M. B. G. dos S. FREIRE

• PhD
• Professor (Associate) at Federal Rural University of Pernambuco

Water quality affects soils by promoting their degradation by the accumulation of salts that will lead to salinization and sodification. However, the magnitude of these processes varies with soil attributes. Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) is the rate at which water passes through saturated soil, which is fundamental to determining water mo...

The conversion of caatinga vegetation areas into pastures in the Brazilian semiarid region has depleted soil fertility due to degradation. The natural regeneration of the caatinga has been the alternative adopted to restore soil fertility. However, the real effectiveness of this practice in recovering organic carbon (SOC) and nutrient stocks is unk...

Silicon is known to be an effective salt stress attenuator for crops, and evaluating its application effectiveness in combination with other salt stress attenuators is essential for crops and soils. This work aimed to assess whether applying organic matter (OM) and Trichoderma (T) potentiates silicon (Si) in mitigating soil salinization and promoti...

Riparian zones of dry tropical forests are important due to their effect on nutrient cycling and carbon dynamics. It’s important to evaluate the changes that occur when these areas are altered, in order to ascertain the magnitude of nutrient gains or losses. This work evaluates chemical changes in soil and litter transitioning from a riparian to a...

The action of silicon as a salt stress mitigator has been investigated in isolation, and its combined efficacy with other salt stress mitigators needs to be addressed. This work verified whether silicon, in combination with organic matter and Trichoderma harzianum, enhances the production of forage sorghum under saline irrigation and its effects on...

Biomass quantification in the Atlantic Forest is difficult due to a scarcity of destructive tree sampling data for this biome.Many studies have used general pantropical models to quantify their biomass stocks. However, doubts still need to be raised about the ability of these models to accurately estimate the biomass of trees in the Atlantic Forest...

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of K2O doses, as KCl, on physiological aspects and agricultural productivity of sugarcane in rainfed cultivation. The experimental design was in randomized blocks in a factorial arrangement (6x2) with 4 replications, with six K2O rates (0, 25, 50, 100, 200 and 250 kg ha-1) and two sugarcane varieties (RB92579...

Anthropogenic actions have caused soil degradation and revegetation is a way to recover degraded soils. However, salt-affected soils require the use of suitable species to extract salts from the soil. This study investigated the growth of shrub and tree species in a soil degraded by salts, alone or associated with a phytoextraction salt species, ev...

Phosphorus (P) is one of the most important elements used in fertilizing soils in tropical regions due to the low efficiency of phosphate fertilization. This work aimed to fractionate inorganic P (Pi) in tropical soils of different mineralogical compositions and to relate these fractions with their respective phosphate buffer capacity (PBC) indicat...

This work aimed to quantify carbon (C) stocks from above-ground biomass (AGB) and accumulated litter in a fragment of the Atlantic Forest biome (edge and interior) in Northeastern Brazil. The study was carried out in areas with native vegetation, in a fragment of Atlantic tropical forest, municipality of Sirinhaém, Pernambuco, Brazil. AGB was quant...

Abstract This study aimed to evaluate decomposition and release of C and of N from the litter of forest Caatinga species in the humification phase, as well as to estimate the residence time of C and N. Litter decomposition of the species was evaluated in 2014/2015 in the municipality of Floresta, Pernambuco, Brazil, using a method of the litter bag...

Soil salinity is considered one of the main types of soil degradation in semiarid environments around the globe. This work aims to evaluate the effectiveness of soil conditioners to enhance the growth and salt extraction ability of Salicornia ramosíssima for different soil moisture contents. Salicornia plants were cultivated in pots in which the so...

Semiarid regions’ soils have been degraded by salinization. The use of chemical conditioners makes this management very expensive. As an alternative, organic conditioners can be used with plants adapted to the salts and phytoremediation, such as Atriplex nummularia Lindl. This study aimed to evaluate the use of phytoremediation and chemical and org...

Sugarcane productivity is highly variable across space, and knowledge about the spatial distribution of soil physical attributes is important to guide management practices and evaluate the effects of agricultural operations on productivity. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the best sampling density to represent the physical attrib...

The K is important for sugar concentration in sugarcane, but the salt effect on K fertilizer may reduce the productivity. The objective of this study was to evaluate productivity of sugarcane, to establish soil and plant K critical levels, and to determine a saline limit of the soil with maximum agronomic efficiency. The sugarcane variety RB992506...

The use of saline water for crop irrigation is a commonly adopted practice among the farmers in the semiarid regions around the world, but the magnitude of soil salinization resulting from the use of these waters is currently insufficiently understood. This work aims to evaluate the chemical attribute changes of two Fluvisols cultivated with onion...

The use of saline waters for the irrigation of crops such as onion is a common practice in the Brazilian semiarid region. However, the effect of the use of these waters on onion nutrition and growth has been underappreciated. This work aims to evaluate Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+ and Cl- levels and onion growth in two Fluvisols under irrigation with waters...

Prior research on sugarcane showed increment of productivity following molybdenum (Mo) fertilization and some indication of the potential role either on nitrate reductase activity (NRA). However, this increment can depend on sugarcane variety and nitrogen (N) fertilization. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Mo fertilization on Mo uptake, o...

Molybdenum (Mo) can stimulate nitrogenase activity (NTA), increase biological nitrogen (N) fixation (BNF) and reduce natural-abundance N isotopes (δ¹⁵N). Our hypothesis is that this stimulus depends on genotype and N availability for sugarcane. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the Mo fertilization on BNF, NTA, δ¹⁵N and the...

The management of forest species requires the quantification of various nutrients flows in the ecosystem. Specifically for N this aspect is even more important because many species in dry forests, as Brazilian Caatinga, are legumes and in symbiotic association with diazotrophic bacteria, fix N2 from the atmosphere. This study aimed to evaluate the...

Lowlands Dense Ombrophilous Forest is one phytophysiognomies of Atlantic Forest in Brazil. The main ecological characteristic of this forest is the Ombrophilous environment, related to high rainfall and temperature indexes. Nutrient cycling is well balanced in the periods of good thermo-pluviometric distribution. Global climatic changes have been i...

The choice of native species in the recovery of degraded areas is important because of the peculiar relation with the sites where they were established and specific nutritional requirements. The nutrient utilization efficiency of these species can contribute to recommendations of their use in degraded areas of the Atlantic Forest. Thus, the objecti...

Studies of nutrient efficiency and compartmentalization of nutrients in dry forests can contribute to the understanding of the nutrition of these forests because significant nutrient depositions come from leaf and branch fractions and are mostly derived from leguminous species, emphasizing the importance of nitrogen in cycling of these environments...

This study aimed to evaluate the use of phytoremediation and soil conditioners in the recovery of physical attributes of a saline-sodic Fluvic Neossol in Brazil Northeast. The applied treatments were: Atriplex nummularia L., as phytoremediation plant, due to its ability to extract salts from the soil; organic conditioners, such as bovine and sheep...

Caatinga forests occupy an area of around one million km² in the semiarid region of northeast Brazil. These landscapes are undergoing rapid change because of accelerated deforestation for cultivation and firewood. The capacity of Caatinga forests to regenerate after clearing determines the magnitude of the carbon (C) sink in the soil, and thus is f...

The soil areas affected by salts have increased in recent years. Searching intensively for management and recovery strategies should help minimize these problems. Studies related to the response of halophytes to fertilization can provide important information regarding the most adequate management for phytoremediation. The aim of this study was to...

In northeastern Brazil, large swaths of once-productive soils have been severely degraded by soil salinization, but the true extent of the damage has not been assessed. Emerging remote sensing technology based on hyperspectral analysis offers one possibility for large-scale assessment, but it has been unclear to what extent the spectral properties...

This study aimed to bioprospect and select halotolerantes bacteria and promoting plant growth associated with the plant Atriplex nummularia L. in saline soils. For bioprospecting of bacteria, samples were collected in five niches and two field experiments located in Serra Talhada and Ibimirim, Pernambuco, Brazil. After collecting the material it wa...

Atriplex nummularia Lindl. represents a cost-effective alternative for improving salt-affected soils in arid and semiarid environments due to its high adaptability to salinity and water deficiency. This study aimed to investigate soil physical-chemical changes in response to A. nummularia cultivation under field condition. Additionally, we quantifi...

A degradação das terras em ambientes secos é um processo em que condições indesejáveis surge devido a causas naturais e humanas. A seca é uma condição climática grave que afeta quase todas as zonas climáticas em todo o mundo, como as regiões semi-áridas são especialmente suscetíveis a condições de seca por causa de sua precipitação anual baixa elas...

A Atriplex nummularia é uma halófita de grande importância na recuperação de solos salinos razão por que é bastante utilizada como planta modelo em condições biossalinas. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar parâmetros biométricos, produção de biomassa e a acumulação de íons em A. nummularia cultivada sob estresses hídrico e salino. Realizou- se o c...

RESUMO -Em muitas áreas irrigadas do mundo, o suprimento de água de boa qualidade não é suficiente, ou seu custo é elevado, buscando-se alternativas com o uso de água do lençol freático ou mesmo de drenagem. Geralmente, essas águas não são de boa qualidade e precisam ser bem manejadas para evitar a degradação dos solos e danos às plantas. Esse trab...

The vast majority of research on nutrients in natural forest is concentrated in the litter. In Brazil, in Atlantic Forest, some investigations have been conducted in few locations such as Dois Irmãos Forest (PE), Tijuca Forest (RJ) and Salão Dourado Forest (MG). In the present research, the studied area was characterized as remaining of Atlantic Fo...

Salinization of soils has led to the loss of cropland and represents a major threat to food production. Hyperspectral imaging may prove to be useful for characterizing the spectral behavior of salt-affected soils but the methodology needs to be better evaluated. In this study, we characterized the spectral behaviors of four types of chloride salt c...

The aim of this study is to evaluate land uses, using physical and chemical attributes in the irrigated perimeter Ico-Mandantes, between Petrolândia and Floresta, in the semiarid region of Pernambuco, Brazil. The identified uses of the land are as follows: short cycle crops (C), fruit (F), pasture (P), abandoned areas (D), and native vegetation (V)...

The objective of this work was to evaluate P availability in representative soils for plant cane cultivation in the Brazilian Northeast region, and to establish a new P-fertilizing recommendation for this crop in these soils. The study was done in five soil types, in Zona da Mata of Pernambuco: Argissolo Amarelo distrocoeso (Ultisol), Argissolo Ama...

A adição de subprodutos orgânicos ao solo pode ocasionar mudanças na dinâmica da matéria orgânica dele, influenciando a atividade e utilização do carbono pelos microrganismos presentes nele. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a influência da aplicação de doses crescentes de subproduto da agroindústria de café nos atributos biológicos de dois sol...

Laboratories in different regions of Brazil do not standardize the procedures for particle size analysis. Solutions of sodium hydroxide (NaOH), sodium hexametaphosphate and sodium carbonate [(NaPO3)n + Na2CO3] are the most commonly used in the chemical dispersion of the particle of soil. The high pH of the NaOH solution favors the dispersion in soi...

Hydraulic conductivity is determined in laboratory assays to estimate the flow of water in saturated soils. However, the results of this analysis, when using distilled or deionized water, may not correspond to field conditions in soils with high concentrations of soluble salts. This study therefore set out to determine the hydraulic conductivity in...

The addition of organic residue byproducts in the soil may lead to changes in the dynamics of soil organic matter, influencing the activity and the use of C by microorganisms in the soil. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the application of increasing rates of a byproduct from a coffee agroindustry on the biological properties...

The electrical charges in soil particles are divided into structural or permanent charges and variable charges. permanent charges develop on the soil particle surface by isomorphic substitution. Variable charges arise from dissociation and association of protons (H+), protonation or deprotonation, and specific adsorption of cations and anions. The...

This research studied threshold electrolyte concentration (TEC) of irrigation water and its effect on the infiltration rate of two contrasting soils from Pernambuco state, Brazil. The experiment was conducted in the Soil Chemistry and Salinity Laboratory of Federal Rural University of Pernambuco. Each soil was packed in five Buchner funnels, where...

This study aims to investigate the behavior of Atriplex nummularia under field conditions, including its growth, periodic cuttings, salt extraction, and soil chemical properties monitored for 16 months. Three treatments were evaluated: soil cultivated with Atriplex pruned at 6 and 12 months after transplanting (MAT); soil cultivated with plants tha...

The P critical levels in plants depend from soil characteristics which reflect phosphate buffer power. In Pernambuco, soils mineralogical characteristics change at different regions where corn is cultivated. To evaluate P critical levels in corn plants in soil cultivated in different soils and contact periods of this element in the soil, aiming to...

The sweet sorghum is an alternative bioenergy crop for ethanol production in the off-season of sugarcane in areas where crops are renewed in winter, especially in the Northeast of Brazil. However, in these areas the soil acidity and low levels of basic cations on the subsurface are responsible for reduced productivity of sorghum. The objective of t...

Soils in irrigated perimeters under semiarid climate are inclined to accumulate of salts and in Brazil, this problem has been impressive in the semiarid Northeast, however, few data exist on the actual situation of this degradation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the salinity and sodicity in the Irrigated Perimeter of Custodia in different s...

The selection of salinity tolerant bacteria may provide greater promotion of plant growth in soils with salt stress. This study aimed to isolate and select bacterial isolates of sugarcane, tolerant to salinity and plant growth promoters, and assess genetic diversity. To do so, endophytic root and rhizosphere of sugarcane, were isolated in culture m...

To estimate clay dispersion the water dispersible clay is determined in the laboratory. This analysis may not correspond to reality in saline and saline-sodic soils, with high concentrations of salts in the solution. In this context, the dispersed clay was determined, using solutions of different electrical conductivities (0; 0.3; 0.6; 0.9 and 1.2...

To estimate clay dispersion the water dispersible clay is determined in the laboratory. This analysis may not correspond to reality in saline and saline-sodic soils, with high concentrations of salts in the solution. In this context, the dispersed clay was determined, using solutions of different electrical conductivities (0; 0.3; 0.6; 0.9 and 1.2...

Atriplex nummularia L. is considered an authentic halophyte that survives in extremely saline environments, thus, this plant must be associated with microorganisms capable of promoting plant growth by different mechanisms, such as biological nitrogen fixation, indole acid production acetic acid and solubilization of inorganic phosphate. Therefore,...

The aim of this work was to evaluate the use of three types of animal manure: poultry, cattle and sheep manure on lettuce production in a field experiment in an Oxisol, at the Federal Agro Technical School, in Crato, Ceará State, Brazil. The experimental design used was randomized blocks with factorial arrangement [(3 × 5) + 2], with three manures,...

The study was conducted in a saline-sodic Inceptisol from the Cachoeira II Irrigation Perimeter, Serra Talhada (PE), with the objective of evaluating the dynamics of basic cations and anions in a saline-sodic soil subjected to phytoremediation with Atriplex nummularia and correction with application of gypsum. Samples were taken every six months, a...

To estimate clay dispersion the water dispersible clay is determined in the laboratory. This analysis may not correspond to reality in saline and saline-sodic soils, with high concentrations of salts in the solution. In this context, the dispersed clay was determined, using solutions of different electrical conductivities (0; 0.3; 0.6; 0.9 and 1.2...

In Irrigated Perimeter Cachoeira II, Serra Talhada - PE, Brazil, it is common to use water with high content of salts in irrigation, which compromises agricultural production. To assess the development of onion at different stages of its cycle, two FLUVIC ENTISOLS irrigated with water of EC 200, 700 and 2000 μScm-1 and SAR 0.5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 (m...

RESUMO Devido à escassez de pesquisas referentes à disponibilidade de P em solos da região semiárida do Nordeste brasileiro, objetivou-se estudar a eficiência de quatro extratores na predição da disponibilidade de P em milho cultivado em um Neossolo Flúvico alcalino do sertão de Pernambuco, e estimar os níveis críticos de P no solo e na parte aérea...

The P recommendations in Northeastern Brazil are based on research carried out in the decades of 70 and 80, being necessary a modernization in this recommendation, to focus the maximum capacity of P adsorption. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate agroindustrial sugarcane characteristics in soils in function of phosphate fertilization. Five exper...

A cana-de-açúcar é uma fonte importante de alimento e bioenergia. Assim, o estudo da interação com bactérias endofíticas que fixam o nitrogênio atmosférico (FBN) e produzem o ácido indol acético (AIA) vem sendo amplamente explorado. Porém, devido à sensibilidade bacteriana, tanto a produção de AIA, como a FBN, podem sofrer o impacto de fatores edaf...

The cultivation of Elephant or Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) in the gypsumproducing region of Araripe, in the west of the state of Pernambuco in northeastern Brazil, may be viable as alternative energy, especially when the soil fertility is improved. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of crude gypsum on the nutritional sta...

The conversion of natural vegetation to cultivated land often results in changes in the quantity and quality of soil organic matter. The magnitude of these alterations varies according to the soil properties, climate, crops and soil management. Soil organic C is not always a sensitive indicator of soil changes. The distribution of C fractions is th...

A substituição de ecossistemas naturais por cultivos agrícolas geralmente resulta em alterações na quantidade e qualidade da matéria orgânica do solo. A magnitude dessas mudanças varia de acordo com as propriedades originais do solo, o clima, a cultura implantada e o manejo adotado. O carbono (C) orgânico do solo, muitas vezes, não tem sido sensíve...

Critical levels of phosphorus in sugarcane soils of Pernambuco State, Brazil Physical, chemical and mineralogical properties of soils are not observed to estimate phosphorus (P) availability in Pernambuco, Brazil. The aim of this work was to determine phosphorus critical levels in distinct soils, using different chemical extractors, considering cla...

Em Pernambuco, a disponibilidade de P é avaliada sem se considerarem características físicas, químicas, ou, mineralógicas dos solos. Este trabalho teve como objetivos determinar os níveis críticos de P em diferentes solos, utilizando-se diferentes extratores químicos, considerando-se a quantidade e a qualidade da fração argila e relacionar as carac...

A salinidade constitui-se um sério fator limitante à agricultura, pois a maioria das culturas agrícolas é sensível à salinidade, sendo muito afetadas pelos efeitos nocivos dos sais. As espécies halófitas do gênero Atriplex caracterizam-se pela elevada tolerância a seca e salinidade do solo, sendo uma alternativa viável para reduzir impactos negativ...

Com o objetivo de avaliar as alterações químicas de um Neossolo Flúvico do semiárido de Pernambuco cultivado com três cultivares de tomateiro e irrigado com água de dois valores de relação de adsorção de sódio (RAS) e seis de condutividade elétrica (CE) foi realizado um experimento em vasos de polietileno em delineamento em blocos ao acaso com arra...

The objective of this study was to evaluate, along the first cycle of sugar cane, the capacity of eleven varieties of sugar cane (SP79-1011; RB813804; RB863129; RB872552; RB943365; RB72454; RB763710; SP78-4764; SP81-3250; RB867515 and RB92579), cultivated under full irrigation,the accumulation of the nutrients N, P, K, Ca and Mg in the plants aeria...

The objective of this study was to evaluate, along the first cycle of sugar cane, the capacity of eleven varieties of sugar cane (SP79-1011; RB813804; RB863129; RB872552; RB943365; RB72454; RB763710; SP78-4764; SP81-3250; RB867515 and RB92579), cultivated under full irrigation,the accumulation of the nutrients N, P, K, Ca and Mg in the plants aeria...

The salinity constitutes a serious limiting factor for agriculture, because most crops are sensitive to salinity, being much affected by the harmful effects of salts. Halophyte species of the genus Atriplex are characterized by high tolerance to drought and soil salinity, a viable alternative to reduce negative impacts of salinity, associated with...

The salinization is degrading Brazilian semi-arid soils, which need to be reclaimed for agricultural utilization. This work aimed to evaluate use of organic and chemical amendments in a Fluvic Entisol having salinesodic properties in Pernambuco's semi-arid region. Soil experiment was conducted in soil columns, with 10 treatments: sheep manure, cow...