Quantificação da produção de biomassa e da cobertura do solo em sistemas agroflorestais no município de Trairí - CE

Abstract

Conventional agricultural systems focus their objectives on the production of marketable products and leave aside the production of ecosystem services related to soil conservation. In this context, agroforestry systems (AFS) appear as an alternative model, capable of reconciling agricultural production with conservation and ecological restoration. The present work seeks to evaluate aspects related to soil conservation of two AFS implemented in the Coringa Agrofloresta farm, located in the city of Trairí, in the state of Ceará. The systems differ in terms of size, time since implantation and the species cultivated. The study evaluates aspects related to soil conservation and agrobiodiversity in AFSs in the Brazilian semi-arid region, due to the need for more research to assist in the planning of AFSs in this region. For this, it raised the most used species for biomass production on the farm and their uses, through information collected with employees and the literature review, as well as carried out evaluations on the litter of the two systems. The first analysis consisted of sampling the amount of litter at 8 points, each divided into 3 plots, using a collecting frame measuring 0.25x0.25m. Soil cover was sampled by a 3.4m long rope divided into 33 equidistant points. The presence or absence of cover was observed in the projection of each point and the value obtained was converted into a percentage. It was found that the main species used to generate biomass on the farm are “gliricidia” (Gliricidia sepium), “pau-pombo” (Tapirira guianensis), “moringa” (Moringa oleifera), “banana” (Musa spp), “margaridão” (Tithonia diversifolia), “sombreiro” (Clitoria fairchildiana), “leucena” (Leucaena leucocephala) and “capim-tanzânia” (Panicum maximum cv. Tanzânia). The values measured for the amount of leaf litter and the percentage of coverage in the soils of the evaluated systems allow us to conclude that these species are fulfilling their soil conservation function well.