Principles of Soil Management in Neotropical Savannas - Principles of Sustainable Soil Management in Agroecosystems - page 82

3.4 CONCLUSIONS
The principal factors of soil formation, soil types, and soil management systems of
the Brazilian Cerrado were briefly reviewed, as well as the most likely challenges
for the future agricultural development of that biome. Limiting factors for produc-
tivity in Cerrado soils involve acidity, low fertility, and low water retention, which
can be corrected by relatively inexpensive management practices. In consequence,
the Cerrado is a major producer of food and fibers for internal and export mar-
kets. The Cerrado, as well as other tropical savannas, represents the last biome in
which intensive, highly productive agriculture can expand with lesser environmental
degradation, in comparison to the tropical rainforest biome. Thus, the continuous
development of proper management practices of Cerrado soils by researchers and
their adoption by farmers has global relevance, as other tropical savannas yet to
be intensively developed can benefit from the knowledge, experience, and mistakes
learned here.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors would like to thank Dr. Geraldo C. Oliveira and Dr. Alfredo S. Lopes
(Universidade Federal de Lavras) for comments and inputs, and Alba L.A. Skorupa
(Graduate Program in Soil Science, Universidade Federal de Lavras) for the geo-
processing work in Figure 3.1 .

ABBREVIATIONS
CEC:

cation exchange capacity

CH 4 : methane

M: million

MAE: mean annual evaporation

MAP: mean annual precipitation

MAT: mean annual temperature

NT: no-till

POM: particulate organic matter

SOC: soil organic carbon

SOM: soil organic matter

REFERENCES
Adámoli, J., J. Macedo, L.G. Azevedo, and J.S. Madeira Neto. 1986. Caracterização da Região
dos Cerrados. In Solos dos Cerrados: tecnologias e estratégias de manejo , ed. W.J.
Goedert, 33-74. São Paulo: Nobel.
Ajayi, A.E., M.S. Dias Jr., N. Curi, I. Gontijo, C.F. Araujo Jr., and A.I. Vasconcelos Jr. 2009.
Relation of strength and mineralogical attributes in Brazilian Latosols. Soil Till Res
102:14-18.
Araujo Jr., C.F., M.S. Dias Jr., P.T.G. Guimarães, and E.N. Alcântara. 2011. Sistema poroso e
capacidade de retenção de água em latossolo submetido a diferentes manejos de plantas
invasoras em uma lavoura cafeeira. Planta Daninha 29:499-513.