tração, profundidade de deposição do adubo, emergência de plântulas, distribuição longitudinal, estande inicial e final, produtividade, remoção de solo e capacidade de campo efetiva. A haste sulcadora com formato parabólico apresentou menor demanda de força de tração e potência na barra e a semeadora-adubadora utilizada para todas as hastes sulcadoras avaliadas, apresentou ótima distribuição de espaçamentos normais na distribuição longitudinal de sementes / Abstract: The use of planter chisel type openers in no-tillage has been generalized, mainly in areas with clay soils as an alternative to break the most compact superficial layer. However, in some conditions the efficiency of the planter chisel openers it is not kept due to the characteristics of the soil, sowing and even the tillage system. Thus the aim of this work is to evaluate the performance of five different openers for planter chisel, seeds longitudinal distribution of no-tillage. The experiment was conducted in the experimental field of the company Jumil, in the city of Batatais, SP, with average altitude and slope of 862 m and 4%, respectively. It was used a planter chisel with the brand of Jumil Guerra JM7090 EX with five units of tillage, with 0.70m one from the other and attached to a tractor with 4x2 wheel drive TDA. The corn sowing was done on Brachiaria decumbens Stapf. The parameters analyzed were average traction and peak in the coupling, power in the coupling, profundity of the fertilizer deposition, seedlings emergence, longitudinal distribution, initial and final stand, productivity, soil removing and effective capacity of field. The opener with the parabolic format presented less demand of traction and power in the coupling and the planter chisel used presented a good distribution of normal spaces in the longitudinal distribution of seeds / Mestre

Resumo: O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar diferentes sistemas de preparo do solo: Plantio Convencional (PC), Cultivo Mínimo (CM) e Plantio Direto (PD), dois níveis de palhada remanescente da cana-de-açúcar colhida mecanicamente, nos atributos físicos do solo, crescimento radicular e componentes de produtividade do amendoim. As cultivares IAC Tatu ST e Runner IAC 886 foram semeados no dia 23 de novembro de 2007, em Latossolo Vermelho distrófico no município de Guariba (SP). O delineamento experimental utilizado foi em blocos casualizados, com parcelas subsubdivididas com seis repetições. Os tratamentos foram constituídos por três diferentes sistemas de preparo do solo, dois níveis de palhada (sem e com) e três profundidades de coleta de solo: 0,03-0,06; 0,13-0,16 e 0,23-0,26 m, para determinação da resistência mecânica do solo à penetração, densidade e porosidade do solo, bem como, a determinação da estabilidade de agregados e crescimento radicular nas profundidades de 0-0,1 e 0,1-0,2 m. Os maiores valores de densidade do solo, resistência mecânica do solo à penetração e menor valor de macroporosidade encontrados no PD na camada mais superficial, influenciaram negativamente o crescimento radicular. A densidade de 1,44 Mg m-3 e resistência mecânica do solo à penetração de 1,56 MPa encontradas no PC na camada de 0,13-0,16 m limitou o crescimento das raízes abaixo dessa camada. O PD e o CM proporcionaram maior agregação do solo com relação ao PC, nas duas camadas avaliadas. Os sistemas de preparo onde as 15 t ha-1 de palhada remanescentes da cana-de-açúcar permaneceram sobre a superfície do solo sem incorporação, influenciou negativamente a produtividade e rendimento dos grãos do amendoim para os dois cultivares. / Abstract: The aim of this study was evaluate different soil tillage systems: conventional tillage (CT), chisel tillage (CHT) and no-tillage (NT) with and without straw remainder of sugarcane harvested mechanically, the soil physical properties, root growth and peanuts yield. The cultivars IAC Tatu ST and Runner IAC 886 were sowed in Haplustox on 27 november 2007 in the town Guariba-SP. Randomized complete block design in split-split- plots with six replications were used. Three different tillage systems, two straw level (with and without) and three depths: 0.03-0.06; 0.13-0.16 and 0.23-0.26 m, for determining the soil mechanical resistance to penetration, density and porosity. For determine root density, root surface, root diameter and root dry mass, soil samples were collected in two layers (0-0.10 and 0.10-0.20 m). Most value soil density, mechanical resistance to penetration and smaller values macroporosity found NT superficial soil layer negatively influenced root growth. The density of 1.44 Mg m-3 and mechanical resistance to penetration of 1.56 MPa found in the CT layer 0.13-0.16 m limited the roots growth downwards this layer. In the two layers evaluated, the NT and CHT provided greater soil aggregation in relation CT. The tillage systems where 15 t ha- 1 sugarcane straw remnants remained on the soil surface without incorporation, prevented the gynophore penetration in to soil negatively influency peanut productivity and grain yield / Orientador: Maria Aparecida Pessôa da Cruz Centurion / Coorientador: José Frederico Centurion / Banca: Gisele Herbst Vazquez / Banca: Edson Lazarini / Banca: Marlene Cristina Alves / Banca: Itamar Andrioli / Doutor

Orientador: Edson Lazarini / Banca: Salatiér Buzetti / Banca: Dirceu Maximino Fernandes / Resumo: O potássio (K) é o segundo nutriente requerido em maior quantidade pela cultura da soja. Com a utilização de altas doses de potássio na semeadura da soja em solos com baixa Capacidade de Troca Catiônica (CTC) e precipitação pluvial intensa ocorrem perdas de K+ por lixiviação, necessitando de um melhor manejo dessa adubação. As plantas de cobertura podem ser opções eficientes para a reciclagem de K+ do solo e disponibilização gradativa à cultura subsequente. Nesse sentido, objetivou-se com o presente trabalho avaliar o efeito da antecipação da adubação potássica da soja em culturas de cobertura para a produção de palha e disponibilização gradativa de potássio para a soja em sucessão, em semeadura direta num Latossolo Vermelho distrófico argiloso (LVd) na região de cerrado, em comparação às aplicações usuais na semeadura e/ou em cobertura. O experimento foi conduzido no ano agrícola 2009/2010 na área experimental da Fazenda de Ensino, Pesquisa e Extensão da Faculdade de Engenharia/UNESP - Campus de Ilha Solteira, localizada no município de Selvíria -MS. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso, com os tratamentos dispostos em esquema fatorial 3x3x5, com quatro repetições. Os fatores consistiram de culturas de cobertura (milheto e painço) e um controle (pousio), doses de K2O (0, 50 e 100 kg ha-1) e formas de aplicação de K2O (100% na semeadura das culturas de cobertura; 100% na semeadura da soja; 100% em cobertura na soja; 50% antecipada nas culturas de cobertura + 50% na semeadura da soja; 50% na semeadura da soja + 50% em cobertura na soja). Foram avaliadas as seguintes variáveis: Estado nutricional e massa seca das culturas de cobertura, estado nutricional das plantas de soja, altura de plantas, altura de inserção de primeira vagem, número de vagens por planta e grãos por vagem, produtividade de grãos, massa de 100 grãos e teor... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The potassium is the second nutrient required in greater quantity by crop soybean. With the utilization of high doses of potassium in soybean sowing in soils with low Cationic Exchange Capacity (CEC) and intense rainfall occurs losses of K+ by leaching, requiring better management of fertilizer. Cover crops can be efficient options for the recycling of K the soil and gradual availability to subsequent crop. In this sense, aimed to evaluate the effect of anticipation potassium fertilization of soybean in cover crops for the production of straw and gradual availability of potassium soybean in succession, in no-tillage in a clayey Distrofic Red Latosol, in savannah, comparing to the usual applications at sowing and/or cover. The experiment was conducted in the crop season 2009/2010, in the experimental farm of São Paulo State University, campus of Ilha Solteira, located in Selvíria, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The experimental design was randomized blocks, with treatments arranged in a factorial scheme 3x3x5, with four replications. The factors consisted of cover crops (Pennisetum glaucum and Panicum miliaceum) and a control (fallow area), doses of K2O (0, 50 e 100 kg ha-1) and application forms of K2O (100% at sowing of cover crops; 100% at sowing of soybean; 100% at cover in soybean; 50% at sowing cover crops + 50% at sowing of soybean; 50% at sowing of soybean + 50% at cover in the soybean). We evaluated the following variables: nutritional state and dry matter of cover crops, nutritional state of soybean plants, plant height, height of insertion of first pod, number of pods per plant and grains per pod, grains productivity , mass 100 grains and macronutrient content in soybean seeds. The pearl millet as cover crop soybean predecessor, had dry matter and potassium content higher than the proso millet, independent of dose and application form of K2O. In soil with high potassium... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Estudos mostram que ocorre uma compactação superficial após alguns anos de utilização do sistema plantio direto (SPD), podendo interferir no desenvolvimento das plantas. A escarificação tem sido utilizada para amenizar os efeitos da compactação sob SPD, porém há evidências de que seus efeitos são de curta duração. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o comportamento de alguns parâmetros físicos após a escarificação em curto prazo (um ano) nas seguintes profundidades: 0,0-0,10 m; 0,10-0,20 m; 0,20-0,30 m; 0,30-0,40 m. A densidade do solo (Ds) e o grau de compactação (Gc) foram analisados em área de plantio direto por 16 anos (PD), imediatamente após a escarificação (ESC), seis meses (ESC6M) e um ano após a escarificação (ESC12M). Nas camadas superiores a densidade do solo apresentou variação semelhante, com redução significativa em ESC e um aumento expressivo em ESC6M, sendo que a Ds retornou aos valores registrados antes da mobilização em ESC12M. Nos períodos ESC, ESC6M e ESC12M foi observado um aumento da Ds na camada 0,30-0,40 m em comparação com o PD. A escarificação provocou redução do grau de compactação nas camadas 0,0-0,10 m e 0,10-0,20 m, com o Gc retornando aos valores originais um ano após a escarificação. Os maiores valores de Gc foram observados seis meses após a escarificação, porém o solo apresentou grande recuperação visto que em ESC12M o grau de compactação apresentou tendência de retorno aos valores originais em todas as profundidades, possivelmente devido à alta resiliência do solo. Os efeitos da escarificação avaliados pela Ds e Gc apresentaram duração inferior a um ano, sugerindo que neste solo não é necessária esta operação. / Studies show that a surface compaction occurs after some years adoption of no-tillage (NT), which may interfere in plant development. Chiseling has been used to alleviate the effects of soil compaction under NT, but studies show that this operation has short-term effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the behavior of some physical parameters after chiseling in shortterm (one year) in the following depths: 0.0 to 0.10 m, 0.10-0.20 m, 0.20-0, 30 m, 0.30 to 0.40 m. Soil bulk density (BD) and the degree of compactness (DC) were analyzed in long-term (16 years) no-tillage (NT), chiseling of the long-term no-tillage (CHI), six months (CHI6M) and one year after chiseling (CHI12M). In top layers bulk density showed similar variation, with significant reduction in CHI and a marked increase in CHI6M, returning to the values recorded before mobilization in CHI12M. In periods CHI, CHI6M and CHI12M was an increase in the BD 0.30-0.40 m layer in comparison with NT. Chiseling caused a reduction the degree of compaction in the layers 0.0-0.10 m and 0.10-0.20 m, with DC returning to the original values one year after chiseling. The greatest DC values were observed six months after chiseling, nevertheless the soil showed great recovery whereas in CHI12M the degree of compactness tended to return to the original values in all layers, possibly due the high soil resilience. The duration of chiseling effects measured by BD and DC was less than one year, suggesting in this soil is not necessary this operation.

The release of genetically modified, herbicide tolerant canola (<I>Brassica napus</i> L.) genotypes in western Canada has increased interest in the persistence of volunteer canola. <i>B. napus</i> seed may be induced into secondary dormancy in the laboratory, however, little is known of the seedbank ecology and the role of secondary dormancy as a persistence mechanism in this species in the region. The objectives of this research were i) to determine seedbank additions at the time of harvest, ii) determine the role of secondary seed dormancy in seedbank persistence under different management systems, iii) determine the relative importance of factors contributing to secondary dormancy potential and iv) evaluate the role of abscisic acid (ABA) during secondary dormancy induction in <I>B. napus</i>. On farms, average seedbank additions during harvest were approximately 20 times the normal seeding rate of canola. High secondary seed dormancy potential prolonged seedbank persistence in fields, irrespective of tillage system. <I>B. napus</i> exhibited seedling recruitment of a typical summer annual weed where seedling recruitment was only observed in the spring. Seasonal seedling recruitment was the result of two fates: seed death in the shallow seedbank, irrespective of dormancy potential, and increased ungerminability in buried seeds which was related to secondary seed dormancy potential. Among the factors that contribute to secondary seed dormancy potential, genotype was of greatest significance. Seed size was of lesser importance, while the contributions of pre-harvest factors including seed maturity, year, and location were negligible in comparison. Differences in ABA synthesis and the response to ABA application were related to secondary seed dormancy potential and correlated well previous reports linking ABA to seed dormancy. Conclusions that emerge from this research are i) that on some farms, seedbank additions may be lowered by more diligent harvest practices, ii) seedbank persistence of <I>B. napus</i> may be reduced by growing low dormancy genotypes and avoiding seed burial for one year after seedbank establishment and iii) ABA + ABA-glucose ester (ABA-GE) and the ability of seeds to respond to ABA application after seed dormancy induction may potentially be used to identify seed dormancy potential in this species.

The release of genetically modified, herbicide tolerant canola (<I>Brassica napus</i> L.) genotypes in western Canada has increased interest in the persistence of volunteer canola. <i>B. napus</i> seed may be induced into secondary dormancy in the laboratory, however, little is known of the seedbank ecology and the role of secondary dormancy as a persistence mechanism in this species in the region. The objectives of this research were i) to determine seedbank additions at the time of harvest, ii) determine the role of secondary seed dormancy in seedbank persistence under different management systems, iii) determine the relative importance of factors contributing to secondary dormancy potential and iv) evaluate the role of abscisic acid (ABA) during secondary dormancy induction in <I>B. napus</i>. On farms, average seedbank additions during harvest were approximately 20 times the normal seeding rate of canola. High secondary seed dormancy potential prolonged seedbank persistence in fields, irrespective of tillage system. <I>B. napus</i> exhibited seedling recruitment of a typical summer annual weed where seedling recruitment was only observed in the spring. Seasonal seedling recruitment was the result of two fates: seed death in the shallow seedbank, irrespective of dormancy potential, and increased ungerminability in buried seeds which was related to secondary seed dormancy potential. Among the factors that contribute to secondary seed dormancy potential, genotype was of greatest significance. Seed size was of lesser importance, while the contributions of pre-harvest factors including seed maturity, year, and location were negligible in comparison. Differences in ABA synthesis and the response to ABA application were related to secondary seed dormancy potential and correlated well previous reports linking ABA to seed dormancy. Conclusions that emerge from this research are i) that on some farms, seedbank additions may be lowered by more diligent harvest practices, ii) seedbank persistence of <I>B. napus</i> may be reduced by growing low dormancy genotypes and avoiding seed burial for one year after seedbank establishment and iii) ABA + ABA-glucose ester (ABA-GE) and the ability of seeds to respond to ABA application after seed dormancy induction may potentially be used to identify seed dormancy potential in this species.

Agronomic practices, including tillage, crop rotation and N fertilization, have been developed to efficiently manage soil N dynamics and crop N nutrition. These practices can affect soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (STN) sequestration, and consequently influence soil nitrogen mineralization (SNM) and crop N nutrition. However, little research has been systematically and simultaneously conducted to examine the effect of agronomic management on (1) SOC and STN stocks; (2) SNM; and (3) crop N nutrition. Burley tobacco (Nicotiana tobacum L.) is a N demanding crop and subject to inefficiency in N fertilization. Moreover, conservation tillage and rotation have been integrated into traditionally tillage intensive tobacco cropping systems. Thus, a tobacco tillage and rotation study was used to test how agronomic practices can affect N dynamics and crop N status in a series of sequential experiments. Firstly, different tobacco production systems were utilized to investigate the effects of tillage and rotation on soil aggregate stabilization and associated SOM sequestration. No-tillage and rotation management enhanced SOC and STN stocks, mainly by increasing the proportion of macroaggregates and SOC and STN concentrations. Secondly, a series of studies were conducted on SNM, including: (1) comparison of laboratory and in situ resin-core methods in estimating SNM; (2) evaluation of the influence of N fertilizer application on SNM; and (3) comparison of chemical indices for predicting SNM across management treatments over time. Laboratory method had different results relative to in situ method due to sample pretreatments. Fertilizer N application had a priming effect on SNM, but priming depended on both the N fertilizer rate and the background SOM level. The effect of rotation/tillage treatments on SNM was stable across years and SOC appeared to be the best indicator of SNM among other soil carbon and N estimates. Thirdly, a N fertilizer study for different tillage systems was conducted in 2012 and 2013. Crop parameters and plant available N (PAN) were collected to investigate the impact of tillage on tobacco production. Crop parameters showed that no-tillage can result in N deficiency in dry years. Similar PAN for both tillage methods suggested N deficiency in no-till tobacco was due to the crop’s lower N uptake capacity. In 2014, tobacco root analysis confirmed that no-tillage can result in less root exploration of the soil volume than conventional tillage.

Agriculture is one of the main sources of phosphorous and nitrogen (P and N) contributing to cultural eutrophication of freshwater lakes and estuaries. In cold regions, the effects of agricultural management practices used to mitigate the runoff loss of these nutrients remain uncertain. In particular, the use of forage crops and minimum tillage, have not reduced some forms of P and N in runoff to streams, in part, as a result of freeze-thaw induced losses of mobile P and N from forages and crop residues. The purpose of this research is to improve the current understanding of the controls on P and N loss from Canadian Prairie fields to ultimately aid in the development and evaluation of beneficial agricultural management practices that perform predictably in cold regions. This study aims to provide new insights into the effects of cold regions hydrological processes on runoff quality through the development and application of a novel inductive - deductive modelling approach. Runoff flowpaths resulting from the three infiltration regimes identified for frozen soils (Granger et al., 1984) are hypothesized to impact the chemistry of field scale meltwater runoff by varying meltwater interaction with agricultural soils and vegetation. Hydrochemistry data from six intensively monitored minimum tillage and forage cropped fields in South Tobacco Creek, Manitoba were used to develop a nutrient model to integrate with a physics-based hydrological modelling platform that can represent the frozen soil infiltration regimes, in addition to other important cold region hydrological processes. The inductive development of a nutrient model, integrated with a deductive physics-based hydrological platform, enabled the modelling of meltwater flowpaths and freeze-thaw induced losses from vegetation. Further testing of the developed model and field experimentation are required to test the hypothesis that runoff generated over a basal ice layer eliminates the transfer of soil nutrients to runoff. Comparison of predicted and observed field scale runoff concentrations and masses suggest that this method of inductive-deductive model development has potential to predict the performance of agricultural management practices in cold regions.

M. Tech. Agriculture / Shortly after World War two (WWII), the South African government responded to the mounting food production crisis in the homelands by introducing public tractor services. Establishment of irrigation schemes and provision of public tractor services for use by smallholders were two important government-initiated modernisation projects in the homelands. It was in line with the idea of modernisation that smallholder irrigation schemes were the prime target for public tractor services, and this lead to the rapid abandonment of the use of animal draught for cultivation on these schemes. By the time public tractor services were completely dismantled, cultivation on smallholder irrigation schemes had become almost entirely dependent on tractor draught. Thereafter, hiring the services of privately owned tractor enterprises became the principal way in which farmers on smallholder irrigation schemes in Limpopo Province cultivated their plots. The rising cost of hiring private tractors placed financial stress on the cropping enterprises of smallholder irrigators, generating interest in alternatives that were more affordable. Animal draught represents an attractive alternative to tractor draught. Whereas prevailing economic circumstances on smallholder irrigation schemes favour the adoption of cultivation systems that are cheaper than those offered by private tractor enterprises, it is not known whether animal draught land preparation enterprises are an appropriate alternative to the existing tractor enterprises from an economic and social perspective. In order to resolve this knowledge problem, the current study was done with the following two main objectives: to determine the profitability of the different types of land preparation enterprises operating on smallholder canal irrigation schemes in Vhembe District Municipality; and to determine the social acceptability of these different types of land preparation enterprises by measuring the perceptions of the quality of the cultivation services provided by these enterprises among plot holders on these schemes.