Sugarcane is one of the main alternative sources of biomass for the biofuel sector, and its large-scale production has considerable environmental impact. Organomineral fertilizers formulated with potential environmental contaminants, such as filter cake and sewage sludge, positively influence plant growth and development. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the chemical and physical characteristics of sugarcane fertilized with pelletized organomineral fertilizers based on filter cake or sewage sludge. Eight field treatments were applied, based on three organomineral fertilizer compositions (50%, 100%, and 150%) associated with two organic matter (OM) sources (filter cake or sewage sludge), in addition to a control with 100% mineral fertilizer application, and a no-fertilization control (0%). Sugarcane attributes were evaluated during two consecutive harvests. The weights of stalks per hectare (ton ha^-1), sugarcane productivity (ton ha^-1), quantity of sugar per hectare (TSH, ton ha^-1), and physicochemical properties of sugarcane juice (pol [%], Brix [%], purity [%], and fiber [%]) were evaluated. There were no significant differences in the attributes between OM sources or organomineral fertilization treatments and the exclusive mineral fertilization. The organomineral fertilizer application rate recommended for maximum quantitative and qualitative sugarcane in the first sugarcane harvest was between 2 and 9% above the regular recommendation for mineral fertilizer, regardless of the OM source. In the second harvest, the sewage sludge source increased total sugar and sugarcane per hectare by 4.68 and 4.19%, respectively, compared to the sugarcane filter cake source. Sewage sludge and sugarcane filter cake are viable alternatives for organomineral composition and could improve economic returns and minimize negative environmental impacts in sugarcane cultivation systems.

The recent availability of soybean cultivars with resistance to dicamba herbicide has increased the risk of injury in susceptible cultivars, mainly as a result of particle drift. To predict and identify the damage caused by this herbicide requires great accuracy. The objective of this work was to evaluate the injury caused by the simulated drift of dicamba on soybean (nonresistant to dicamba) plants assessed visually and using the Triangular Greenness Index (TGI) from images obtained from Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). The study was conducted in a randomized complete block design with four replications during the 2019/2020 growing season, and the treatments consisted of the application of six doses of dicamba (0, 0.28, 0.56, 5.6, 28, and 112 g acid equivalent dicamba ha⁻¹) on soybean plants at the third node growth stage. For the evaluation of treatments using the TGI technique, spectral data acquired through a Red Green Blue (RGB) sensor attached to an RPA was used. The variables studied were the visual estimation of injury, TGI response at 7 and 21 days after application, plant height, and crop yield. The exposure to the herbicide caused a reduction in plant height and crop yield. Vegetation indices, such as TGI, have the potential to be used in the evaluation of injury caused by dicamba, and may be used to cover large areas in a less subjective way than visual assessments.

Soil management has a major effect on soil physical characteristics, and consequently on soil organic matter (SOM) content, which are important for the success of crop production. The aim of this study was to evaluate the soil physical attributes and the accumulation of SOM in no-tillage systems (NTS) with different periods of implantation in a conventional tillage area and to compare them with native forest (NF) in the Cerrado biome. The experiment was planned in a 3 × 4 factorial scheme, consisting of three soil treatments (NTS for 17 years (NTS17), NTS for 5 years (NTS5) and NF) and four soil depths (0–0.1, 0.1–0.2, 0.2–0.3 and 0.3–0.4 m), with a completely randomised design and four replicates. At deep soil layers (0.2–0.4 m) the NTS17 area had a greater soil density than the NTS5 and NF areas, and greater SOM compared with the NTS5 area. Soil macroporosity in the NTS5 area was below 10% at all soil depths evaluated. The NF area had the greatest total organic carbon content (1.39 dag kg–1), stock of carbon (16.63 Mg ha--1), amount of soil organic matter (28.66 Mg ha--1) and equivalent carbon credits (60.96 Mg ha–1). Carbon stocks were similar in the NTS areas in all soil depths evaluated. The results indicate that conventional tillage areas can be successfully recovered under the Cerrado edaphoclimatic conditions with the implantation of an NTS.

Seed coat cracking and green seeds threaten soybean crop production. Seed coat cracking results from a complex interplay of genetic factors, environmental stresses, and crop management practices. Green seeds, linked to water deficit, nutritional deficiencies, and environmental stresses, exhibit reduced quality and viability. The intricate relationships between seed coat integrity and seed permeability, influenced by the lignin content, porosity, and color, play a pivotal role in seed germination, storage potential, and resistance to field stresses. These issues reverberate through the soybean agricultural supply chain. Strategic interventions are crucial to address these abnormalities and ensure soybean productivity. Seed germination and vigor are reduced due to seed coat cracking and green seeds, undermining food security and necessitating additional resources for disease management. The occurrence and identification of green seeds and seeds with cracks in the seed coat were also reported by identifying the genes and QTLs (quantitative trait loci) associated with these characteristics. Herbicides, commonly used in weed management, may offer a strategic approach to mitigating seed coat cracking and green seed occurrence. Understanding the complex interactions between the genetics, environmental factors, and management practices influencing seed abnormalities is essential as global climate change intensifies. This review emphasizes the need for integrated strategies, balanced plant nutrition, and cohesive phytosanitary management to mainly alleviate seed coat cracking and greenish occurrences in soybeans and other plant species.

The decomposition of plant residues, the changes in the total organic carbon (TOC) and the fractions of soil organic matter (SOM) occur differently in irrigated areas. The objective of this study was to quantify the biomass production, the decomposition of cover crops residues and relate them with the changes n the content and fractions of SOM in an irrigated area of vegetable crops. Six types of cover crop treatments were evaluated: brachiaria (B); sunn hemp (S); millet (M); B + S; B + M; S + M, plus an additional treatment (native area), with 4 repetitions. The production of fresh (FB) and dry biomass (DB), the rate of plant residue decomposition, TOC, SOM fractions and the coefficient of SOM (QSOM) were quantified. It was observed that the greatest and the lowest volume of crop residues were from the B and S cover crop, respectively. The cover crops in monoculture presented great decomposition rates and short half-life when compared to mixtures of cover crop. The TOC and QSOM were great in the 0 to 0.05 m soil layer, and in the M + S cover crop mixture, when compared to the 0.05 to 0.1 m soil layer and to other cover crops. Among the SOM fractions, the humin predominated in the most superficial soil layer (0 to 0.05 m).

Vegetables such as those found in the Brassicaceae plant family are grown in a conventional farming method, with intensive tillage and use of high solubility fertilizers and agrochemicals (^{Torres et al., 2017}). These plants present high rates of nutrient extraction from the soil, requiring high amounts of mineral fertilizers in short periods, becoming crops highly dependent on industrialized inputs. However, ^{Altiere & Nicholls (2003)} emphasize that the intensive use of mineral fertilizers in high quantities can cause the nutritional imbalance of plants and influence the quality of production.