Ing. Agr. M.Sc. Stella Altuve Roma – FAO September 2005 Crop Pasture Systems - Campos Region

Situation of agriculture in campos region Main crop-pasture rotations Problems and needs of crop-pasture rotations

Agriculture- Southern Cone Argentina- Brazil- Paraguay and Uruguay Last 40 years Cultivated area (annual crops) has grown from 25 to 60 million ha. About 1 million ha of native pasture land is being transferred into cropping agriculture every year Díaz Rosello, R. 2005

Campos Region Located: 24-34° south latitude Area: 40 million ha Climate: temperate to subtropical Soils: molisols, vertisols, ultisols Rainfall: mm/year Annual average temperature: 20° C Altitude: 0-500m asl

Before 70’s main agricultural activity was livestock production on savannah type natural pasture

During and after 70’s agriculture increasing due to: Favourable physical condition of soils, good rainfall and temperature New technologies Embrapa-Passo FUNDO (PHOTO)

New technologies has been adopted to intensify food production: mechanization capital investment (pesticides, fertilizers, hybrids, GMO among others)

reduction in area of animal production modification of farm structures (foreign companies) increases in monoculture In this move towards intensive annual cropping, main changes are:

Approximately 32 % of animal farming areas under native pastures were replaced with annual crops in last 20 years Embrapa photo

Fuente: DIEA/MGAP, Uruguay 2000 Drastic reduction in the number of small size producers was observed while medium and large producers increased with participation of foreign companies

Monoculture and abandoned land cause deterioration of the environment

Rice monoculture leads to very slow soil recover after land is abandoned % Covered soil Uncovered soil Debris INTA Mercedes-CTES

Structure stability and soil organic matter (OM) under natural pasture (NP) and abandoned rice fields (ARF) Venialgo y Ligier, 1993 Ar

macrofauna in soilNPARF density (%) diversity (Shanon index) 0,8700,480 Density of macrofauna increases in abandoned rice field (ARF) but diversity decreases Adapt. Folgarait, P. et al, 2003

Density of Camponotus punctulatus is low in natural pasture (NP) and high in abandoned rice fields (ARF) Adapt. Folgarait, P. et al (2003) Indiv/m2

Adapt. Folgarait, P. et al (2003 ) Camponotus punctulatus is the dominant macrofauna in abandoned rice fields (ARF)

THE CHALLENGE… Increase agricultural production and income Assure social welfare Improve and maintain environmental conditions

The use of forages/livestock integrated with grain production improves sustainability of the system: less dependence on international market prices of grains intensification of beef production

wheat/ soybean/ temperate pasture / maize soybean/ rice/ temperate pasture / soybean/ rice rice/ temperate pasture/ tropical pasture / rice soybean/ wheat/ tropical pasture / soybean The main crop-pasture systems are:

Income from different cropping systems Moraes, A. et al. 2000

Cropping systemLWG kg/ha/year Rice /natural pasture Rice/ improved pasture Beef production from rice/pasture systems

Effects of production system on grain yield of soybean and oats from 1996 to 2002 Production system Soybean grain yield (ton/ha) Oats grain yield (ton/ha) Soil density mg/m³ 0 – 5cm10 – 15cm I2.86a2.73bc II2.80ab2.51c III2.56c3.11a IV3.00a3.19a V3.00a3.26a I)wheat/soybean/common bean/maize/white oats/soybean II)wheat/soybean/black oat + common bean/maize/white oats/soybean III)wheat/soybean/common bean/maize/white oats/soybean (after 3 years perennial temperate grasses and legumes) IV)wheat/soybean/common bean/maize/white oats/soybean (after 3 years tropical and temperate grasses and legumes) V)wheat/soybean/common bean/maize/white oats/soybean (after 3 years lucerne) Adapted Fontanelli, 2003 (in press)

Data from R. Díaz, A. Morón y A. García, 1991 SIS 1: Agriculture With Fertilization SIS 2: Rotation Crop/Pasture 50% Evolution of fertility parameters according to differents systems (Trial “Rotaciones Viejas” La Estanzuela; Uruguay )

Evolution of fertility parameters according to differents systems (Trial “Rotaciones Viejas” La Estanzuela, Uruguay ( ) Garcia,A and Moron,A., 1991 Microbial biomass mg/gr dry soil CNP SIS SIS SIS 1: Agriculture With Fertilization SIS 2: Rotation Crop/Pasture 50%

Problems and needs of crop-pasture systems In the Campos Region the use of forages in the cropping systems varies according to: Variable agroecological conditions Traditional livestock production systems Labour and capital investments Farmer confidence in the profitability of investments Extension systems Availability of persistent species and varieties

Species and cultivar selection New species, especially legumes, need to be incorporated into the options available Selection programmes based around the screening of native flora (legumes / grasses) are necessary

Final Considerations The abandonment of land after monoculture leads to serious social, economic and environmental problems

Final Considerations The introduction of forages into crop production systems promotes social, economic and environmental sustainability Thank you