Purpose: Understanding the dynamics of mycorrhizal fungi in the Cerrado is fundamental for the adoption of conservation practices and for understanding the resilience of this biome in relation to long periods of drought. Thus, this work aimed to verify the dynamics of the mycorrhizal population in five phytophysiognomies of the Cerrado biome. Methods: The samples were taken from the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, a permanent preservation with native Cerrado vegetation without any anthropic influence. The five main phytophysiognomies of the Cerrado biome were chosen: the Campo Limpo, Campo Sujo, Cerrado Strictu Sensu, Cerradão, and Veredas. Rhizospherical soil samples were collected in both the wet and dry seasons. Spore density, mycorrhizal colonization rate, easily extractable glomalin, and associated mycorrhizal fungi genera were identified. Results: The values of spore density, mycorrhizal colonization rate, and glomalin were higher in the samples performed during the dry season compared to the samples performed in the rainy season. The same behavior was observed when comparing the different phytophysionomies. Conclusion: Mycorrhizal activity is higher in dry periods when compared to rainy periods. There is no specificity of genera of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi within the Cerrado phytophysiognomies.

Sugarcane is a very important economic crop that relies heavily on agricultural machinery, which contributes to soil compaction and a consequent decline in productivity. Subsoiling operation reduces the problems caused by compression; however, it is necessary to know its location and intensity. Accordingly, the aim of this work is to present a compression diagnostic method based on soil resistance to penetration as the parameter that indicates need for intervention in the subsoil. Measurements of penetration resistance was carried out in areas of sugarcane, located in the municipalities of Goianésia, Barro Alto and Santa Isabel, in the Brazilian state of Goiás. The Falker penetrometer (PLG 1020) was used, adjusted to a maximum depth of 40 cm and adopted as a critical resistance value of 4.0 MPa. The data were interpolated using kriging and adjusted in AutoCAD 2013 (Autodesk). The methodology proved effective in areas of compacted soil, and the surface layer had less resistance. The reduction in soil preparation was 96.54% and when considering the topographic adjustments, the reduction was 74.07%, showing the viability and importance of the diagnosis to show the proper management.

Aim of the study: To evaluate the effects of a mega-fire on the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) community and parameters in soils under Cerrado vegetation. Study area: Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, Goiás, Brazil. This site suffered the biggest fire in its history on October 10, 2017, with an affected area of 66,000 ha. Material and methods: We analyzed AMF spore density, roots’ mycorrhizal colonization rate, easily extractable glomalin (EEG), as well as the AMF genera present. These parameters were evaluated in burned and unburned areas of five common phytophysiognomies of the region. Main results: Fire presence immediately affected the mycorrhizal community parameters in Cerrado soils, which tended to increase afterwards. The presence of AMF genera did not differ between burned and unburned areas, with Acaulospora, Claroideglomus, Diversispora, Glomus, Funneliformis, Sclerocystis, and Gigaspora being present. The recovery of AMF community conditions in the Cerrado after fire events could also be observed in the mycorrhizal parameters evaluated, as the values of spore density, roots’ mycorrhizal colonization rate, and EEG were similar in the burned and unburned areas. Research highlights: AMF diversity, and especially their community parameters, show great recovery after fire events, since they are crucial in processes like nutrient cycling and soil aggregation.

The Cerrado is one of the most important regions for agricultural development in the world and is the main productive breadbasket of the Americas. One of the main agricultural activities in the region is high-tech livestock. Cerrado soils are predominantly low in fertility, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi play a fundamental role in plant nutrition in this biome. Understanding the behavior of mycorrhizal fungi in the soil under pasture is essential for the development of more efficient and sustainable management practices. Thus, this work aims to verify the activity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in different species of forage grasses cultivated in cerrado soil. To measure mycorrhizal activity, soil spore density factors and mycorrhizal colonization rates in roots of 14 forage grass genotypes were investigated. No significant differences were identified in spore density values between the investigated genotypes. Panicum maximum cv and Mombasa showed the lowest values of mycorrhizal colonization, and the highest values were found in the roots of Brachiaria decumbens. Among the identified genera associated with the rhizosphere of the genotypes studied, Gigaspora, Scutelospora and Sclerocysts are less frequent, which indicates that the association with these fungal genera is less recurrent than with the others.