On-Farm Evaluation of Direct Seeding of Cover Crop Effects on Soil C and N Reserves and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in a Cauliflower Production System

Vegetable production primarily relies on the conventional tillage system (CTS), which leads to soil degradation through erosion and reduced soil health. The use of no-tillage vegetable systems (NTVS) aims to mitigate these issues; however, information about the impact of this management system on so...

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Main Authors: Bruna da Rosa Dutra, Paulo Henrique da Silva Câmara, Denílson Dortzbach, Lucas Raimundo Rauber, Lucas Dupont Giumbelli, Cimélio Bayer, Marcelo Zanella, Júlio César Ramos, José Luiz Rodrigues Torres, Paulo Emílio Lovato, Arcângelo Loss
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Horticulturae
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/4/396
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author Bruna da Rosa Dutra
Paulo Henrique da Silva Câmara
Denílson Dortzbach
Lucas Raimundo Rauber
Lucas Dupont Giumbelli
Cimélio Bayer
Marcelo Zanella
Júlio César Ramos
José Luiz Rodrigues Torres
Paulo Emílio Lovato
Arcângelo Loss
author_facet Bruna da Rosa Dutra
Paulo Henrique da Silva Câmara
Denílson Dortzbach
Lucas Raimundo Rauber
Lucas Dupont Giumbelli
Cimélio Bayer
Marcelo Zanella
Júlio César Ramos
José Luiz Rodrigues Torres
Paulo Emílio Lovato
Arcângelo Loss
author_sort Bruna da Rosa Dutra
collection DOAJ
description Vegetable production primarily relies on the conventional tillage system (CTS), which leads to soil degradation through erosion and reduced soil health. The use of no-tillage vegetable systems (NTVS) aims to mitigate these issues; however, information about the impact of this management system on soil health and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions remains limited. Thus, the objective of this study was to conduct an on-farm evaluation of the effects of no-tillage and cover crop use on soil C and N contents and stocks, soil bulk density (SD), mean geometric diameter (MGD) of aggregates, soil temperature, volumetric soil moisture (VM), plant yield, and GHG emissions in cauliflower production under NTVS compared to CTS in a subtropical ecosystem in southeastern Brazil. Chemical and physical properties were assessed at depths of 0–5, 5–10, and 10–30 cm. GHG emissions, particularly nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O), carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>), and methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) were measured using closed static chambers and gas chromatography. NTVS with cover crop mixes had higher yield than CTS without cover crops (25.1 and 18.4 Mg ha<sup>−1</sup>, respectively). NTVS exhibited increased MGD and VM and reduced SD. Soil temperature in the 0–5 cm layer was lower in NTVS than in CTS. Soil C and N stocks were higher in NTVS, but high N<sub>2</sub>O emissions offset this advantage compared to CTS. Overall, NTVS emitted more CO<sub>2</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O than CTS, while both systems showed soil CH<sub>4</sub> uptake. NTVS maintained sufficient carbon equivalent reserves (0–30 cm) to offset GHG emissions, making it a viable alternative for plant yield and soil quality; however, its environmental impact on GHG emissions requires further attention.
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spelling doaj-art-bf082e1254424943bd932c95c817bb7e2025-08-20T02:18:11ZengMDPI AGHorticulturae2311-75242025-04-0111439610.3390/horticulturae11040396On-Farm Evaluation of Direct Seeding of Cover Crop Effects on Soil C and N Reserves and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in a Cauliflower Production SystemBruna da Rosa Dutra0Paulo Henrique da Silva Câmara1Denílson Dortzbach2Lucas Raimundo Rauber3Lucas Dupont Giumbelli4Cimélio Bayer5Marcelo Zanella6Júlio César Ramos7José Luiz Rodrigues Torres8Paulo Emílio Lovato9Arcângelo Loss10Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Departamento de Engenharia Rural, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88034000, Santa Catarina, BrazilCentro de Ciências Agrárias, Departamento de Engenharia Rural, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88034000, Santa Catarina, BrazilEmpresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária e Extensão Rural de Santa Catarina, Centro de Informações de Recursos Ambientais e de Hidrometeorologia, Itacorubi, Florianópolis 88034901, Santa Catariana, BrazilCentro de Ciências Agrárias, Departamento de Engenharia Rural, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88034000, Santa Catarina, BrazilCentro de Ciências Agrárias, Departamento de Engenharia Rural, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88034000, Santa Catarina, BrazilDepartamento de Solos, Faculdade de Agronomia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 91540000, Rio Grande do Sul, BrazilEmpresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária e Extensão Rural de Santa Catarina, Centro de Informações de Recursos Ambientais e de Hidrometeorologia, Itacorubi, Florianópolis 88034901, Santa Catariana, BrazilEmpresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária e Extensão Rural de Santa Catarina, Centro de Pesquisa para Agricultura Familiar, São Cristóvão, Chapecó 89803904, Santa Catariana, BrazilInstituto Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, Campus Uberaba, Uberaba 38064790, Minas Gerais, BrazilCentro de Ciências Agrárias, Departamento de Engenharia Rural, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88034000, Santa Catarina, BrazilCentro de Ciências Agrárias, Departamento de Engenharia Rural, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88034000, Santa Catarina, BrazilVegetable production primarily relies on the conventional tillage system (CTS), which leads to soil degradation through erosion and reduced soil health. The use of no-tillage vegetable systems (NTVS) aims to mitigate these issues; however, information about the impact of this management system on soil health and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions remains limited. Thus, the objective of this study was to conduct an on-farm evaluation of the effects of no-tillage and cover crop use on soil C and N contents and stocks, soil bulk density (SD), mean geometric diameter (MGD) of aggregates, soil temperature, volumetric soil moisture (VM), plant yield, and GHG emissions in cauliflower production under NTVS compared to CTS in a subtropical ecosystem in southeastern Brazil. Chemical and physical properties were assessed at depths of 0–5, 5–10, and 10–30 cm. GHG emissions, particularly nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O), carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>), and methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) were measured using closed static chambers and gas chromatography. NTVS with cover crop mixes had higher yield than CTS without cover crops (25.1 and 18.4 Mg ha<sup>−1</sup>, respectively). NTVS exhibited increased MGD and VM and reduced SD. Soil temperature in the 0–5 cm layer was lower in NTVS than in CTS. Soil C and N stocks were higher in NTVS, but high N<sub>2</sub>O emissions offset this advantage compared to CTS. Overall, NTVS emitted more CO<sub>2</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O than CTS, while both systems showed soil CH<sub>4</sub> uptake. NTVS maintained sufficient carbon equivalent reserves (0–30 cm) to offset GHG emissions, making it a viable alternative for plant yield and soil quality; however, its environmental impact on GHG emissions requires further attention.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/4/396nitrous oxidecarbon sequestration<i>Brassica oleracea</i> var. <i>botrytis</i>no-tillage vegetable systemmethaneplant diversity
spellingShingle Bruna da Rosa Dutra
Paulo Henrique da Silva Câmara
Denílson Dortzbach
Lucas Raimundo Rauber
Lucas Dupont Giumbelli
Cimélio Bayer
Marcelo Zanella
Júlio César Ramos
José Luiz Rodrigues Torres
Paulo Emílio Lovato
Arcângelo Loss
On-Farm Evaluation of Direct Seeding of Cover Crop Effects on Soil C and N Reserves and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in a Cauliflower Production System
Horticulturae
nitrous oxide
carbon sequestration
<i>Brassica oleracea</i> var. <i>botrytis</i>
no-tillage vegetable system
methane
plant diversity
title On-Farm Evaluation of Direct Seeding of Cover Crop Effects on Soil C and N Reserves and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in a Cauliflower Production System
title_full On-Farm Evaluation of Direct Seeding of Cover Crop Effects on Soil C and N Reserves and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in a Cauliflower Production System
title_fullStr On-Farm Evaluation of Direct Seeding of Cover Crop Effects on Soil C and N Reserves and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in a Cauliflower Production System
title_full_unstemmed On-Farm Evaluation of Direct Seeding of Cover Crop Effects on Soil C and N Reserves and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in a Cauliflower Production System
title_short On-Farm Evaluation of Direct Seeding of Cover Crop Effects on Soil C and N Reserves and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in a Cauliflower Production System
title_sort on farm evaluation of direct seeding of cover crop effects on soil c and n reserves and greenhouse gas emissions in a cauliflower production system
topic nitrous oxide
carbon sequestration
<i>Brassica oleracea</i> var. <i>botrytis</i>
no-tillage vegetable system
methane
plant diversity
url https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/4/396
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