Abstract:In some rural properties of Brazil, soil and water conservation practices are partially or inappropriately implemented, intensifying soil erosion, even in no-tillage (NT) areas. This study aimed to check the farmer's understanding of conservation agriculture (CA) and assess whether they are using practices appropriate to soil conservation. A basin in the state of Paraná, in Southern Brazil, was selected. Surveys were conducted based on a structured questionnaire and in-person interviews of 234 farmers. Among t… Show more
“…These trends show a significant uptake of NT yet a restrained use of CA, not reaching the desired level for sustainable agriculture standards. The growth in CA from 2006 to 2017, while notable, remains limited due to several factors: (i) the often-delayed economic return from CA, with rural producers typically favoring systems that provide immediate profits [15]; (ii) a tendency to favor simpler production systems that focus on crop succession rather than rotation [16,17]; (iii) farmers being confined to growing the predominant grain of their region due to logistics, infrastructure, and market considerations, deterring them from diversifying crops [18,19]; and (iv) the dominance of crops like cassava or sugarcane in some regions, as opposed to grain [20,21] (Table 2).…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…The myopic economic perspective of these agents is sometimes cited as a contributing factor, yet it doesn't fully account for the hesitancy in adopting superior agricultural practices. Additionally, farmers typically favor less complex operations [16]. This preference explains the swift adoption of NT and the prevalence of crop succession over rotation due to its operational simplicity.…”
Brazil, the development of a strong technical foundation for soil and water conservation has made no-tillage (NT) the leading method for preparing land for temporary crops. Despite this, there's insufficient information regarding the extent to which farmers have adopted NT and conservation agriculture (CA) and the distribution and evolution of these practices within Paraná-a state at the forefront of NT and CA implementation. This study investigates the adoption rates of NT and CA among Paraná's farmers, focusing on temporary crops. It utilizes specialized data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics' agricultural censuses of 2006 and 2017. Adoption rates for NT and CA were determined by comparing their proportions in both the number of farming properties and the overall land area devoted to temporary crops across various microregions. Findings indicate a rise in the adoption of NT from 68.5% to 78.9% and CA from 14.6% to 27.7% over the 2006 to 2017 period. Moreover, adoption rates varied across the 39 microregions, with the highest rates in regions dominated by temporary crops, particularly soybeans, maize, and wheat. Conversely, the lowest adoption rates were found in microregions where permanent crops and pastures prevailed, and sugarcane, cassava, and rice were the primary temporary crops.
“…These trends show a significant uptake of NT yet a restrained use of CA, not reaching the desired level for sustainable agriculture standards. The growth in CA from 2006 to 2017, while notable, remains limited due to several factors: (i) the often-delayed economic return from CA, with rural producers typically favoring systems that provide immediate profits [15]; (ii) a tendency to favor simpler production systems that focus on crop succession rather than rotation [16,17]; (iii) farmers being confined to growing the predominant grain of their region due to logistics, infrastructure, and market considerations, deterring them from diversifying crops [18,19]; and (iv) the dominance of crops like cassava or sugarcane in some regions, as opposed to grain [20,21] (Table 2).…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…The myopic economic perspective of these agents is sometimes cited as a contributing factor, yet it doesn't fully account for the hesitancy in adopting superior agricultural practices. Additionally, farmers typically favor less complex operations [16]. This preference explains the swift adoption of NT and the prevalence of crop succession over rotation due to its operational simplicity.…”
Brazil, the development of a strong technical foundation for soil and water conservation has made no-tillage (NT) the leading method for preparing land for temporary crops. Despite this, there's insufficient information regarding the extent to which farmers have adopted NT and conservation agriculture (CA) and the distribution and evolution of these practices within Paraná-a state at the forefront of NT and CA implementation. This study investigates the adoption rates of NT and CA among Paraná's farmers, focusing on temporary crops. It utilizes specialized data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics' agricultural censuses of 2006 and 2017. Adoption rates for NT and CA were determined by comparing their proportions in both the number of farming properties and the overall land area devoted to temporary crops across various microregions. Findings indicate a rise in the adoption of NT from 68.5% to 78.9% and CA from 14.6% to 27.7% over the 2006 to 2017 period. Moreover, adoption rates varied across the 39 microregions, with the highest rates in regions dominated by temporary crops, particularly soybeans, maize, and wheat. Conversely, the lowest adoption rates were found in microregions where permanent crops and pastures prevailed, and sugarcane, cassava, and rice were the primary temporary crops.
“…Es preciso implementar un plan de mantenimiento y vigilancia para el control de los sedimentos que se acumulan en la presa Jalpan, lo cual permitirá realizar predicciones más precisas sobre la colmatación, ya que la erosión puede aumentar por causas antrópicas (como las deforestaciones) y naturales (la intensidad de la lluvia). Asimismo, la eficiencia de las prácticas está vinculada con su diseño y grado de deterioro, apropiación de los habitantes, coincidiendo con las observaciones de Telles et al (2022); de ahí la importancia de capacitar a los beneficiados de manera previa a la ejecución de dichas prácticas, y después de su instalación se debe continuar con un programa de mantenimiento.…”
This paper's main objective is to evaluate water erosion, and its effect on soil management and conservation practices in the subbasin Jalpan Dam, located at The Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve in the State of Queretaro in northern Mexico. This paper was elaborated in four stages: 1) Analysis of soil conservation practices at the study area, with information collected through semi-structured interviews and field verification; 2) Measurement of the effect in soil’s conservation practices on soil’s erodibility, by taking soil samples and in situ measurements on paired plots; 3) Estimation of water erosion and identification of priority areas for its management, by applying the USLE model of Wischmeier and Smith (1978) and the use of GIS (Geographic Information Systems); 4) Estimation of sediment contribution to the Jalpan dam, using the methodology of Aveldaño et al. (1994). As a result, 40 polygons with soil’s conservation practices were located within the Jalpan Dam sub-basin, distributed mainly in the high functional zone. 22 of the 40 polygons were visited, in which 6 types of practices were spotted: reforestations with pine-cedar, maguey lines, agricultural terraces, stone barriers, stone dams and brushwood check dams. The results show deterioration on the structures, more than 30% of them require maintenance and 20% are clogged. Vegetative practices have had little success, reflected in low plant densities and low survival. As a result of the conservation practices evaluations in soil’s erodibility, it was found that in 8 of the 9 sites evaluated, the practices decreased the susceptibility of the soil to erode. It is important to establish systematic supervising mechanisms to ensure proper evaluation of every soil conservation practice condition and function.
“…Soil erosion in cultivated agricultural areas ranks among the primary causes of soil degradation, resulting in significant environmental and socio-economic losses [1]. This erosion occurs through the formation of surface runoff, leading to the detachment and transportation of soil particles.…”
Surface runoff in agricultural areas promotes the transport of biological structures, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) spores, along with mineral particles, nutrients, and organic matter. Limited information exists regarding the relationships between the erosive process and the loss of AMF spores at the hillslope scale, as well as the effect of terracing on these relationships. The objective of this study was to quantify the loss of AMF spores in surface runoff water from agricultural soil managed under no-till and terraced conditions. The research was conducted in the Ribeirão Vermelho watershed, in a hillslope area in Cambé, Paraná, Brazil. Two experimental plots measuring 2.5 hectares each were installed, with one managed without terraces (NTP) and the other with level terraces (TP). At the lower end of the plots, a runoff flow measurement structure (H-channel) was installed to determine the flow rate and suspended spore count. The runoff duration, peak flow rate, and spore count were determined during the period from October 2019 to October 2022. The terrace reduced over 35% of suspended spore loss, and the hysteresis pattern showed a counterclockwise loop in NTP and a clockwise loop in TP for events with higher peak flow rates. The hysteresis pattern indicated rapid spore mobilization and transport in TP, suggesting that spores originated from more distant sources or required more energy for transportation in NTP. Overall, there is evidence that the terrace influences spore variability on the hillslope, reinforcing the need for terracing in agricultural hillslope areas.
HIGHLIGHTS• The terracing reduces the peak flow of surface runoff.• The terracing reduces the duration of the surface runoff period.• The lower flow and duration of surface runoff decrease the loss of AMF spores.
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