Silicate Agrominerals Mitigate Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Enhance Soil Carbon in Tropical Pasture of the Brazilian Cerrado

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Authors: Marcos Vinícius Araújo dos Santos, Alexsandra Duarte de Oliveira, Cícero Célio de Figueiredo, João Paulo Guimarães Soares, Giuliano Marchi, Thayná Xavier Santana, André C. Andrade, Daphne Heloisa de Freitas Muniz, José Ferreira Lustosa Filho, Arminda Moreira de Carvalho, Marcos Aurélio Carolino de Sá, Éder de Souza Martins
Cited by: 1
References: 47

Abstract

The mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions in livestock farming is one of the main challenges for agriculture in the Cerrado biome. Among promising practices, the use of soil remineralizers (REM) stands out as a sustainable and complementary alternative to conventional fertilizers. This study evaluated the effects of applying REM derived from basalt and biotite schist on emissions of N2O, CO2 and CH4, the global warming potential (GWP), as well as on soil carbon and nitrogen in Urochloa brizantha cv. BRS Paiaguás pasture. The experiment was conducted in randomized blocks with five treatments (control, KCl, basalt 8.33 Mg ha−1, basalt 40 Mg ha−1, and biotite schist 151 Mg ha−1). Results indicated that KCl and high-dose basalt (40 Mg ha−1) promoted greater accumulated N2O emissions and higher GWP values. In contrast, biotite schist reduced N2O emissions and showed the lowest GWP (81.67 kg CO2 eq. ha−1), while basalt at a moderate dose (8.33 Mg ha−1) increased soil C and N stocks. It is concluded that soil remineralizers, especially those derived from biotite schist, represent viable alternatives to reduce environmental impacts and promote the sustainability of tropical agricultural systems in Cerrado biome.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics Silicon Effects in Agriculture Clay minerals and soil interactions

Publication details

Journal / source
Agronomy
Publisher
MDPI AG
Volume
16
Issue
2
Pages
138–138
Publication date
6 January 2026
Language
EN