Avoiding burning practice and its consequences on the greenhouse gas emission in sugarcane areas southern Brazil.

There is a growing need of sustainable solutions for balancing agricultural production with the reduction of its environmental impacts. The rapid increase in sugarcane cultivation and the progressive conversion of pre-harvest burning (BH) to green harvest (GH) have brought into debate the contribution of agricultural sector to the greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation. This study focused on the estimated GHG emission from sugarcane cultivation during years in which sugarcane areas in southern Brazil expanded and passed throughout an important transition, from 2006 to 2012, when harvest adopted was changed from burned to not-burned based. Sugarcane management and harvest were mapped through visual interpretation of Landsat-type satellite images, and the areas under sugarcane cultivation were distinguished according to each agricultural phase and harvest regime (i.e., manual harvest with burning vs. green mechanized harvest). Based on a broad data review and applying the IPCC (2006) methodologies, the results were expressed in terms of kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent (kg CO2eq ha-1). Avoiding burn prior to harvest, even during expansion of sugarcane areas, promoted a mean reduction of GHG emission from 901 to 686 kg CO2eq ha-1 relative to harvest phase (24% lower) and an increase from 1418.3 to 1507.9 kg CO2eq ha-1 related to the ratoon maintenance phase (6% higher). Analyzing the total GHG emission per unit of cultivated sugarcane area (hectare), it was observed a decrease from 2275 to 2034 kg CO2eq ha-1 (11% reduction). The gradual transition of pre-harvest burning on that period has contributed to the reduction of GHG emission associated with sugarcane production being an important step towards GHG mitigation while still providing more sustainable sugar and ethanol production in southern Brazil.

Weed density affected by different soil management and fertilization systems / Densidade de plantas daninhas afetada por sistemas de manejo do solo e de adubação

The objective of this work was to evaluate monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous weed  density from seventh to tenth years of trial in five systems of soil and fertilization management, in  Campos Novos, SC, Brazil. The experimental  design was longitudinal and transverse rows  in blocks, with three replications. The soil  management systems were: no tillage; chisel plow + single secondary disk harrowing; primary and double secondary disking (conventional tillage); conventional tillage with crop residues burned; and conventional tillage with crop residue removal. The fertilization strategies used were: no fertilization (control); recommended soluble fertilizers; poultry litter; cattle slurry; and swine slurry. The winter cover crops used from seventh to tenth years were: rye; common vetch; black oat and multi-cropping between black oat and common vetch. There was an increasing of monocotyledonous weed density with the increase of mechanical disturbance and the absence of straw in soil. On the other hand, there was increase of dicotyledonous weed density with decreasing of mechanical disturbance and maintaining of straw in the soil. No expressive difference in weed density occurred among the fertilization systems.(AU)

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a densidade de plantas daninhas mono e dicotiledôneas entre o sétimo e o décimo ano de condução de um experimento com cinco sistemas de manejo do solo associados a cinco formas de adubação, em Campos Novos, SC. O delineamento experimental foi em faixas longitudinais e transversais, alocadas em blocos casualizados, com três repetições. Os sistemas de manejo do solo foram: semeadura direta; escarificação e gradagem; preparo convencional; preparo convencional com resíduos culturais queimados; e preparo convencional com resíduos culturais retirados das parcelas. As formas de adubação foram: testemunha (ausência de adubação); adubos solúveis; esterco de aves; esterco de bovinos; e esterco de suínos. Do sétimo ao décimo ano, as culturas de cobertura de inverno usadas foram, sequencialmente: centeio; ervilhaca; aveia preta; e aveia preta consorciada com ervilhaca. Houve aumento da densidade de plantas daninhas monocotiledôneas com o incremento do distúrbio mecânico do solo e a retirada ou queima dos resíduos culturais. Para plantas daninhas dicotiledôneas ocorreu o inverso, pois houve aumento das densidades dessas plantas com a redução do distúrbio mecânico do solo e permanência do resíduo sobre este. As diferentes formas de adubação interferiram pouco na densidade de plantas daninhas.(AU)

Weed density affected by different soil management and fertilization systems / Densidade de plantas daninhas afetada por sistemas de manejo do solo e de adubação

The objective of this work was to evaluate monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous weed  density from seventh to tenth years of trial in five systems of soil and fertilization management, in  Campos Novos, SC, Brazil. The experimental  design was longitudinal and transverse rows  in blocks, with three replications. The soil  management systems were: no tillage; chisel plow + single secondary disk harrowing; primary and double secondary disking (conventional tillage); conventional tillage with crop residues burned; and conventional tillage with crop residue removal. The fertilization strategies used were: no fertilization (control); recommended soluble fertilizers; poultry litter; cattle slurry; and swine slurry. The winter cover crops used from seventh to tenth years were: rye; common vetch; black oat and multi-cropping between black oat and common vetch. There was an increasing of monocotyledonous weed density with the increase of mechanical disturbance and the absence of straw in soil. On the other hand, there was increase of dicotyledonous weed density with decreasing of mechanical disturbance and maintaining of straw in the soil. No expressive difference in weed density occurred among the fertilization systems.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a densidade de plantas daninhas mono e dicotiledôneas entre o sétimo e o décimo ano de condução de um experimento com cinco sistemas de manejo do solo associados a cinco formas de adubação, em Campos Novos, SC. O delineamento experimental foi em faixas longitudinais e transversais, alocadas em blocos casualizados, com três repetições. Os sistemas de manejo do solo foram: semeadura direta; escarificação e gradagem; preparo convencional; preparo convencional com resíduos culturais queimados; e preparo convencional com resíduos culturais retirados das parcelas. As formas de adubação foram: testemunha (ausência de adubação); adubos solúveis; esterco de aves; esterco de bovinos; e esterco de suínos. Do sétimo ao décimo ano, as culturas de cobertura de inverno usadas foram, sequencialmente: centeio; ervilhaca; aveia preta; e aveia preta consorciada com ervilhaca. Houve aumento da densidade de plantas daninhas monocotiledôneas com o incremento do distúrbio mecânico do solo e a retirada ou queima dos resíduos culturais. Para plantas daninhas dicotiledôneas ocorreu o inverso, pois houve aumento das densidades dessas plantas com a redução do distúrbio mecânico do solo e permanência do resíduo sobre este. As diferentes formas de adubação interferiram pouco na densidade de plantas daninhas.