The Brazilian soil priorities

Abstract

The Brazilian agricultural business and industry are committed to continue to increase their participation in the global biomass produc- tion. The focus on fertilizers, not considering other soil functions, is changing to a new, more holistic paradigm. Therefore, the productivity of Brazilian agriculture can still be increased by improving and adopting appropriate soil management practices for each biome, and encom- passing environment protection. We need to develop integrated man- agement systems for land uses and conservation adapted to the variability of soils. The lack of diffusion of information and detailed soil mapping in the country brings about significant differences in the development of these topics. The complexity of the Brazilian biomes leads to a high level of uncertainty regarding soil response to agricul- tural interventions, and also impacts on carbon and microbiological soil dynamics. Monitoring impacts and conservation of these biomes is crucial, their soils are rich in ecobiosystems and their degradation will have negative impacts on climate, water and soils, local and globally. Despite the importance of all disciplines, at first, to normalize the issues it is absolutely necessary to have detailed soil survey information to make the best decision on all areas, from management and planning of agriculture to the conservation of ecosystems.