Soybean is one of the most widely grown crops in the world and technologies are increasingly needed to increase productivity without impacting environmental degradation. In this context, the aim was to evaluate the action of forage plants of the genus Brachiaria sp. in crop–livestock integration on physical soil, agronomic and environmental aspects of soybean cultivation. The experiment was conducted in a subdivided plot design with seven integrated systems corresponding to the previous cultivation of Paiaguas palisadegrass, Xaraes palisadegrass and Ruziziensis grass in monocropping and intercropped with maize, as well as maize in monocropping. In the subplots, two grass management systems were evaluated: free growth and a grazing simulation cut. The bulk density and least limiting water range were assessed using soil samples and, after the pastures were desiccated when the soybean crop was planted, straw decomposition and plantability. A soil physics diagnosis by the bulk density and least limiting water range showed that the Paiaguas palisadegrass and Xaraes palisadegrass improved the soil environment due to biological soil loosening. The remaining mulch biomass did not affect soybean sowing and the adoption of Brachiaria sp. grass in the off-season, in addition to contributing to the provision of environmental services, and did not compromise grain productivity in succession.

A substituição parcial do milho por leguminosas tropicais para a produção de silagem tem despertado interesse, por trazer benefício de aumentar o teor de proteína bruta da silagem exclusiva de milho, constituindo importante alternativa para a produção de alimento. Neste contexto, objetivou-se avaliar o efeito da inclusão de 30% de leguminosas tropicais sobre as características fermentativas e o valor nutritivo da silagem de milho. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado com três repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram das silagens: Milho; Stylosanthes cv. Campo Grande (80% S. capitata e 20% S. macrocephala), Stylosanthes cv. Bela; Feijão Guandu (Cajanus cajan cv. BRS Mandarim); milho + 30% Campo Grande; milho + 30% Bela e milho + 30% Feijão Guandu. Os resultados mostram que a silagem exclusiva de leguminosas sem conservantes apresenta perdas fermentativas que comprometem a qualidade da silagem. A adição de 30% de leguminosas à silagem de milho melhora a qualidade nutricional da silagem sem comprometer o seu perfil fermentativo. O Stylosanthes cv. Campo Grande e Bela são os mais recomendados para a ensilagem com milho. Desta forma, silagem mista de milho e leguminosas é uma alternativa para melhorar o teor de proteína bruta da silagem exclusiva de milho e reduzir as perdas fermentativas da silagem de leguminosas.

Modern agriculture faces the challenge of increasing production without expanding cultivated areas, promoting sustainable practices that ensure food security and environmental preservation. Integrated crop–livestock systems (ICLSs) stand out as an effective strategy, diversifying and intensifying agricultural production in a sustainable manner, ensuring adequate soil cover, and improving nutrient cycling efficiency. Thus, this study aimed to explore and compare integrated crop–livestock systems with Zuri guinea grass (Panicum maximum cv. BRS Zuri) and Quênia guinea grass (Panicum maximum cv. BRS Quênia) against the conventional soybean/maize succession method in a tropical region, and how these systems affect biomass decomposition, C:N ratio, nutrient cycling, and fertilizer equivalents. A field experiment was conducted in two phases: the first in the second-crop season and the second in the main season, using a randomized block design with four replicates. The treatments consisted of two ICLS systems, one with Zuri and Quênia guinea grasses established after soybean, and a succession system with maize established after soybean. The results indicated that Quênia guinea grass showed greater desiccation efficiency, with an injury rate of 86.5% at 21 days, 8.5% higher compared to Zuri guinea grass. In terms of biomass, Zuri and Quênia guinea grasses had average productions of 7021.1 kg ha⁻¹, which was 43.25% higher compared to maize biomass. The biomass decomposition of the grasses was faster due to their lower C:N ratio, resulting in greater nutrient release into the soil. Both forage grasses (Zuri and Quênia guinea grasses) are suitable for integrated crop–livestock systems, as they showed similar biomass production and nutrient accumulation. Soybean yield was not influenced by the different cropping systems, showing similar results between the biomass of Zuri and Quênia guinea grasses and maize. However, grass biomass enriches the soil more through the return of fertilizer equivalents, which in future studies could be considered for the reduction of mineral fertilizers, ensuring greater sustainability of agricultural systems.

At critical levels, animal trampling can physically degrade soil, leading to the loss of sustainability of agricultural production. Therefore, it is becomes necessary to model and quantify the soil compaction potential. In this context, the objective was to evaluate the occurrence of soil compaction promoted by animal trampling in crop-livestock integration system (ICL). The study was conducted in a field at Centro Tecnológico da Comigo in the municipality of Rio Verde, Goias state, Brazil, during the agricultural off-season. The experimental area was composed of 1.97 ha, which was equally divided into eight paddocks. Soil was sampled before the grazing phase and after each of four grazing cycles. The compressive behavior of the soil was evaluated by determining the pre-consolidation and critical pressures. The results showed that only the first cycle of grazing showed additional compaction in 14.59% of samples. No critical compaction was observed in the evaluated area. Animal trampling under the studied conditions is not responsible for the dissemination of structural soil degradation in crop-livestock integration systems and may contribute to physical improvement resulting from biological soil loosening.

Tropical legumes are used to prepare mixed silages to enrich the crude protein (CP) content. In This context, objective of this study was to evaluate the dynamics of fermentation and quality of maize silage with different levels of Pigeon pea. The experimental design was entirely randomized, with four repetitions. The treatments comprised maize silages with six levels of added Pigeon pea (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100%), calculated based on natural matter. The maize hybrid and Pigeon pea varieties used were B 2800 PWU and Cajanus cajan cv. BRS Mandarin, respectively. For the silage, the maize and Pigeon pea were harvested when they reached 335.7 g kg-1 dry matter (DM) and 281.3 g kg-1 DM, respectively. The results revealed that the added of up to 40% Pigeon pea in maize silages promote nutritive increment without compromising their fermentative profile of the silage. Exclusive Pigeon pea silage (100%) undergoes fermentative losses that compromise the silage quality. Therefore, mixed silages of maize with Pigeon pea, with appropriate levels of addition, are a viable alternative to increase the nutritive value of silages, mainly the CP content, contributing to reducing the cost of acquisition of protein salts.