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

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

3. 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

4. Campos Region Located: 24-34° south latitude Area: 40 million ha Climate: temperate to subtropical Soils: molisols, vertisols, ultisols Rainfall: 1200-1600 mm/year Annual average temperature: 20° C Altitude: 0-500m asl

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

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

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

8. 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:

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

10. 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

11. Monoculture and abandoned land cause deterioration of the environment

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

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

14. macrofauna in soilNPARF density (%)2881428 diversity (Shanon index) 0,8700,480 Density of macrofauna increases in abandoned rice field (ARF) but diversity decreases Adapt. Folgarait, P. et al, 2003

15. 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

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

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

18. 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

19. 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:

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

21. Cropping systemLWG kg/ha/year Rice /natural pasture Rice/ improved pasture 50-80 250-400 Beef production from rice/pasture systems

22. 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 I2.86a2.73bc1.351.50 II2.80ab2.51c1.381.52 III2.56c3.11a1.291.47 IV3.00a3.19a1.301.49 V3.00a3.26a1.221.38 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)

23. 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- 1964-1990)

24. Evolution of fertility parameters according to differents systems (Trial “Rotaciones Viejas” La Estanzuela, Uruguay ( 1964-1990) Garcia,A and Moron,A., 1991 Microbial biomass mg/gr dry soil CNP SIS 117520.513.2 SIS 235141.324 SIS 1: Agriculture With Fertilization SIS 2: Rotation Crop/Pasture 50%

25. 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

26. 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

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

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