Losses of soil, water and nutrients in conservation and conventional coffee systems in the southern state of Espirito Santo

Abstract

The southern region Espirito Santo state is characterized by topographic strong wavy, with highly weathered soils and low fertility. Most of the land of family farms requires intensive soil use and, consequently, promotes soil loss, water and nutrients by erosion. Coffee conilon and grazing are the main systems of food production in the region. The aim of this study was to estimate, during the rainy season, soil loss and nutrient of areas under coffee cultivation systems under conservation (and agroforestry with management of soil cover) and conventional tillage (non-coverage soil). Collectors of soil and water were installed in 6 observation units, being 2 inconventional systems, 3 in conservationists systems and 1 in native forest that was used as a reference. Meteorological data were collected at the rainy season of 2009/2010. The soil and water losses estimated for theperiod, were higher (98 and 68%) in the conventional systems compared to conservation systems. Potassium was the nutrient that had higher losses in the systems (from 0.17 to 33 g/ha, respectively).