Accumulated Carbon Fractions in Tropical Sandy Soils and Their Effects on Fertility and Grain Yield in an Integrated Crop–Livestock System

Deyvison de Asevedo Soares (), Bianca Midori Souza Sekiya, Viviane Cristina Modesto, Allan Hisashi Nakao, Leandro Alves Freitas, Isabela Malaquias Dalto de Souza, João Henrique Silva da Luz, Fernando Shintate Galindo, Gelci Carlos Lupatini, Gustavo Pavan Mateus, Carolina dos Santos Batista Bonini, Cristiana Andrighetto, Iêda de Carvalho Mendes, Paulo Sergio Pavinato and Marcelo Andreotti
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Deyvison de Asevedo Soares: Department of Soil Science, Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of Sao Paulo, Piracicaba 13418-900, Brazil
Bianca Midori Souza Sekiya: College of Agronomic and Technological Sciences, Sao Paulo State University “Julio de Mesquita Filho”, Dracena 17900-000, Brazil
Viviane Cristina Modesto: Department of Plant Health, Rural Engineering and Soils, Sao Paulo State University “Julio de Mesquita Filho”, Ilha Solteira 15385-000, Brazil
Allan Hisashi Nakao: Department of Plant Health, Rural Engineering and Soils, Sao Paulo State University “Julio de Mesquita Filho”, Ilha Solteira 15385-000, Brazil
Leandro Alves Freitas: Department of Plant Health, Rural Engineering and Soils, Sao Paulo State University “Julio de Mesquita Filho”, Ilha Solteira 15385-000, Brazil
Isabela Malaquias Dalto de Souza: Department of Plant Health, Rural Engineering and Soils, Sao Paulo State University “Julio de Mesquita Filho”, Ilha Solteira 15385-000, Brazil
João Henrique Silva da Luz: Department of Soil Science, Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of Sao Paulo, Piracicaba 13418-900, Brazil
Fernando Shintate Galindo: College of Agronomic and Technological Sciences, Sao Paulo State University “Julio de Mesquita Filho”, Dracena 17900-000, Brazil
Gelci Carlos Lupatini: College of Agronomic and Technological Sciences, Sao Paulo State University “Julio de Mesquita Filho”, Dracena 17900-000, Brazil
Gustavo Pavan Mateus: São Paulo Agency of Agribusiness Technology (APTA), Andradina 16900-970, Brazil
Carolina dos Santos Batista Bonini: College of Agronomic and Technological Sciences, Sao Paulo State University “Julio de Mesquita Filho”, Dracena 17900-000, Brazil
Cristiana Andrighetto: College of Agronomic and Technological Sciences, Sao Paulo State University “Julio de Mesquita Filho”, Dracena 17900-000, Brazil
Iêda de Carvalho Mendes: Embrapa Cerrados, BR020, Km 18, Planaltina 73310-970, Brazil
Paulo Sergio Pavinato: Department of Soil Science, Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of Sao Paulo, Piracicaba 13418-900, Brazil
Marcelo Andreotti: Department of Plant Health, Rural Engineering and Soils, Sao Paulo State University “Julio de Mesquita Filho”, Ilha Solteira 15385-000, Brazil

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 18, 1-18

Abstract: Food production in sandy soils has evolved significantly, most notably through the advent of integrated crop–livestock systems (ICLSs). ICLSs increase soil cover, which maintains soil moisture and sequesters carbon (C). Here we investigate the influence of ICLSs on soil physical, chemical, and biochemical properties, and grain yield (GY) in tropical sandy soils in short-time. We compared seven ICLSs in two consecutive crops seasons (with soybean or maize as cash crops) in southeastern Brazil. These were (1) corn + Urochloa brizantha cv. BRS Paiaguás—soybean (ICL-Paiaguás); (2) corn + U. brizantha cv. BRS Piatã—soybean; (3) corn + U. ruziziensis —soybean; (4) corn–soybean under conventional tillage (CT) as a negative control; (5) corn–soybean under no-tillage (NT) as a positive control; (6) Paiaguás grass—continuous grazing (Perennial Paiaguás); (7) and Piatã grass—continuous grazing (Perennial Piatã). Soybean and corn GY data, soil physical and chemical attributes, and soil enzymatic activity were subjected to descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis. CT and NT shared high loadings of H + Al, Al, and soil temperature and low loadings of soil pH, SOM physical and chemical fractions, cationic exchange capacity, and arylsulfatase activity. ICL-Paiaguás and Perennial Piatã had a similarly high loading of total N, humin, total organic carbon, and mineral-associated carbon stocks. The fulvic acid fraction was the most sensitive to C accumulation in the sandy soil under ICLSs. Soil water and thermal regimes were limiting in both CT and NT. The study not only confirms the capacity of conservation mechanisms to enhance soil-based ecosystem functions, but it also highlights the potential of ICLSs to aid sustainable food production even in the context of tropical sandy soils, which frequently receive limited attention in intensive agricultural practices.

Keywords: straw; enzymatic activity; carbon stock; humic substances; tropical soils (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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