RESUMO-O uso de modelos matemáticos pode ser útil para o entendimento das alterações do uso e manejo do solo e fornecem subsídios para testar cenários futuros, possibilitando desenvolver estratégias de manejo menos impactantes ao meio ambiente. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram: (a) usar o modelo Century v4.5 para simular os efeitos dos usos e manejos sobre os estoques de carbono e nitrogênio do solo em diferentes compartimentos, (b) comparar os estoques medidos e simulados pelo Century, e (c) testar impacto de cenários futuros até o ano de 2100. Os tratamentos avaliados foram Pinus, plantio direto e plantio convencional, com histórico das áreas até o momento da coleta de solo (2004). Para o Pinus foram testados três cenários futuros, um deles simulando o mesmo manejo adotado até o momento da coleta de solo, outro reduzindo os eventos de fogo, além do uso sem preparo do solo para o replantio. Para o plantio direto e plantio convencional, simularam-se dois cenários futuros, um com rotação milho/soja e outro com monocultura de milho. O modelo Century foi sensível às mudanças de manejo adotadas, os compartimentos mais lábeis apresentam maior sensibilidade (ativo e lento), do que o mais estável (passivo). Em relação ao estoque de C, o modelo simulou estoques próximos aos medidos no campo, com um erro mínimo de 0,36%. Para os estoques de N, os valores simulados apresentaram erro de 5,71% para os compartimentos mais lábeis. Os cenários futuros mostraram a importância de se evitar queimadas no Pinus e o uso de monocultivo. Palavras-chave: Estoques de nitrogênio. Estoques de carbono. Sequestro. ABSTRACT-The use of mathematical models can be useful for understanding the changes in the use and management of soil and provide aid in testing future scenarios, making it possible to develop management strategies which have less impact on the environment. The objectives of this study were: (a) to apply the Century Model v4.5 in order to simulate the effects of usages and managements on carbon stocks and soil nitrogen in different compartments; (b) compare both the observed stocks and those simulated by the Century Model; (c) to test the impact of future scenarios until the year 2100. The treatments evaluated were of Pine, under both no-tillage and conventional tillage, using historical data from the areas up until when the soil was sampled (2004). For the pine, three future scenarios were tested, one by simulating the management adopted up to the time the soil was sampled, another by reducing the fire events, as well as by soil usage without any preparation when replanting. For both no-tillage and conventional tillage, two future scenarios were simulated: one with corn and soybean rotation, and the other with a monoculture of corn. The Century model was sensitive to the changes in management which were adopted, the more labile compartments showing greater sensitivity (the active and the slow) than the most stable (passive). In relation to stocks of C, the model simulated values close to those measured in the field, with a minim...

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The use of forage legumes to contribute biologically fixed nitrogen (N) to pastures is an alternative to increase beef cattle production in tropical regions. The objective was to compare the impact of the introduction of a legume with that of N fertilizer application on forage and animal production in Brachiaria pastures. This two‐year study assessed three pasture treatments: (1) mixed Marandu palisadegrass (Brachiaria brizantha [syn. Urochloa brizantha] cv. Marandu) and the legume “ovalifolium” (Desmodium ovalifolium) cv. Itabela (Mixed), (2) Marandu palisadegrass pastures with 150 kg N ha−1 (Fertilized), and (3) Marandu palisadegrass without N fertilizer (Unfertilized). Rotational stocking with a variable stocking rate was used with a target herbage allowance of 1.0 kg forage kg body weight−1. The pre‐grazing green herbage mass was similar for Fertilized and Mixed pastures, with 54% and 63% more mass than Unfertilized pasture, respectively (p < .001). Cattle that grazed the fertilized pasture had the greatest average daily gain (ADG; p = .017). The stocking rate and liveweight gain per area were greatest for the Fertilized and Mixed pastures (p < .001 and p < .001, respectively). No differences between treatments were found for DM forage intake (p = .555). Organic matter digestibility was lowest (p < .001) for the Mixed pasture. The inclusion of the ovalifolium legume in the Marandu pasture had the same impact on beef cattle production as annual fertilization with 150 kg N ha−1. The potential and environmental benefits of ovalifolium are discussed.

The objectives of this study were to determine the rates of plant litter deposition and decomposition in Marandu pastures (Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu) under a) three forms of nitrogen (N) supply, b) at different stages of rotational grazing and c) to compare the single-exponential decay constant (‘k’) derived from litterbags with values derived from estimates of deposited and existing litter (DEL technique). The three N supply treatments were: without or with N fertilization (zero or 150 kg N ha-1 yr-1) or with the legume Desmodium ovalifolium. There were no significant differences (p<0.05) between existing litter and rates of litter deposition and decomposition between the three N supply treatments. The litter decomposition rate was estimated using the DEL technique for the 7-day grazing periods and two subsequent 14-day periods in each 35-day grazing cycle. The litter decomposition rate was (P<0.05) higher for the second rest period (days 21 to 35) at 0.089 g g-1 day-1, than for the grazing period (0.038 g g-1 day-1) and for the first rest period (0.040 g g-1 day-1). The mean half-life of the litter was 12 days using the DEL technique while the estimate from the litterbags was 136 days. Results showed that estimates provided by litterbags severely underestimate the decomposition in relation to the DEL technique and predict a long-term accumulation of litter which is not observed.

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The objective of this work was to evaluate the rooting of cuttings of Acalifa (Acalypha Wilkesiana) with different concentrations of indolbutyric acid (IBA). The matrix plant from which the cuttings were taken, is planted as a hedge and located at the biology institute of the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro in the city of Seropédica-RJ. The experimental design was completely randomized, in a 3x3 factorial, with three different concentrations of IBA (0, 1000 and 2000 mg L-1 or 0, 2000 and 4000 mg L-1 for 15 seconds) and three types of cuttings (herbaceous, semi-woody and woody), with three replications and ten cuttings per plot. The experiments were carried out at two different times, namely: autumn and winter / spring. The following were evaluated: percentage of live cuttings, rooted, with callus and sprouting, number of roots per cut, length of the largest root. Acalypha wilkesiana can be propagated by stem cuttings, whether woody, semi-woody or herbaceous cuttings. However, herbaceous cuttings have a lower percentage of survival and rooting. Also, is a species of easy rooting through cutting of stems, dispensing with the use of AIB. Stems collected in the autumn period yield greater efficiency and productivity in the propagation of cuttings by cuttings.