CITRUS AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO DEGRADED PASTURE FOR THE SOUTH OF ESPÍRITO SANTO STATE

Abstract

The state of Espírito Santo has a significant amount of degraded pastures, especially in the Itapemirim River Basin. It represents a problem concerning the emission of CO2 into the atmosphere and its consequences on the greenhouse effect, due to the low capacity of the system to absorb and retain carbon. A strategy for the conservation of soil quality in the Itapemirim River Basin is the cultivation of orange trees, as it is a perennial crop widespread in the region and with a greater capacity to preserve or recover soil carbon concerning degraded pastures. The objective of this study is to present the potential
of the orange crop to replace degraded pastures in the south of the state of Espírito Santo, reducing the net loss of CO2 and promoting the sustainability of agriculture for the region. In a comparative study between native forests, citrus, rubber trees, and pasture, the citrus system had a greater potential for preserving or recovering the carbon and nitrogen in the soil than the pasture. This system also showed intermediate values between the pasture and native forests. The management between the lines with green manure or ecological mowing promotes a greater contribution of organic matter in the soil, favoring the increase of carbon in the soil and reducing the net losses of CO2 to the atmosphere. The cultivar Navelina showed potential to be used on the rootstock ‘Embrapa 264’ in the perception of farmers in the southern region of the state of Espírito Santo.