Urea applied to agricultural fields volatilises as ammonia, which results in huge wastage. This study showed that polymer-coated urea can reduce ammonia volatilisation from urea, lower the pH of paddy water, improve urea utilisation, and ultimately increase rice yield. This helps to reduce labour as well as environmental pollution from over-application of fertilisers.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a rapid, multielement analytical technique, suitable for the qualitative and quantitative analyses of heavy metals in soil. The LIBS data were compared with the data obtained via conventional inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy to validate the technique. The concentration coefficient of determination between LIBS and ICP analysis were >0.86 and >0.89 for Pb and Zn, respectively. The total analysis time for the LIBS method was 310 min, which was 54.40% shorter than that for the ICP method.

Oribatids are the most abundant mites in the soil fauna of woodlands, where they inhabit spaces between soil particles. We studied their distribution in artificial woodlands of Eucalyptus and Pinus trees planted in soils that were originally grasslands, and found that they depend on the 3D configuration of litter layers determined by the availability of the organic remains present. This information has applications on the assessment and management of woodlands, being relevant for better assessment of soils diversity.

Evidence on the effects of soil and water conservation (SWC) measures is inadequate. Examining the effects of variously aged SWC measures is important. Laboratory analysis of 59 soil samples and the opinion of 122 farmers were used in this study. Approximately 40% of respondents perceived severe soil erosion, and 96% of the farmers were interested in repairing it. The soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and available phosphorous were significantly greater in the fields with older soil bunds. Farmers are advised to retain bunds.

Agricultural production models in subtropical regions should involve the use of Al-tolerant plant varieties that respond well to the application of lime. We have been monitoring soil reacidification and its impact on crop yields for more than 3 decades following the conversion from conventional to no-tillage cultivation. The tolerance of the varieties to Al³⁺ made it possible to obtain high and stable yields only with superficial reapplications of lime, because the natural potential acidity had been amended when adopting no-tillage.

The environmental impacts that the use of sulfides containing soils can cause are worrisome, being the acid drainage (AD) one of them. This problem has some chemical aspects that are not well understood, such as the rate of AD production. This study shows that the size and structure of the mineral that promotes acid drainage (sulfides) are the main aspects of this process.