College conducts studies to reduce agricultural soil erosion

The School of Agronomy at the State University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UEMS) has 28 experimental units to simulate scenarios for different uses and management of soils in the state.

The goal is to provide consultants and rural producers with scientifically proven data to recommend the best techniques for preventing soil loss due to erosion.

The soil management and conservation research area has been active since 2012 and is the only one of its kind in Brazil, according to Professor Elói Panachuki, one of the researchers responsible for the project.

He gives a comparison to demonstrate the importance of this work. The researcher states that in the 1970s and 1980s, for every kilogram of grain produced in the country, 20 kilograms of soil were lost to erosion. Today, with well-managed systems, these losses are negligible.

"The producer must understand that the soil is their greatest asset, and when it becomes degraded, it loses its productive capacity. So, if they want to preserve this soil for future generations, they must adopt good management practices to ensure a truly sustainable production system," said the professor.

The experimental units, also called stations, even include a rainfall simulator to test how much soil is washed away with water after applying a specific technique.

In addition to ensuring soil health for agriculture, the research helps the environment by reducing erosion, as sediments are often carried into rivers and lakes, silting up water bodies and springs.

Furthermore, well-maintained soil acts as a major carbon storage, keeping it out of the atmosphere.

The techniques are shared through lectures across the state, field days with consultants and farmers at the university, and scientific publications.