Background and aims The inoculation of cereal crops with plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) is a potential strategy to improve fertilizer-N acquisition by crops in soils with low capacity to supply N. A study was conducted to assess the impact of three inoculants on grain yield, protein content, and urea-¹⁵ N recovery in maize (Zea mays L.) under Cerrado soil and climate conditions. Methods The main treatments included inoculants containing (i) Azospirillum brasilense strain Sp245, (ii) A. brasilense strains AbV5 + AbV6, (iii) Herbaspirillum seropedicae strain ZAE94, and (iv) a non-inoculated control. The subtreatments were (i) urea-N fertilization (100 kg N ha⁻¹) at 30 days after sowing and (ii) no N addition at the stage. To determine fertilizer-N recovery, ¹⁵N–labelled urea was applied in microplots. Results Inoculants carrying A. brasilense improved urea-¹⁵ N acquisition efficiency in maize and also improved grain yield compared to the non-inoculated control, while urea-N fertilization enhanced grain quality by providing higher protein content. Conclusion Our results suggest that the inoculation of maize grains with PGPB represents a strategy to improve fertilizer-N recovery and maize yield in Cerrado soil with a low capacity to supply N.

The objective of this work was to evaluate agronomic and P recovery efficiencies of a granulated organomineral phosphate fertilizer (OMF) produced from poultry litter, compared with those of monoammonium phosphate (MAP), in soils with different textures. The experiment followed a 2x2x4+2 factorial arrangement, with two Oxisols (sandy loam and clay loam textures), two sources of P (OMF and MAP), four levels of P (50, 100, 200, and 400 mg kg^-1), besides two control treatments without P application. The treatments were evaluated in 10-kg pots filled with soil, during four successive cultivations of corn without replacing the P absorbed by the plants, in order to evaluate the actual and residual effects of the fertilizers. Available P contents in the soil were higher with the MAP fertilizer in the sandy loam soil, with no significant differences between fertilizers in the clay loam soil. OMF had a greater immediate effect and promoted a higher dry matter yield in the first cultivation; however, the residual effects of the fertilizers did not differ in the other cultivations. P accumulation by plants was not affected by the fertilizer used. OMF had higher agronomic efficiency, but P recovery efficiency did not differ significantly between fertilizers. OMF performance indicates good potential use of poultry litter as fertilizer, in organomineral formulations.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a eficiência energética de sistemas especializados e mistos de produção de grãos e carne e o balanço energético na produção de bioenergia. Foram avaliados dados de 20 anos de cultivo com sistemas agrícolas especializados e mistos. Como sistemas agrícolas especializados, avaliaram-se: a pastagem de gramínea; a pastagem de gramínea consorciada com leguminosa; e a produção de grãos em sistema plantio direto ou em sistema convencional de preparo do solo. Como sistema misto, considerou-se a integração lavoura-pecuária em dois sistemas de manejo. Os insumos utilizados foram considerados como o ingresso energético, enquanto a produção de grãos e carne, as saídas de energia. Os produtos agrícolas nos sistemas mistos apresentaram balanço energético e produção absoluta de energia renovável compatíveis com aqueles produzidos em sistemas especializados. O balanço energético do biocombustível de soja apresentou valores positivos tanto em sistemas mistos como especializados, independentemente do sistema de preparo do solo. Entre os biocombustíveis de soja e milho analisados, o maior balanço energético foi observado no bioetanol produzido com milho. Os biocombustíveis produzidos em todos os sistemas apresentam balanço energético positivo e podem ser considerados energeticamente sustentáveis.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the use of different nitrogen fertilizers on N losses by NH3 volatilization and on the grain yield of a corn (Zea mays) crop grown in the semiarid region of the state of Sergipe, Brazil. Corn was managed under rainfed conditions and conventional tillage. The fertilization treatments were: sulfur-coated urea (SU) and organo-mineral-coated urea (OMU). Regular urea and ammonium sulfate (AS) were also included as a reference of N sources of high and low NH3-volatilization potential, as well as a control without N fertilization. The N sources were applied to the soil surface at a rate of 150 kg ha-1 N as side-dressing at the V5 growth stage of corn. The experiment was carried out in 2015 and repeated in 2016. Losses of N through NH3 volatilization differed among the N sources in the two study years, with AS presenting the lowest N losses and regular urea, the highest. In the area treated with OMU, losses by NH3 volatilization were consistently controlled, showing a reduction of 74 and 67% in relation to that of regular urea in both years. SU, however, only mitigated NH3-N losses in 2015, increasing them in 2016, compared with regular urea. Corn plant grain yield and N status, assessed by the index leaf, did not clearly reflect N losses by NH3 volatilization. For the semiarid of Sergipe, OMU is the best urea-based fertilizer to mitigate N losses by NH3 volatilization, and the use of AS is an alternative to increase corn yield and eliminate N losses as NH3.

The assessment of energy efficiency (EE) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions can highlight the sustainability of agro-systems and decision-making regarding reduction of production costs and environmental pollution. In this context, the objective of this work was to evaluate the EE and GHG emissions (CO2, CH4 e N2O) of a soybean crop under organic cultivation in different regions of Brazil in the agricultural year 2014-2015. For this, 19 soybean areas were evaluated. The inputs and outputs of the agricultural operations and / or inputs used were calculated by multiplying the quantity used by their calorific value or energy coefficient at each stage of production. The energy efficiency was obtained by the ratio between the amount of total output energy and the total energy consumption during the production process. In order to estimate GHG emissions, the principles of the life cycle assessment methodology and recommendations of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) were applied. For each 1.0 MJ of energy consumed in the organic production of soybeans, an average of 7.9 MJ of renewable energy was produced in the form of grains of this crop. The main energy costs of growing these organic crops were with seeds, fuel and with tractors, machines and agricultural implements (TMI). For each 1 kg of organic grain produced from soybeans, 0.19 kg of CO2eq are emitted during their production and delivery cycles in the warehouse. The main sources of CO2eq emission to the atmosphere were the seeds, fuels and organic fertilizers.