ABSTRACT Novel fertilizer stabilization technologies are needed to decrease ammonia (NH3-N) losses and increase nitrogen use efficiency. Duromide + NBPT is a new technology that combines two molecules, Duromide and NBPT, whose propose is to increase the efficiency of the urease inhibitor NBPT in reducing NH3-N loss from urea. Preliminary results showed that Duromide + NBPT can be a more effective product than just NBPT, particularly under low soil pH and high-temperature conditions. This study aimed to compare the effects of urea + Duromide + NBPT, urea + NBPT, and conventional urea on soil N losses by NH3-N volatilization. The field experiment was conducted on a Latossolo Vermelho Distroférrico (Oxisol) in Campo Mourão, Paraná, Brazil, using a randomized complete block design with treatments arranged in a 2 × 3 factorial, comprising two N doses (45 and 90 kg ha-1) and three N fertilizers (urea + Duromide + NBPT, urea + NBPT, and conventional urea). The NH3-N volatilization data were subjected to nonlinear regression using a logistic model. The NH3-N losses varied according to dose and fertilizer, reaching up to 12.4 % of the applied N in the conventional urea treatment. Urea + Duromide + NBPT was more efficient than urea + NBPT in decreasing NH3-N volatilization. Compared to conventional urea at doses of 45 and 90 kg ha-1 of N, urea + Duromide + NBPT reduced NH3-N volatilization losses by 35 and 54 % and from urea + NBPT by 15 and 33 %, respectively. The new stabilizing technology Duromide + NBPT reduced NH3-N losses by up to 33 % compared to NBPT alone. Ammonia volatilization was influenced by soil moisture. The volatilization peak, observed after 18-19 days of N fertilizer application, was triggered by rainfall events.

ABSTRACT Oxisols ( Latossolos ) are widely distributed in tropical zones and generally characterized by high levels of surface and subsurface acidity. In Brazil, most Oxisols are managed under no-till conditions with surface application of acidity amendments. This study aimed to evaluate lime application strategies (incorporated and surface) for achieving the desired soil base saturation (BS%) levels (44, 60, 70, and 90 %) and the effect of phosphogypsum + lime application on soil chemical properties as well as wheat and corn yield in southern Brazil. Lime incorporation was more effective in reducing the soil acidity and increasing Ca2+ and Mg2+ despite a decrease in organic matter at the soil surface. Phosphogypsum application increased S-SO42- and Ca2+ availability throughout the deeper soil layers and reduced the Mg2+ content in the surface layer. Wheat yield under incorporated lime conditions increased with BS% up to 75, but there was no response to surface application. When phosphogypsum was applied, the wheat yield increased by 8.4 %. For corn, incorporated lime increased the yield up to 445 kg ha-1, which was equivalent to the yield after phosphogypsum application. An increase in the S-SO42- level was the main factor related to the increase in crop yields. In the short term, our results suggest that phosphogypsum applied along with lime is more appropriate than incorporating lime under no-till management conditions.

ABSTRACT Brazil is currently the leading country in no-till (NT) farming, particularly on Ferralsols (Latossolos), the most abundant soil type. These soils are characterized by subsurface acidity that cannot be effectively corrected by surface application of additives. In this situation, the use of phosphogypsum can be advantageous. This study aimed to assess the residual effects of lime and phosphogypsum application on a clayey Ferralsol, and four soybean and two wheat yields in southern Brazil. The area has been cultivated under no-till since 1975. The soil was limed to different base saturation (BS) levels (50, 60, 70, and 90 %) by surface application (SL) or lime incorporation (IL). Three combined treatments were also studied: (i) surface liming to 60 % BS plus standard (3.71 Mg ha-1) phosphogypsum dose (60G1), (ii) surface liming to 70 % BS + standard phosphogypsum dose (70G1); and (iii) surface liming to 70 % BS + double (7.42 Mg ha-1) phosphogypsum dose (70G2). Soil samples were collected 48 months after treatment. Soybean and wheat yield was not influenced by BS levels, however IL increased soybean yield in 2012/13, but reduced soybean and wheat yield in later crops. Phosphogypsum increased wheat yield by up to 12.8 % (2012 season) and 5.2 % (2015 season), but soybean was not influenced. Incorporated liming caused a decrease in soil Al3+ levels until 0.60 m depth, whereas SL decreased Al3+ levels until 0.30 m depth. Surface liming increased Mg2+ levels in the 0.40-0.60 m layer. Incorporated liming reduced soil organic matter in the surface layer. A double dose of phosphogypsum (7.42 Mg ha-1) had a greater residual effect in subsurface layers but caused a decrease in Mg2+ and K+ levels. Therefore, the standard phosphogypsum dose provided the best results. In the very clayey soil in subtropical environment, the effects of SL extend beyond surface layers and are preferable to those of IL, although production was not influenced by BS.

Baixos teores de matéria orgânica no solo podem limitar o desenvolvimento da soja, devido a baixa disponibilidade de enxofre (S) no solo e pela alta demanda deste nutriente pelas plantas. Uma alternativa para complementar esta necessidade é a aplicação S foliar. O objetivo foi avaliar o efeito da aplicação de fertilizante foliar à base de enxofre na cultura da soja, em diferentes épocas e doses. Os tratamentos foram: (1) 0,0 kg ha-1 de S foliar; (2) 0,5 kg ha-1 de S foliar no estágio de início do florescimento (R1); (3) 0,5 kg ha-1 foliar no estágio de início do enchimento de grãos (R5.1); (4) 0,5 kg ha-1de S foliar nos estádios R1 e R5.1; (5) 1 kg ha-1de S foliar no estádio R1; (6) 1 kg ha-1de S foliar no estádio R5.1; (7) 1 kg ha-1de S foliar nos estádios R1 e R5.1, delineados em blocos ao acaso com 4 repetições. As variáveis respostas foram: massa de mil grãos, produtividade e teores de macro e micronutrientes nos grãos. A produtividade dos grãos aumentou 614 kg ha-1 com aplicação de S foliar em relação à testemunha. A dose que obteve a melhores resultados foi de 0,5 kg ha-1 aplicado nos estádios R3 ou R5.1. A utilização de enxofre elementar via foliar pode ser uma alternativa de complementação.

Low levels of organic matter in soil may limit the soybean crop development due to the low availability of sulfur (S) and the high demand of this nutrient by plants. The foliar fertilization is an alternative to supplement plant request. This study aimed at assessing the effect of applying foliar sulfur fertilizer in the soybean at different time and doses. The treatments studied were: (1) 0.0 kg ha-1 of S foliar; (2) 0.5 kg ha-1 of foliar S in beginning bloom (R1) stage; (3) 0.5 kg ha-1 of foliar at beginning seed (R5.1) stage; (4) 0.5 kg ha-1 of foliar S in R1 and R5.1; (5) 1 kg ha-1 of foliar S in R1; (6) 1 kg ha-1 of S foliar in R5.1; (7) 1 kg ha-1 of foliar S in R1 and R5.1 using randomized block design with 4 replicates. The variables analyzed were: one thousand grain mass, yield and the macro and micronutrient contents in the grains. The soybean yield increased 614 kg ha-1 with the application of foliar sulfur in relation to the control. The dose that obtained the best results was 0.5 kg ha-1 applied into the R3 or R5.1 stage. The use of elemental sulfur via foliar may be an alternative of sulfur supplementation.