Integrated crop-livestock system as a strategy to store and stabilize soil carbon in Brazilian agriculture

• Grant number: 22/07665-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: January 01, 2023
• End date: January 02, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Eduardo Pellegrino Cerri
• Grantee: Sarah Tenelli
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Company: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Politécnica (EP)
• Associated research grant: 20/15230-5 - Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Innovation - RCG2I, AP.PCPE
• Associated scholarship(s): 23/18299-4 - Understanding and forecasting soil carbon stabilization across land uses in the Brazilian cerrado, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

Intensifying agricultural systems by the inclusion of forage species with vigorous root growth in crop rotation can be a powerful strategy to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) storage for climate change mitigation. Our hypothesis is that the inclusion of brachiaria grass (Brachiaria brizantha) increases the physical and chemical stability of SOC, and provides greater and diversified root exudates that can be a prospective regulator to increase the accumulation of SOC. The main objective of this research proposal is to evaluate the quantitative and qualitative changes in SOC storage pools driven by the crop succession, integrated crop-livestock (ICL) system and pasture. In addition, it will be investigated whether root exudates increase or decrease the storage of stable SOC. The project will be organized in two complementary experiments. The experiment 1 will quantify the storage and stabilization of SOC in areas under cultivation of crop succession, ICL system and continuous pasture using SOC physical fractionation and chemical composition methods and, assess the microbial groups linked to SOC storage by molecular methods. The experimental areas are conducted for 10 years, and located at the experimental farm of Embrapa Agrossilvipastoril, Sinop/MT - Brazil under a Typic Hapludox soil with clay texture. The experiment 2 will quantify the effect of different quantities and types of synthetic root exudates on storage SOC in ICL system under controlled conditions. For that, three different quantities of carbon will be applied as a cocktail of synthetic exudates containing glucose, glutamine and citric acid to undisturbed soils aiming to mimic the exudation of soybean, corn and brachiaria, and then, the SOC storage and stabilization will be measured. Additionally, extra treatments will evaluate the effect of each of the three exudate compounds separately on SOC changes. The results will provide a fundamental scientific basis for a comprehensive understanding of SOC storage and stabilization processes, and the effect of root exudates on stable SOC storage for enhancing carbon sequestration in integrated agricultural soils.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

TENELLI, S.; NASCIMENTO, A. F.; GABETTO, F. P.; PIMENTEL, M. L.; STRAUSS, M.; BORDONAL, R. O.; CERRI, C. E. P.; CHERUBIN, M. R.; CARVALHO, J. L. N.. Well-managed grass is a key strategy for carbon storage and stabilization in anthropized Amazon soils. Journal of Environmental Management, v. 373, p. 11-pg., 2024-12-18. (21/11995-0, 20/15230-5, 22/07665-7, 21/10573-4, 21/02691-7)

GABETTO, FERNANDA PALMEIRA; TENELLI, SARAH; NETTO-FERREIRA, JULIA BARRA; MARTINS JUNIOR, JOAQUIM; ALMEIDA, OCTAVIO AUGUSTO COSTA; COSENZA, MARCELA LAMAS; STRAUSS, MATHIAS; CARVALHO, JOAO LUIS NUNES. Biochar from crop residues mitigates N₂O emissions and increases carbon content in tropical soils. BIOFUELS BIOPRODUCTS & BIOREFINING-BIOFPR, v. N/A, p. 17-pg., 2025-02-02. (21/11995-0, 16/50403-2, 22/07665-7, 21/10573-4, 21/02691-7)

GABETTO, FERNANDA PALMEIRA; TENELLI, SARAH; NETTO-FERREIRA, JULIA BARRA; GONZAGA, LEANDRO CAROLINO; ISIDORIO, MARIA ANDRESA SANTOS; CARVALHO, JOAP LUIS NUNES. Exploring the potential of sugarcane straw biochar: Insights into N2O emissions and microbial functional genes. BIOMASS & BIOENERGY, v. 182, p. 11-pg., 2024-01-24. (16/50403-2, 22/07665-7, 21/02691-7, 21/11995-0)