Cover crops, lime and gypsum influence on soil physical attributes

Cover crops promote nutrient cycling, and lime and gypsum can alter the soil physical attributes. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of lime and gypsum rates applied to a no-tillage system with addition of residues of three cover crops on the soil physical attributes. This experiment was carried out in chapadão do sul-ms. The treatments were comprised of three cover crops (Urochloa ruziziensis, fallow, and Pennisetum glaucum), with gypsum (0, 2.3 and 4.6 Mg ha-1) and lime applied at a dose of 0, 2, 4, 6 Mg ha-1).The attributes evaluated were: soil density, macroporosity, microporosity, total porosity and penetration resistance. The soil of the experiment was classified an Oxisol. Cover crops and lime and gypsum improved macroporosity, microporosity and total porosity at all depths, 0-0.2 m. Millet presented lower values for penetration resistance with the lime application and without gypsum application. No residual effect on soil density was detected for lime and gypsum application or cover crops in the 0.1-0.2 m layer. Brazilian Cerrado producers will have a well-defined management system to follow aiming at improving the soil physical attributes.

Relationship between vegetation indices and agronomic performance of maize varieties under different nitrogen rates / Relação entre índices de vegetação e desempenho agronômico de variedades de milho sob diferentes doses de nitrogênio

Precision agriculture is a set of techniques that assist the monitoring of the agronomic performance of the maize crop by using vegetation indices. This study aimed to verify the relationship between vegetation indices, plant height, leaf N content, and grain yield of three maize varieties, grown under high and low N as topdressing. The experiment was carried out at the Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa Agropecuária de Chapadão (Fundação Chapadão), located in the municipality of Chapadão do Sul, during the 2017/2018 season. The experiment consisted of a randomized block design with four replications, arranged in a 3x2 split-plot scheme. The first factor (plots) corresponded to three open-pollinated maize varieties (BRS 4103, BRS Gorotuba, and SCS 154), and the second factor (subplots) consisted of two N rates applied as topdressing (80 and 160 kg- 1). All the evaluated variables showed varieties x N interaction. Vegetation indices in maize varieties were influenced by the N rate applied as topdressing. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Soil-adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI) showed a higher correlation with plant height. At the same time, Normalized Difference Red Edge (NDRE) had a stronger association with leaf N content.

A agricultura de precisão é um conjunto de técnicas que auxiliam no monitoramento do desempenho agronômico da cultura do milho utilizando índices de vegetação. Este trabalho teve como objetivo verificar a relação entre índices de vegetação, altura de planta, teor de N foliar e rendimento de grãos de três variedades de milho, cultivadas sob alto e baixo N, em cobertura. O experimento foi realizado na Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa Agropecuária de Chapadão, localizada no município de Chapadão do Sul, na safra 2017/2018. O experimento consistiu de um delineamento de blocos casualizados com quatro repetições, dispostos em esquema de parcelas subdivididas 3x2. O primeiro fator (parcelas) correspondeu a três variedades de milho de polinização aberta (BRS 4103, BRS Gorotuba e SCS 154), e o segundo fator (subparcelas) consistiu de duas doses de N aplicadas como cobertura (80 e 160 kg-1). Todas as variáveis avaliadas apresentaram interação variedades x N. Os índices de vegetação nas variedades de milho foram influenciados pela dose de N aplicada como cobertura. Os índices NDVI e SAVI mostraram uma maior correlação com a altura da planta, enquanto o NDRE apresentou uma associação mais forte com o conteúdo de N foliar.