Research evaluates the impact of succession and crop rotation systems on soil and water losses

An experiment that evaluated water and soil losses in different types of cultivation systems is the theme of the bulletin Impact of succession and crop rotation systems on soil and water losses. The study, carried out at the Seed Diagnosis and Research Center of Rio Grande do Sul (Cesem), in Júlio de Castilhos (RS), evaluated the influence of increasing levels of plant species diversity and soil scarification on controlling surface runoff. , for a year.

Water and soil losses were more pronounced in the system with soybean-wheat succession, compared to systems with rotation. “This is a clear indication that the practice of crop rotation needs to be considered to control runoff”, highlights researcher Madalena Boeni, one of the authors of the technical bulletin.

The experiment also demonstrated that the rotation system with the greatest crop diversification was the most efficient in reducing soil and water losses through runoff during the monitored period. For Madalena, the results show that the direct planting system is effective when adopted in full, with crop diversification and soil surface coverage.

“The inclusion of soil cover plants in production systems is highly relevant, in order to keep the soil permanently covered, with a continuous supply of organic waste. These plants can be used by producers, whether in isolated cultivation or in consortium, in planning the crop rotation of their crops”, he adds.

According to the researcher, the poor use of direct planting, practiced on a large part of arable land, has been increasing degraded areas and increasing losses of soil and water from crops, due to the dynamics of runoff and erosion. “The result is the siltation of water sources, reducing not only the quality but also the availability of water in agricultural systems”, she concludes.

Edited by the Department of Agricultural Diagnosis and Research of the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Sustainable Production and Irrigation of Rio Grande do Sul (DDPA/Seapi), the publication is available at the link below.