These fires are used by farmers in order to clean the soil, for the formation of pastures, for cultivation of plantations and several other reasons.
The practice is mostly used by producers with lower financial resources, who do not have specialized machinery and also do not have any information about the correct tract of the terrain.
DOES THE BURN BRING BENEFITS TO THE SOIL?
The fire used to “prepare” the soil does not bring any benefits as probably mentioned to the producer. On the contrary, it causes damage to the soil and other natural resources.
CONSEQUENCES OF BURNING
From the Agronomist point of view, this practice does not benefit the soil at all, the main consequences of these fires are:
- Elimination of essential nutrients to any vegetative culture, such as potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen;
- Killing of microorganisms that help in the development of plants;
- Reduces soil moisture and causes its compaction, triggering the erosive process and other forms of soil degradation;
- Increased release of carbon dioxide, one of the main causes of global warming;
- Pollution of springs, groundwater and rivers through the ashes;
- Destruction of natural habitats;
- Compaction of the soil which hinders the development of roots in deeper layers;
- Accelerates soil erosion processes, which makes the soil gradually worn out and improper for cultivation;
- May possibly cause accidents too!
The soil is based on the entire agricultural system and also the largest material patrimony of a farmer, so the fires generates losses in crop yields and increase production costs.
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