As lições para o manejo do solo canavieiro nos primeiros 20 anos de colheita mecanizada no Brasil

Abstract

Brazil is the world's largest producer of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.). Thus, sugarcane agriculture in the country is quite extensive, covering an area of around 10 million hectares of arable land. The planting of sugarcane in Brazil began about 500 years ago, but the expansion of the cultivation area and productivity in the last 20 years is unprecedented. Despite the economic benefits presented by the expansion of the sugar-alcohol sector, some issues needed to be better discussed about the crop, such as the environmental impacts caused by fires. This discussion culminated in Law No. 11.241, of 2002, which established deadlines for the eradication of burning. About to complete 20 years since the creation of Law No. 11.241, it is necessary to take stock of its implications for the management of sugarcane soil in mechanized areas, both from an agronomic and environmental point of view. This booklet presents the lessons for managing sugarcane soil in the first 20 years of mechanized harvesting in Brazil. Results of scientific research carried out during this period were gathered with the aim of addressing in a broad audience language the effects of converting the harvest management without the use of fire to burning sugarcane straw on the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil, weed and pest control, technological quality, soil fertility and fertilization, ecological landscape in producing regions, air pollution and emission of gases into the atmosphere.