Spatial variability of soil properties and yield of a grazed alfalfa pasture in Brazil.

• Autor(a) principal: BERNARDI, A. C. de C.
• Data de Publicação: 2019
• Outros Autores: BETTIOL, G. M., FERREIRA, R. de P., SANTOS, K. E. L., RABELLO, L. M., INAMASU, R. Y.
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da EMBRAPA (Repository Open Access to Scientific Information from EMBRAPA - Alice)
• Texto Completo: http://www.alice.cnptia.embrapa.br/alice/handle/doc/1110960
• topic: Propriedades do solo; GIS; Fertilidade do Solo; Medicago Sativa; Pastagem; Forage yield; Fertilizers; Geostatistics

Knowledge of the spatial variability of soil properties and of forage yield is needed for informed use of soil inputs such as variable rate technology (VRT) for lime and fertilizers. The objective of this research was to map and evaluate the spatial variability of soil properties, yield, lime and fertilizer needs and economic return of an alfalfa pasture. The study was conducted in a 5.3 ha irrigated alfalfa pasture in Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil that was directly grazed and intensively managed in a 270-paddock rotational system. Alfalfa shoot dry matter yield was evaluated before grazing. Soil samples were collected at 0-0.2 m depth, and each sample represented a group of 2 or 3 paddocks. Apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa) was measured with a contact sensor. The cost of producing 1 ha of alfalfa was estimated from the amount of lime and fertilizer needed and was then used to estimate the total cost of production for the dairy system.