Impact of ruzigrass use for soybean deep rooting

• Grant number: 23/11167-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2023
• End date: October 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal Investigator: Moacir Tuzzin de Moraes
• Grantee: Ana Helena Cardilli Hor
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Cropping systems based on pre-crops with abundant root systems can favor root deepening of grain-producing crops, increasing soil volume and available water. The objective is to quantify the root length density of soybean in no-till system in the soil profile up to 200 cm. A long-term experiment with soybean cultivation in succession to ruzigrass or fallow will be analyzed. The soybean root system will be collected in layers (9) up to 200 cm depth (0-10, 10-20, 20-30, 40-50, 70-80, 100-110, 130-140, 160-170 and 190-200 cm). Soybean root quantification will be analyzed using WinRhizo Software. The results will be analyzed in the soil profile in isolation for each layer. Therefore, the expected results are that the use of U. ruziziensis favors the deepening of the soybean root system, in layers below 50 cm in the notillage system, due to the increase in the amount of soybean root density in relation to fallow