ABSTRACT Vegetation cover and soil management influence the magnitude of soil losses. In the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE), cover and management are represented by the C factor, as it is the easiest factor to manage to reduce loss of soil and water in agricultural areas. This study aimed to determine the C factor of a succession of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) followed by soybean (Glycine max) under conventional tillage, reduced tillage, and no-tillage. For this, data of soil losses obtained in the field, under natural rainfall conditions, in a long-term experiment that lasted for 13 years were used. The cycle of both crops was divided into five stages with different time intervals between winter and summer, which resulted in ten periods per year constituting the succession. The C factor values varied widely among the treatments and the stages during the crop cycle, and they were influenced mainly by the rainfall distribution of the region, growth of the vegetation and soil disturbance level. By the end of the 13 years of experimentation, the C factor of the wheat-soybean succession under conventional tillage was 0.1576, 0.0407 under reduced tillage, and 0.0368 under no-tillage.

ABSTRACT Vegetation cover and soil management influence the magnitude of soil losses. In the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE), cover and management are represented by the C factor, as it is the easiest factor to manage to reduce loss of soil and water in agricultural areas. This study aimed to determine the C factor of a succession of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) followed by soybean (Glycine max) under conventional tillage, reduced tillage, and no-tillage. For this, data of soil losses obtained in the field, under natural rainfall conditions, in a long-term experiment that lasted for 13 years were used. The cycle of both crops was divided into five stages with different time intervals between winter and summer, which resulted in ten periods per year constituting the succession. The C factor values varied widely among the treatments and the stages during the crop cycle, and they were influenced mainly by the rainfall distribution of the region, growth of the vegetation and soil disturbance level. By the end of the 13 years of experimentation, the C factor of the wheat-soybean succession under conventional tillage was 0.1576, 0.0407 under reduced tillage, and 0.0368 under no-tillage.

ABSTRACT: The goal of this study was to quantify the water, soil, and soluble nutrient losses during high-intensity rainfall simulated in two soil preparation systems with four sources of fertilization. Forty-five days after the corn seeding, a 120 mm h-1 intensity rainfall was simulated during 90 min in field plots with conventional tillage (CT) or no-tillage (NT). Each system had four repetitions with the fertilizer treatments, including without fertilization, mineral, urban waste compost (UWC), and pig slurry. P, K, Ca, and K concentrations were measured in soluble form, in addition to electrical conductivity, pH, water, and soil losses. As expected, the greatest soil losses occurred with CT; however, the greatest water losses occurred with NT. Among the fertilizers, UWC was more efficient because it had the highest infiltration rates. The concentrations of P, K, Ca, and Mg did not exhibit any interaction between fertilization and soil tillage treatments. K was the nutrient that presented the greatest losses (kg ha-1) at the end of the simulated rainfall because of the highest concentrations (mg L-1) added to high runoff coefficients of 45% for CT and 77% for NT. Thus, the evaluated system with cover crops and minimum soil tillage was not sufficient to control nutrient transfer in the soluble form during intense rainfall events.

ABSTRACT: The goal of this study was to quantify the water, soil, and soluble nutrient losses during high-intensity rainfall simulated in two soil preparation systems with four sources of fertilization. Forty-five days after the corn seeding, a 120 mm h-1 intensity rainfall was simulated during 90 min in field plots with conventional tillage (CT) or no-tillage (NT). Each system had four repetitions with the fertilizer treatments, including without fertilization, mineral, urban waste compost (UWC), and pig slurry. P, K, Ca, and K concentrations were measured in soluble form, in addition to electrical conductivity, pH, water, and soil losses. As expected, the greatest soil losses occurred with CT; however, the greatest water losses occurred with NT. Among the fertilizers, UWC was more efficient because it had the highest infiltration rates. The concentrations of P, K, Ca, and Mg did not exhibit any interaction between fertilization and soil tillage treatments. K was the nutrient that presented the greatest losses (kg ha-1) at the end of the simulated rainfall because of the highest concentrations (mg L-1) added to high runoff coefficients of 45% for CT and 77% for NT. Thus, the evaluated system with cover crops and minimum soil tillage was not sufficient to control nutrient transfer in the soluble form during intense rainfall events.

ABSTRACT: Erodibility represents the intrinsic susceptibility of the soil to the erosion process, represented by the K factor in the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). In Brazil, there are few field experiments determined with a series larger than ten years of data, which are the most reliable for quantifying the K factor. The aim of this study was to determine the K factor of the USLE by the direct method, relating soil losses determined in the field under standard conditions to erosivity of rains, and by the analytic method, applying the Wischmeier nomograph. The data on soil loss by water erosion were obtained in a field experiment under natural rainfall conditions from 1976 to 1989 in an Ultisol at the Agronomic Experimental Station in Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil. The value of the K factor by the direct method was 0.0338 Mg ha h ha-1 MJ-1 mm-1, which is high, showing considerable susceptibility of the soil to erosion. From the analytical method, the K factor obtained was 0.0325 Mg ha h ha-1 MJ-1 mm-1, a value very close to that determined experimentally. Thus, the Wischmeier nomograph proved to be valid for determination of the K factor of the Ultisol under study. This method proved to be valid for this type of soil. These results can be used for calibration models based on the USLE.

ABSTRACT: Erodibility represents the intrinsic susceptibility of the soil to the erosion process, represented by the K factor in the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). In Brazil, there are few field experiments determined with a series larger than ten years of data, which are the most reliable for quantifying the K factor. The aim of this study was to determine the K factor of the USLE by the direct method, relating soil losses determined in the field under standard conditions to erosivity of rains, and by the analytic method, applying the Wischmeier nomograph. The data on soil loss by water erosion were obtained in a field experiment under natural rainfall conditions from 1976 to 1989 in an Ultisol at the Agronomic Experimental Station in Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil. The value of the K factor by the direct method was 0.0338 Mg ha h ha-1 MJ-1 mm-1, which is high, showing considerable susceptibility of the soil to erosion. From the analytical method, the K factor obtained was 0.0325 Mg ha h ha-1 MJ-1 mm-1, a value very close to that determined experimentally. Thus, the Wischmeier nomograph proved to be valid for determination of the K factor of the Ultisol under study. This method proved to be valid for this type of soil. These results can be used for calibration models based on the USLE.