C-Enrichment experiment set up: addition of organic matter on Tropical Agricultural Soil (Ferrasol) (Malte Unger)

Enrichment of Tropical Agricultural Soil with Organic Matter (Brésil)

Enriquecimento de solo de lavoura com matéria orgânica

Description

Enrichment of tropical agicultural soils with local available organic matter in the cerrado agroscape, Brazil.

Aims / objectives: Use local available organic matter (OM) to enrich Tropical agricultural soil (Ferrasol) as a strategy for sustainanle land use to improve efficiently soil fertility and/or crop production in the Brazilian Cerrado agroscape. The applied OMs are either cost-efficient or waste materials from nearby industrial suppliers.

Methods: We applied three different types of OM amendments. They include (a) Filter cake of sugarcane residues (Saccharum officinarum from alcohol/sugar-production, (b) sawdust of Peroba and Cedrinho (Peroba jaune and Erisma uncinatum, respectively) and (c) coarse chips of Eucalyptus sp.

We added 0 (control), 6, 12 and 18 tons of each amendment per hectare; using two disposition methods: direct on the soil and with harrow incorporation. Each treatment was done in triplicate. Subsequent to the first amendment application; there have not been further experimental OM additions. The experimental site was not fenced to allow the land user to continue with their arable field routines on all treatment plots.

By sampling soil and biomass, we have assessed the effect of OM addition on soil organic carbon, nutrients, water holding capacity and crop (soy and corn biomass and grain) production, after one, two and three years of a single application.

Stages of implementation: The experiment was set up in February 2012. The last soil and biomass sampling was carried out in February-March 2015.

Role of stakeholders: Mr. Antonio Huebner, owner of the Farm Rio Engano, provided us an experimetal area in his farm.
The local industies supplied the applied OM amendments.
Professors and researchers from the Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel (CAU Kiel), Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT) and François Rabelais University have given academic and scientifical support to the approach.

Other important information: From our outcomes, we intend to provide information for the development of soil C-enrichment schemes and carbon-friendly landscape management programs for land users, applying local resources in the Brazilian Cerrado.

Lieu

Lieu: Campo Verde, Mato Grosso, Brésil

Géo-référence des sites sélectionnés
  • sans objet

Date de démarrage: 2011

Année de fin de l'Approche: 2016

Type d'Approche
C-Enrichment experiment set up: addition of organic matter on Tropical Agricultural Soil (Ferrasol) (Malte Unger (unger_malte@web.de))

Objectifs de l'approche et environnement favorable

Principaux objectifs de l'Approche
The Approach focused mainly on SLM with other activities (crop production)

We aim to identify a feasible combination of types, amounts and disposition methods of OM amendments to improve efficiently soil fertility, carbon stock and/or crop production in the Brazilian Cerrado agroscape.

The SLM Approach addressed the following problems: Croplands have shown a reduction of organic matter, due to some traditional agricultural practices, such as soil plowing and tillage. These practices break down soil aggregates and expose organic matter to microbial decomposition, causing its loss to the atmosphere by mineralization (Zech et al. 1997; Tivet et al. 2013). It is especially critical in soil (Ferrasol) from the Brazilian Cerrado, as its OM content is relatively low, and tropical temperatures and humidity accelerate microbial activity (Price and Sowers 2004).
Conditions favorisant la mise en oeuvre de la/(des) Technologie(s) appliquée(s) sous l'Approche
  • Cadre juridique (régime foncier, droits d'utilisation des terres et de l'eau): The existing land ownership, land use rights / water rights greatly helped the approach implementation: Mr Antonio Huebner, land owner and user, grant us an area to implement the approach. In this area we were able to work for more than three years.
Conditions entravant la mise en oeuvre de la/(des) Technologie(s) appliquée(s) sous l'Approche
  • Connaissances sur la GDT, accès aux supports techniques: There is not specific machinery for OM addition to soil. With the help of a bulldozer and farm workers, the OM amendments were distributed in the experimental plots. However, it increases the human workload required. Treatment through the SLM Approach: Designing or adapting machinery for this purpose. For fine particulate organic matter, the machinery used for soil liming can be used. For larger particles (wood or bark chips), machinery commonly used for mulch application can be used. However, tests with these machineries and evtl. improvement of the application method is desireable.
  • Charge de travail, disponibilité de la main-d'œuvre: Treatment through the SLM Approach:

Participation et rôles des parties prenantes impliquées dans l'Approche

Parties prenantes impliquées dans l'Approche et rôles
Quels acteurs/ organismes d'exécution ont été impliqués dans l'Approche? Spécifiez les parties prenantes Décrivez le rôle des parties prenantes
exploitants locaux des terres / communautés locales The farm owner where the soil C-Enrichment was done
Spécialistes de la GDT/ conseillers agricoles SLM specialists from the CAU University of Kiel, Federal University of Mato Grosso and François Rabelais University
gouvernement national (planificateurs, décideurs)
organisation internationale Carbiocial Project
Participation des exploitants locaux des terres/ communautés locales aux différentes phases de l'Approche
aucun
passive
soutien extérieur
interactive
auto-mobilisation
initiation/ motivation
Carbiocial Project
planification
Carbiocial Project. Scientific team of the Subproject 06 (SP-06: Experimental C-Enrichment of Tropical Agricultural Soil With Organic Matter) and land owner and user
mise en œuvre
Carbiocial Project (SP-06) and land owner and user
suivi/ évaluation
Carbiocial Project (SP-06) and land owner and user
Research
Carbiocial Project
Diagramme/ organigramme

Organisation/flow chart of the experimental C-Enrichment of Tropical agricultural soil with organic matter amendments and monitoring (2012-2015) at the Farm Rio Engano, Brazilian Cerrado.

Auteur : Luisa F. Vega (luisa.vega@gmail.com)
Prises de décision pour la sélection de la Technologie de GDT

Les décisions ont été prises par

  • les exploitants des terres seuls (auto-initiative)
  • principalement les exploitants des terres soutenus par des spécialistes de la GDT
  • tous les acteurs concernés dans le cadre d'une approche participative
  • principalement les spécialistes de la GDT, après consultation des exploitants des terres
  • les spécialistes de la GDT seuls
  • les responsables politiques/ dirigeants

Les décisions ont été prises sur la base de

  • l'évaluation de connaissances bien documentées en matière de GDT (prises de décision fondées sur des preuves tangibles)?
  • les résultats de recherches?
  • expériences et opinions personnelles (non documentées)

Soutien technique, renforcement des capacités et gestion des connaissances

Les activités ou services suivants ont fait partie de l'approche
Renforcement des capacités/ formation
La formation a été dispensée aux parties prenantes suivantes
  • exploitants des terres
  • personnels/ conseillers de terrain
Formats de la formation
  • sur le tas
  • entre agriculteurs (d'exploitants à exploitants)
  • zones de démonstration
  • réunions publiques
  • cours
Sujets abordés

Service de conseils
Le service de conseils était fourni
  • dans les champs des exploitants?
  • dans des centres permanents
Name of method used for advisory service: Direct communication by visiting the land user; Key elements: Dialogue, Exchange of ideas

Advisory service is very adequate to ensure the continuation of land conservation activities; The extension system is very adequate to ensure continuation of activities. The research staff from the Soil and Rural Eng. Department, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Brazil have participated in this approach and plan to continue with research and monitoring activities.
Renforcement des institutions
Institutions ont été renforcées ou mises en place
  • non
  • oui, un peu
  • oui, modérément
  • oui, beaucoup
au niveau suivant
  • local
  • régional
  • national
Décrivez l'institution, ses rôles et responsabilités, ses membres, etc.
Type de soutien
  • financier
  • renforcement des capacités/ formation
  • équipement
Plus de détails
In the frame of the Carbiocial Project, several students from the UFMT carried out their master or PhD thesis and undergraduate student got practical experience. Particularly, in SP-06 one student got his master degree. Different equipments were also donate to this university.
Suivi et évaluation
bio-physical aspects were ad hoc monitored by project staff through observations; indicators: Experimental site observation during sampling campaings by Carbiocial bio-physical aspects were regular monitored by project staff through measurements; indicators: Regularly sampling campaings of soil and biomass economic / production aspects were ad hoc monitored by project staff through observations; indicators: Ideas exchange with land user economic / production aspects were regular monitored by project staff through measurements; indicators: assessment of grain and biomass crop production There were no changes in the Approach as a result of monitoring and evaluation There were no changes in the Technology as a result of monitoring and evaluation
Recherche
La recherche a traité les sujets suivants
  • sociologie
  • économie/ marketing
  • écologie
  • technologie

A detailed study on the enrichment effects of different organic matter types on soil carbon enrichment was undertaken (laboratory analysis of field samples). Further topics covered include sustainable land management and crop production.

By research staff from the Department of Applied Ecology, Institute for Ecosystem Research, CAU university of Kiel,
Germany; the Soil and Rural Eng. Department, Faculty of Agronomy, Veterinary Medicine, and Zootechnology (FAMEVZ),
Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Brazil and the Interdisciplinary Research Center for Cities, Territories,
Environment and Society (CITERES-CNRS UMR 7324), François Rabelais University, Tours, France.


Research was carried out on-farm

Financement et soutien matériel externe

Budget annuel en dollars US de la composante GDT
  • < 2 000
  • 2 000-10 000
  • 10 000-100 000
  • 100 000-1 000 000
  • > 1 000 000
Precise annual budget: sans objet
Approach costs were met by the following donors: international (Carbiocial Project): 100.0%; private sector (Donation of OM amendments); local community / land user(s) (Granted an experimental area on agricultural soil for at least 3 years)
Les services ou mesures incitatives suivantes ont été fournis aux exploitants des terres
  • Soutiens financiers/ matériels fournis aux exploitants des terres
  • Subventions pour des intrants spécifiques
  • Crédits
  • Autres incitations ou instruments
Soutiens financiers/ matériels fournis aux exploitants des terres
Private sector provided OM amendments for soil enrichment

Analyses d'impact et conclusions

Impacts de l'Approche
Non
Oui, un peu
Oui, modérément
Oui, beaucoup
Est-ce que l'Approche a aidé les exploitants des terres à mettre en œuvre et entretenir les Technologies de GDT?

With this approach was demonstrated that soil organic carbon in tropical agricultural soil (Ferrasol) can be enhanced by applying local available organic matter, starting from only 6 ton/ha. Even when the studied soil has been under conservational farming practices, i.e. no-tillage, for more than 20 years.

Est-ce que l'Approche a autonomisé les groupes socialement et économiquement défavorisés?

Did other land users / projects adopt the Approach?

Principale motivation des exploitants des terres pour mettre en oeuvre la GDT
  • augmenter la production
  • augmenter la rentabilité/ bénéfice, rapport coûts-bénéfices
  • réduire la dégradation des terres
  • réduire les risques de catastrophe
  • réduire la charge de travail
  • paiements/ subventions
  • règles et règlements (amendes)/ application
  • prestige, pression sociale/ cohésion sociale
  • affiliation à un mouvement/ projet/ groupe/ réseaux
  • conscience environnementale
  • coutumes et croyances, morale
  • améliorer les connaissances et compétences en GDT
  • améliorer l'esthétique
  • atténuer les conflits
Durabilité des activités de l'Approche
Les exploitants des terres peuvent-ils poursuivre ce qui a été mis en oeuvre par le biais de l'Approche (sans soutien extérieur) ?
  • non
  • oui
  • incertain

• OM addition to tropical agricultural soil (Ferrasol) can increase significantly soil organic carbon and water retention, even in small amounts such as 6 ton/ha • Biomass reapplication should be done in 2 years intervals • The biomass type and disposition method did not have a significant effect on increasing soil organic carbon

Conclusions et enseignements tirés

Points forts: point de vue de l'exploitant des terres
  • The approach improves soil quality and could enhance crop resilience in dryer years.
Points forts: point de vue du compilateur ou d'une autre personne-ressource clé
  • As this approach uses industrial biomass residues, we consider it a win-win solution for organic matter waste disposition and to improve soil quality. (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: The costs of transport and application can limit the extensive use of soil organic matter enrichment practices among land users in the Brazilian Cerrado. Therefore, subsidies could contribute to the adoption of this approach by a broader number of farmers.)
Faiblesses/ inconvénients/ risques: point de vue de l'exploitant des terrescomment surmonter
  • The costs of OM transport and application Mr. Antonio Huebner, the land owner and user in this approach, has been cultivating with soybean and corn rotation under conservational farming practices, i.e. no-tillage, for more than 20 years. He thinks a possible more economic alternative for this approach is to create soy and corn varieties which have more abundant foliage and the same capacity of grain production. In an approach that combines these varieties and no-tillage, the farmers could continue cultivating in their traditional way, without having to incur in extra costs due to application of OM amendments; however, increasing organic matter inputs to the soil.
Faiblesses/ inconvénients/ risques: point de vue du compilateur ou d'une autre personne-ressource clécomment surmonter
  • Lack of adequate machinery for OM addition Designing or adapting machinery for this purpose.

Références

Compilateur
  • Luisa F. Vega
Editors
Examinateur
  • Fabian Ottiger
Date de mise en oeuvre: 28 juillet 2015
Dernière mise à jour: 3 août 2017
Personnes-ressources
Description complète dans la base de données WOCAT
Données de GDT correspondantes
La documentation a été facilitée par
Institution Projet
Références clés
  • Price PB, Sowers T (2004) Temperature dependence of metabolic rates for microbial growth, maintenance, and survival. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 101:4631–4636:
  • Tivet F, De Moraes Sa JC, Lal R, Briedis C, Borszowskei PR, Bürkner dos Santos J, Farias A, Eurich G, Da Cruz Hartman D, Nadolny Junior M, Bouzinac S, Séguy L (2013) Aggregate C depletion by plowing and its restoration by diverse biomass-C inputs under no-till in sub-tropical and tropical regions of Brazil. Soil and tillage research, 126 :203-218:
  • Zech W, Senesi N, Guggenberger G, Kaiser K, Lehmann J, Miano TM, Miltner A, Schroth G (1997) Factors controlling humific G. ation and Mineralization of soil organic matter in the tropics. Geoderma 79 : 117-161:
This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareaAlike 4.0 International