Soil biological indicators are highlighted in field day

The public present at the 11th edition of Fazenda São Matheus Field Day, held on Friday, May 25, at Fazenda São Matheus, in Selvíria (MS), can see up close how Integration-Crop-Livestock (ILP) contributes to change the characteristics of the property's soil and saw that it is actually possible to grow soy in sandy soils, in the Bolsão region.

The event program included seven field visit stations, three of which presented technologies and information obtained through research results developed by Embrapa. One of the highlights of the event was Station 2, entitled Solo Vivo, which featured the participation of the researcher from Embrapa Agropecuária Oeste, Michely Tomazi, who spoke about “Rapid Diagnosis of Soil Structure (DRES)” and the researcher from Embrapa Cerrados , Ieda Mendes, who spoke about “Soil health and agricultural sustainability”.

In his presentation, Ieda addressed the importance of soil biological indicators, with an emphasis on enzymatic activity. “This activity can come from plants, animals and microorganisms present in the soil. Through research we were able to establish critical levels that allow us to assess whether the soil's enzymatic activity is low, moderate or adequate: Beta-glucosidase, which acts in the carbon cycle, and arylsulfatase, which is in the sulfur cycle, were the enzymes that stood out the most in 20 years of study”, he said.

“Through these enzymes it is possible to assess the health of the soil, and check whether the soil is being well managed or whether it is being degraded. It works like a blood test, in which we assess whether the bioindicator is in the appropriate quantity or not and with this we can know whether soil management is leading to improvements or contributing to its degradation” explained Ieda.

According to her, interpretation tables for these bioindicators have already been developed for clayey latosols and sandy soils in the Cerrados region. She explains that these tables provide the numerical parameters that allow the interpretation of the results of enzyme activity analyses. “The soil bio-analysis technology was developed by Embrapa and should be available for use by farmers from next year. Brazil will be a world pioneer in adopting enzyme activity analyzes as part of the soil analysis routine and this should provide enormous advances, as the soil will be evaluated beyond its chemical and physical aspects. With biological indicators we will be able to access the soil’s memory, as each management system leaves its fingerprint on the soil.” explained the researcher.

Through this analysis it is possible to verify, for example, the benefits that the adoption of ILP brings to the soil. The use of bioindicators also serves as a warning to producers who adopt management systems that degrade the soil. “

“ILPF, in association with direct planting, is one of the management systems that most favor soil health in tropical regions of the world and biological indicators prove this, since the soil becomes a more biologically active soil. Biologically active soils are more productive and more resilient, better tolerating climatic adversities such as water stress”, highlighted Ieda.

The participants who were present at Station 2 were also able to learn in detail about the Rapid Soil Structure Diagnosis (DRES) methodology, presented by Embrapa Agropecuária Oeste researcher, Michely Tomazi.

DRES is an innovative way of visually assessing soil structure that takes into account the quality of soil aggregation, based on samples from the first 25 cm. “In the samples, the size and shape of the aggregates and clods, the presence or absence of compaction or another type of soil degradation, the shape and orientation of the cracks, the roughness of the rupture faces, resistance to rupture, distribution and appearance of the system are observed. root, and evidence of biological activity”, explains Tomazi.

The DRES technology was officially launched by Embrapa last year, during the Soy Research Meeting, held in June, at Embrapa Soja. The research into this innovative method into the physical aspects of the soil was developed by researchers from the State University of Londrina (UEL) and Embrapa.

Too many stations - At Station 1, the São Mateus System was presented by the researcher from Embrapa Agropecuária Oeste, Julio Cesar Salton and the researcher from Embrapa Soja, José Salvador Foloni. In Station 3, the subject was pastures in ILP, in which Embrapa Gado de Corte researchers, Ademir Zimmer and Manuel Macedo, spoke about pasture management and new cultivars, respectively.

At Station 4, at Oro Agri, pasture management for high productivity was discussed by Ricardo Frugis, from the Pasture Division and by professor at the Federal University of Uberlândia, Leandro Barbero. At Station 5, the activities were about harvest planning, with Iguaçu Máquinas. At Station 6, of True Test, the theme was Rotation at ILPF, have uniform straw and better soil profile, managing cattle in the pasture. Finally, at Fertband Station 7, the highlight was new technologies for more efficient fertilization. After these activities, participants were able to enjoy a delicious lunch that concluded the event's activities.

The 11th Field Day was hosted by Fazenda São Matheus, organized by Company Eventos and supported by Embrapa and the ILPF Network.