• Authors:
    • Ortega, A. L.
  • Source: Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science
  • Volume: 57
  • Issue: 6
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The permanent bed planting system for wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) production has recently received additional attention. Studies using hard red spring wheat (cultivar Nahuatl F2000) were conducted at two locations in central Mexico. The studies included the installation of three furrow diking treatments, two granular N timing treatments and three foliar N rates applied at the end of anthesis. The objective was to evaluate the effect of these factors on wheat grain yield, yield components and grain N in a wheat-maize ( Zea maize L.) rotation with residues of both crops left as stubble. Results indicated that diking in alternate furrows increased both grain yield and the final number of spikes per m 2. The split application of N fertilizer enhanced the number of spikes per m 2 and grain N uptake, but the effect on grain yield was inconsistent. Similarly, grain protein increased with the foliar application of 6 kg N ha -1, depending upon the maximum temperature within the 10 days following anthesis. The normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI) readings collected at four growth stages were generally higher for the split N application than for the basal N application at planting. Grain N uptake was associated to NDVI readings collected after anthesis.
  • Authors:
    • de Assis, R. L.
    • Madari, B. E.
    • Petter, F. A.
    • Pacheco, L. P.
    • Leandro, W. M.
    • Barbosa, J. M.
    • Oliveira de Almeida Machado, P. L.
  • Source: Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo
  • Volume: 35
  • Issue: 5
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The cover crops in no-till system can contribute to the formation of mulch and nutrient cycling to annual crops in succession. The objective of this study was to evaluate biomass production and nutrient cycling of cover crops sown in the second growing season, in crop rotation after upland rice and soybean, in no-tillage and conventional tillage systems, on a Red Latassol of Rio Verde, state of Goias, from April 2008 to April 2010. The experiment was evaluated in randomized strips, in a 5 x 6 factorial design, with four replications. In the horizontal strips two soil management systems (after three years of no-tillage and conventional systems) were evaluated and the cover crops in the vertical strips. Biomass and ground cover and nutrient cycling rates were only evaluated in the no-till treatments, in a 5 x 6 factorial arrangement, where the plots were subdivided, corresponding to six harvest dates of dried biomass 0, 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120 days after cutting of the cover crops. The following cover crops were sown in the second growing season: Brachiaria ruziziensis, Pennisetum glaucum and B. ruziziensis + Cajanus cajan and a fallow treatment as reference. Biomass production and the rates of soil cover and nutrient accumulation and release by cover crops as well as rice and soybean yield were evaluated. B. ruziziensis and B. ruziziensis + C. cajan performed best in biomass production, ground cover and nutrient accumulation at the end of the cover crops. The nutrients N and K had the highest concentration in the biomass, and the highest nutrient release to the soil was observed for K and P. The highest rice yield was observed when grown in no-tillage on crop residues of P. glaucum and B. ruziziensis, while soybean yields did not differ in the treatments.
  • Authors:
    • Buzetti, S.
    • Bergamaschine, A. F.
    • Ulian, N. de A.
    • Pariz, C. M.
    • Furlan, L. C.
    • Andreotti, M.
    • Meirelles, P. R. de L.
    • Cavasano, F. A.
  • Source: Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo
  • Volume: 35
  • Issue: 6
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The greatest limitation to the sustainability of no-till systems in Cerrado environments is the low quantity and rapid decomposition of straw left on the soil surface between fall and spring, due to water deficit and high temperatures. In the 2008/2009 growing season, in an area under center pivot irrigation in Selviria, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, this study evaluated the lignin/total N ratio of grass dry matter, and N, P and K deposition on the soil surface and decomposition of straw of Panicum maximum cv. Tanzania, P. maximum cv. Mombaca, Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu and B. ruziziensis, and the influence of N fertilization in winter/spring grown intercropped with maize, on a dystroferric Red Latosol (Oxisol). The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design in split-plots; the plots were represented by eight maize intercropping systems with grasses (sown together with maize or at the time of N side dressing). Subplots consisted of N rates (0, 200, 400 and 800 kg ha -1 year -1) sidedressed as urea (rates split in four applications at harvests in winter/spring), as well as evaluation of the straw decomposition time by the litter bag method (15, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 180 days after straw chopping). Nitrogen fertilization in winter/spring of P. maximum cv. Tanzania, P. maximum cv. Mombaca, B. brizantha cv. Marandu and B. ruziziensis after intercropping with irrigated maize in an integrated crop-livestock system under no-tillage proved to be a technically feasible alternative to increase the input of straw and N, P and K left on the soil surface, required for the sustainability of the system, since the low lignin/N ratio of straw combined with high temperatures accelerated straw decomposition, reaching approximately 30% of the initial amount, 90 days after straw chopping.
  • Authors:
    • Pinto, C.
    • Sizenando Filho, F.
    • Cysne, J.
    • Pitombeira, J.
  • Source: Revista Verde de Agroecologia e Desenvolvimento Sustentavel
  • Volume: 6
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Field experiments were conducted in Ceara, Brazil, to study the response of castor bean intercropping with sesame, cotton, maize and cowpea under dryland conditions. The intercropping indices evaluated were LER, LEC, ATER, mean of LER and ATER, SPI, CoR, RCC, CR, A and ALY. Castor beans and intercrops had reductions in yield. Based on the LER, LEC, CRA, AYL and CoR in the intercropping systems, the castor bean + maize treatment was the most advantageous under dryland farming. Based on the A and ALY indices, castor bean was dominated by sesame, cotton, maize and cowpea. The castor bean, cotton, sesame and castor bean, castor bean, maize treatments showed yield stability, which was characterized by the productivity index of the system (SPI).
  • Authors:
    • Sarker, S. C.
    • Patra, P. S.
    • Mula, G.
    • Paramanik, B.
  • Source: Journal of Crop and Weed
  • Volume: 7
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Zero tillage saves tillage and irrigation costs, results in yield gains through a possible improvement in sowing time and enhanced fertilizer and water use efficiencies. The present study was conducted to explore the possibilities of saving critical inputs and to enhance the profit margin of the rural farmers of Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Malda and Murshidabad districts of West Bengal through National Agricultural Innovation Project. Mean grain yield of 10 villages showed that zero tillage practices produced 8.004% more grain yield than conventional tillage method. On an average zero tillage method save total cost of Rs. 4449.67 ha -1 and increase profit margin of Rs. 7056.25 ha -1. Zero till field also recorded higher B:C ratio of 0.923 as compared to conventional tillage method (0.432).
  • Authors:
    • Sousa, D.
    • Rein, T.
  • Source: Better Crops with Plant Food
  • Volume: 95
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The authors review recommended practices for evaluating and managing liming and fertilizer use for high yielding annual crops growing under no-till (NT) cultivation within the Cerrado.
  • Authors:
    • Carvalho, D.
    • Pereira, J.
    • Silva, L.
    • Guerra, J.
    • Souza, A.
  • Source: ACTA SCIENTIARUM-AGRONOMY
  • Volume: 33
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The objective of this study was to determine the crop evapotranspiration (ETc), crop coefficients (kc) and water-use efficiency (EUA) of the bell pepper crop in the no till system (PD) and conventional tillage system (PC), in the Fluminense Valley, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. The irrigation was managed and the evapotranspiration demand quantified by calculating the daily soil water balance using the TDR technique and data collected in an automatic meteorological station. It was verified that the accumulated ETc at 181 days after planting (DAT) was 363 and 335 mm for PD and PC, respectively. The kcs obtained were 0.32, 1.18 and 0.77 and 0.34, 1.05 and 0.86, for the PD and PC systems, respectively, in the initial (0-40 DAP), middle (81-120 DAP) and final (181 DAP) growth phases, respectively. The kc values for the bell pepper crop presented by FAO were similar to the values found for the PC, but are not recommended for PD. Considering the total depth applied (rain and irrigation), the average values of water use efficiency were 3.9 and 4.5 kg m -3 for PD and PC, respectively.
  • Authors:
    • Sa, M.
    • Arf, O.
    • Buzetti,S.
    • Andreotti, M.
    • Teixeira Filho, M.
    • Souza, J.
  • Source: Bragantia
  • Volume: 70
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The second corn crop is an important economical alternative for agriculture. As this crop removes great amounts of N, it is necessary an appropriate nitrogen fertilization management for obtaining high yields. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of sources, doses and times of nitrogen application on agronomic characteristics and productivity of corn grains in an irrigated second crop. The experiment was accomplished in Selviria, Mato Grosso do Sul State, in a red dystrophic Latosol irrigated by sprinkle and conducted under no till, in 2007 and 2008. The experiment was arranged in randomized complete blocks design, with 4 repetitions, disposed in a factorial scheme 5*3*2, being: five doses of N (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg ha -1), three sources of N (ammonium sulfonitrate with nitrification inhibitor, ammonium sulfate and urea) applied at sowing or totally at sidedressing in the stage of 6 leaves. The N sources provided similar grain yield. The nitrogen application at sowing was viable, as well as the traditional application of N at sidedressing. The increment of N doses increased the leaf N content, the number of grains per line and per ear and consequently the grain yield. The N doses increased the grain yield of the second crop up to 150 kg ha -1 of N, independently of application time or N sources.
  • Authors:
    • Arf, O.
    • Sa, M.
    • Andreotti, M.
    • Buzetti, S.
    • Teixeira Filho, M.
  • Source: Ciencia Rural
  • Volume: 41
  • Issue: 8
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Proper management of nitrogen fertilization and using cultivars with high productive potential are essential to obtain high wheat yield. Thus, the objective of the present study was to assess the effects of different N doses and sources, one with a nitrification inhibitor, applied at sowing or as side dressing, on the production components and yield of two wheat cultivars irrigated, under no till, cultivated in a region of low altitude Cerrado (Selviria - MS). A randomized block design was used in a 5*3*2*2 factorial arrangement, that is, five nitrogen doses (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg ha -1), three nitrogen sources (ammonium sulfonitrate with nitrification inhibitor (Entec), ammonium sulfate and urea) and two nitrogen application times (at sowing or side dressing) on two wheat cultivars ('E 22' and 'E 42') with three replications. There was no difference for grain yield between the wheat cultivars and among the nitrogen sources. The application of nitrogen totally at sowing is feasible as well as the traditional application at sowing and side dressing. The nitrogen doses increased the leaf N content of the 'E 22' cultivar, resulting in a reduction in the hectolitric mass of the 'E 42' cultivar and increased grain yield of the 'E 22' and 'E 42' wheat yield cultivars, respectively, up to doses of 126 and 122 kg ha -1 N, regardless of the application time and the nitrogen source.
  • Authors:
    • Andreotti, M.
    • Benett, C. G. S.
    • Buzetti, S.
    • Valderrama, M.
    • Teixeira Filho, M. C. M.
  • Source: Pesquisa Agropecuaria Tropical
  • Volume: 41
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Coated fertilizers can provide lower losses and higher soil nutrients availability, which can be absorbed by plants, when we consider their gradual release. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of doses and sources of N, P, and K on maize grain components and yield, under no-till system, in the Brazilian savannah. The experimental design was randomized blocks, with 4 top-dressed doses (0 kg ha -1, 40 kg ha -1, 80 kg ha -1, and 120 kg ha -1) and 2 sources (urea and coated urea), for N; 4 doses (0 kg ha -1, 50 kg ha -1, 100 kg ha -1, and 150 kg ha -1) and 2 sources (triple superphosphate and coated triple superphosphate), for P; and 4 doses (0 kg ha -1, 40 kg ha -1, 80 kg ha -1, and 120 kg ha -1) and 2 sources (potassium chloride and coated potassium chloride), for K, with 4 replications. The fertilizers coated with polymers (urea, triple superphosphate, and potassium chloride) were not efficient under the soil and climate conditions studied, because they provided results similar to the same conventional fertilizers, for the N, P, and K foliar contents, and irrigated maize grain components and yield. The increment of N doses increased linearly the N leaf content, number of ears per hectare and maize grains yield. The application of K 2O and P 2O 5 doses did not influence grain yield.