Vertical mulching is a method for containment of runoff that despite promising is still being validated. Thus, this study aimed to propose and test a methodology for calculating the row spacing of vertical mulching, and efficiency in reducing losses of water, soil and nutrient by runoff in the field. The experiment was conducted from october 2009 to march 2010 during the corn (Zea mays) crop cycle in a consolidated no-till area. We used a randomized block design with four replications and six treatments consisting of vertical mulching furrows opened perpendicularly to the slope, distributed at different distances. In runoff samples, the following attributes were analyzed: volume of water lost, soil mass in the sediment, nutrients in the sediment and water runoff. There were no significant differences for the effect of treatments on soil losses. Generally, the treatment with 0 and 5.4 meters between furrows were more efficient in holding the loss of water and nutrients (in water and sediment). For the proposed method and evaluated conditions, the vertical mulching was not efficient in containing losses of water, soil and nutrients in runoff.
runoff; sediment; rotary trencher
