Effect of ecological and conventional managements on soil enzymatic activities in coffee agroecosystems

• Published in: Pesquisa agropecuária tropical 2018-10, Vol.48 (4), p.420-428
• Main Authors: Vanegas, Johana Juliet Caballero, Zambrano, Karen Bibiana Mejía, Avellaneda-Torres, Lizeth Manuela
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: acid and alkaline phosphatase; AGRICULTURE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY; AGRONOMY; protease; Urease; β-glucosidase
• ISSN: 1517-6398; 1983-4063; 1983-4063
• DOI: 10.1590/1983-40632018v4852373

ABSTRACT Understanding the impacts of agricultural practices on soil quality indicators, such as enzymatic activities, is of great importance, in order to advance in their diagnosis and sustainable management. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of ecological and conventional agricultural managements on enzymatic activities of a soil under coffee agroecosystems. The enzymatic activities were associated with the biogeochemical cycles of nitrogen (urease and protease), phosphorus (acid and alkaline phosphatase) and carbon (β-glucosidase), during the rainy and dry seasons. Physical-chemical soil proprieties were also assessed and related to resilience scores linked to the climatic variability reported for the areas under study. The activities of urease, alkaline and acid phosphatase and ß-glucosidase were statistically higher in ecological agroecosystems than in conventional ones. This may be attributed to the greater application of organic waste in the ecological environment, as well as to the absence of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, which allow better conditions for the microbial activity. The resilience scores to the climate variability that showed the highest correlations with the assessed enzymatic activities were: the farmers' knowledge on soil microorganisms, non-use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers and non-dependence on external supplies. It was concluded that the enzymatic activities are modified by the management systems, being specifically favored by the ecological management. This agroecosystem, in the long term, ensures an efficient use of the soil resources, with a lower degradation and contamination. RESUMO Compreender os impactos de práticas agrícolas sobre os indicadores de qualidade do solo, como atividades enzimáticas, é de grande importância para avançar no diagnóstico e no manejo sustentável. Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito dos manejos agrícolas ecológico e convencional sobre as atividades enzimáticas de um solo em agroecossistemas sob cultivo de cafeeiro. As atividades enzimáticas foram associadas aos ciclos biogeoquímicos do nitrogênio (urease e protease), fósforo (fosfatase ácida e alcalina) e carbono (β-glicosidase), durante as estações chuvosa e seca. Propriedades físico-químicas do solo também foram avaliadas e relacionadas a escores de resiliência vinculados à variabilidade climática reportada para as áreas em estudo. As atividades de urease, fosfatase alcalina e ácida e ß-glicosidase foram estatisticamente maiores