Iron oxides and quality of organic matter in sugarcane harvesting systems

Improvements in working conditions, sustainable production, and competitiveness have led to substantial changes in sugarcane harvesting systems. Such changes have altered a number of soil properties, including iron oxides and organic matter, as well as some chemical properties, such as the maximum P adsorption capacity of the soil. The aim of this study was to characterize the relationship between iron oxides and the quality of organic matter in sugarcane harvesting systems. For that purpose, two 1 ha plots in mechanically and manually harvested fields were used to obtain soil samples from the 0.00-0.25 m soil layer at 126 different points. The mineralogical, chemical, and physical results were subjected to descriptive statistical analyses, such as the mean comparison test, as well as to multivariate statistical and principal component analyses. Multivariate tests allowed soil properties to be classified in two different groups according to the harvesting method: manual harvest with the burning of residual cane, and mechanical harvest without burning. The mechanical harvesting system was found to enhance pedoenvironmental conditions, leading to changes in the crystallinity of iron oxides, an increase in the humification of organic matter, and a relative decrease in phosphorus adsorption in this area compared to the manual harvesting system.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Barbieri,Diogo Mazza, Marques Júnior,José, Siqueira,Diego Silva, Teixeira,Daniel De Bortoli, Panosso,Alan Rodrigo, Pereira,Gener Tadeu, La Scala Junior,Newton
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	English
Published:	Sociedade Brasileira de Ciência do Solo 2014
Online Access:	http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-06832014000400010
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