ABSTRACT The implementation of conservationist systems that improve soil properties and reduce the impacts of the conversion of native areas is fundamental for feasible agricultural exploitation. This study aimed to evaluate the impact on soil biological properties caused by the conversion of murundus fields into agricultural systems and verify the ability of the no-tillage conservation system to recover these properties over the years. Treatments consisted of three agricultural areas subjected to the same management (no-tillage), in a chronosequence (7, 11, and 14 years of conversion) and a reference area (murundus field). To evaluate soil quality, we analyzed total soil organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon, soil basal respiration, metabolic and microbial quotients, and acid phosphatase activities, as well as the potential functionality of soil bacterial communities and the modifications in their genetic structure. The conversion of murundus field into agricultural systems negatively impacted soil biological properties, with expressive reduction in soil organic carbon content and microbial biomass carbon. The periods of adoption of the conservationist system (no-tillage) were not enough to recover the biological properties and/or to reverse the changes observed in the genetic structure of the soil bacterial communities of the managed areas, although stabilization trends were observed in the agricultural systems over the years.

Em função de seu uso na alimentação humana e animal e de um elevado potencial produtivo, o milho constitui-se num dos mais importantes cereais cultivados e comercializados no mundo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de diferentes doses de nitrogênio e potássio na atividade da enzima redutase do nitrato na cultura do milho em casa de vegetação. Foram utilizadas cinco doses de nitrogênio (0; 50; 100; 150 e 200kg ha-1) e cinco doses de potássio (0; 40; 80; 120 e 160kg ha-1). A atividade da enzima foi estimada in vivo após as plantas atingirem quatro folhas totalmente desdobradas. Utilizou-se o método baseado no princípio de que a quantidade de nitrito liberada por fragmentos de tecidos vivos num tampão, na presença de uma agente permanente e do substrato, reflete a atividade potencial da enzima. A atividade da enzima nitrato redutase sofreu influência significativa da interação das doses de nitrogênio e potássio, já que a interação N=100kg ha-1 e K=40kg ha-1 proporcionou as melhores médias do experimento. A partir dessa dose, o aumento no fornecimento tanto de nitrogênio quanto de potássio promoveu redução da atividade enzimática.

Because of the use in human feeding, animal, and high productive potential, corn is considered to be one of the most important cultivated and commercialized cereals in the world. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of different potassium doses and nitrogen in the activity of the enzyme nitrate reductase in the corn culture in a greenhouse environment. Five dosages of nitrogen (0; 50; 100; 150 and 200kg ha-1) and five potassium dosages (0; 40; 80; 120 and 160kg ha-1) were used. The activity of the nitrate reductase was esteemed, in vivo after the plants reached four leaves totally unfolded. The method that was used is based on the principle of the amount of nitrite liberated by fragments of alive tissue in a buffer in the presence of a permanent agent and substrate, reflects the potential in situ activity of the enzyme nitrate reductase. The activity of the enzyme nitrate reductase suffered significant influence of the f nitrogen and potassium dosage interaction, where the interaction N=100kg ha-1 and K=40kg ha-1 provided the best medium of the experiment. From this dosage on, the increase of nitrogen and potassium supplement caused a reduction of the enzymatic activity.