Author(s): SILVA, A. P. da; BABUJIA, L. C.; FRANCHINI, J. C.; RALISCH, R.; HUNGRIA, M.; GUIMARÃES, M. de F.

Summary: Soil and crop management have a fundamental role in the maintenance and improvement of soil quality, as they have a direct influence its structure and on microorganisms habitats. The aim of this study was to quantify carbon and nitrogen microbial biomass in the HMUs in a dystroferric Red Latosol, in a 22-year experiment with treatments consisting of a no-tillage planting system (NT), no-tillage with chiseling every three years (NTC) and conventional tillage (CT), using crop rotation (CR) and succession (CS) systems, in order to determine the relationship between alterations in soil structure and modifications in the contents of microbial biomass. Significantly higher levels of carbon and nitrogen microbial biomass (CMB and NMB) were observed in the HMUs in NT and NTC systems under both CR and CS. On average, HMUs in the NT and NTC treatments presented 20% more CMB and 51% more NMB that in the CT treatment. NMB was the parameter most highly affected by the soil management. At depths of 0?20 cm, total organic carbon (TOC), was higher by an average of 21% than in the NT and NTC treatments. Total nitrogen (TN) was also affected by the soil management. This demonstrates how the tillage of the soil exposes the organic matter in the aggregates to oxidation and nitrogen mineralization.

Publication year: 2015

Types of publication: Paper in annals and proceedings

Unit: Embrapa Soybean

Keywords: Microrganismo, Soil microorganisms, Solo, Tillage