ABSTRACT
Soil health assessment and maintenance in Central and South-Central Brazil Ieda C. Mendes, EMBRAPA Cerrados, Brazil; Cássio A. Tormena, State University of Maringá, Brazil; Maurício R. Cherubin, University of São Paulo, Brazil; and Douglas L. Karlen, USDA-ARS, USA
1 Introduction
2 Agriculture in Brazil
3 New frontiers in Brazilian CA
4 Indicators for SH assessments in Brazil
5 Tillage effects on SH
6 SI effects on SH indicators
7 Sugarcane effects on SH
8 Future trends
9 Summary and conclusions
10 Where to look for further information
11 References
This chapter reviews the primary cropping systems and management practices that have been adopted in Brazil to improve soil health (SH) and the sustainability of agricultural production. We begin by reviewing the Central and South-Central regions of the country, including the physiographic, demographic, economic and agricultural characteristics of these regions. We acknowledge that the northern and northeast regions of Brazil are also important for food production, but since the country is so large and diverse we have chosen to focus this chapter on the most intensive agricultural areas where the majority of grain, fibre and fuel production are concentrated. We will also focus on the rapid adoption of conservation agriculture (CA) which began in the 1960s and 1970s with the adoption of no-tillage (NT) practices with the incorporation of cover crops such as brachiaria (Urochloa spp.), gradual intensification through integrated crop-livestock (ICL) systems and eventual incorporation of forest and/or agroforestry areas into ICL-forest (ICLF) systems. Recent adoption of green sugarcane harvest practices will also be discussed. We conclude our
review by highlighting how these improved soil and crop management practices have and are continuing to improve SH throughout Brazil.
