Microbial Biomass and Enzyme Activity of Soil Under Clonal Rubber Tree Plantations

Anderson Ribeiro Diniz,Felipe Martini Dos Santos,Marcos Gervasio Pereira,Eduardo Vinícius Da Silva,Fabiano Carvalho Balieiro,Cristiane Figueira Da Silva

doi:10.1590/2179-8087.113817

Anderson Ribeiro Diniz, Felipe Martini Dos Santos + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/2179-8087.113817

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Abstract

Abstract Our study aimed to evaluate the influence of rubber tree plantations (Clones IAN 873 and FX 3864) on microbial activity, total organic carbon (TOC), and soils chemical attributes, using as reference pasture and secondary forest, in Rio de Janeiro. The plantations areas showed pH; Mg2+, Ca2+, K+ levels; sum of bases; base saturation, basal respiration; metabolic quotient; and arylsulfatase and FDA activities in the soil similar to or greater than the values found in the forest. In contrast, showed lower P and TOC levels; carbon and nitrogen in the microbial biomass; and β-glucosidase activity than of forest and pasture. Higher acid phosphatase and laccase enzymes activities was observed in the forest and plantations than in the pasture. Thus, we verified that the rubber tree plantations (Clones: IAN 873; FX 3864) maintain or improve the quality of some chemical and microbiological attributes of the soil regarding secondary forest and pasture.

Highlights

AND OBJECTIVESHevea culture is the cultivation of rubber trees for latex extraction and the subsequent production of natural rubber
Our study aimed to evaluate the influence of rubber tree plantations (Clones IAN 873 and FX 3864) on microbial activity, total organic carbon (TOC), and soils chemical attributes, using as reference pasture and secondary forest, in Rio de Janeiro
The TOC levels were significantly different between the rubber tree plantations (Table 2), a fact that could be explained by the soil management system used and the spontaneous vegetation, with the region that receives two rogues per year showing higher TOC levels than the area occupied by the clone 873, which is subjected to only one rogue per year

Summary

Introduction

Hevea culture is the cultivation of rubber trees for latex extraction and the subsequent production of natural rubber. It has been part of an unbalanced market considering supply and demand, a consequence of the accelerated growth of emerging countries such as Brazil, India, and China (IRSG, 2013). Areas occupied by rubber tree plantations used for latex production expanded in Brazil due to an increase in the demand for natural rubber. According to the Painel Florestal (2014), Brazil has a great potential for hevea culture expansion, since the country has areas already adequate for growing rubber tree plantations, without the need for further deforestation. Changes in land use must be properly managed to avoid altering the soil biota, and, plant productivity, carbon storage, nutrient cycling, and the ecosystem sustainability

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