In regions of temperate and subtropical humid climate in Brazil, below the parallel of 24° latitude South, the rainfall characteristics potentially exceed the soil water infiltration rate and produce runoff, at any time of the year, independent of soil use and management system. The additional conservational practices have not been fully adopted in the no-tillage system as it would be required to control the erosion potential due to the soil conditions of these regions. Runoff results in chemically enriched sediments, which poses environmental risks, besides causing economical losses in the agriculture production system. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of vertical mulching as a conservation practice to restrict runoff in areas under no-tillage system, by evaluating the sediment enrichment rate based on double soil sampling in fields with presence and absence of the practice of vertical mulching. The double sampling covered representative soils of each plantation and the respective sediments generated by hydric erosion. Soil pH in water, SMP index, available P, exchangeable K, Ca, Mg and Al, and organic matter were determined, and the total and base saturation and cation exchange capacity in each sample were calculated. Results indicate that the conservation practice of vertical mulching reduces the degree of chemical enrichment of the sediments and mainly prevents the transport of these sediments away from plantations, minimizing economical losses and environmental risks. The no tillage system, without complementary conservation practices to control runoff, does therefore not represent a soil conservation practice capable of preventing environmental degradation.
soil erosion; rainfall; soil conservation
