SOIL LOSSES IN AGRICULTURAL AREA OF THE SEMI-ARID

Abstract Soil losses caused by erosion are a worldwide problem that brings significant environmental and economic impacts and reduces arable land. Soil conservation practices are efficient alternatives to reduce erosion and maintain crop productivity. The objective was to compare soil losses by water erosion in different agricultural managements in a rural community in the semi-arid region of Ceará. The design used was completely randomized with a factorial scheme (Treatment x period), consisting of four treatments: CNCP - Graviola planting in contour lines associated with stone strings; MACV - Graviola planting downhill, keeping the ground cover; CN - Graviola planting in a contour curve and MASV - Graviola planting downhill, without ground cover, with the period represented by the dates of collection of variables. The height and diameter of soursop trees were analyzed; soil moisture; precipitation and slope. The CNCP conservation management provided the lowest soil losses, while the MASV the highest losses, suggesting that the implementation of conservation practices in semi-arid agriculture reduces soil losses from water erosion and contributes to the sustainability of agricultural production in areas rural areas in the semi-arid region of Ceará.