The aim of this study was to verify the dynamics of milk production in Southern Brazil, analyzing the spatial distribution, evolution and structure of bovine milk production systems in the dairy-specialized microregions. To this end, annual data from 2000 to 2015 are drawn from the Municipal Livestock Survey, reported by the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografi a e Estatística, and the Programa Nacional de Fortalecimento da Agricultura Familiar, reported by the Banco Central do Brasil. Location quotient analyses, principal component analyses and clustering analyses are applied. Results of the location quotient analysis indicate that, of the 94 microregions in Southern Brazil, 36 are specialized in milk production. Two principal components were identifi ed (mechanized production and family production) capable of explaining 78.3% of the variation in the data. Among microregions specialized in milk production, cluster analysis identifi es four groups that are differentiated by productivity levels and predominance of family versus commercial production. Furthermore, results reveal that there is substantial heterogeneity among microregions specialized in bovine milk production in Southern Brazil.

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Crop rotation is one of the pillars of conservation agriculture. This practice has offered a series of advantages in terms of improving soil physical, chemical, and biological conditions. These advantages result in yield increases for all economic crops involved in the rotation systems and may also reduce production costs. In this context, the aim of this study was to compare the profitability of crop rotation systems with different levels of crop diversification. The experimental design was randomized blocks, with five treatments and four replications. The treatments included one less diversified crop rotation system (control) with soybean and wheat and four more diversified crop rotation systems (involving three or more species), including soybean, wheat, black oats, maize, canola, barley, blue lupine, white oats, beans, radish, triticale, rye, hairy vetch, and sorghum, under no-tillage conducted during a three-year cycle. Analyses were conducted considering productivity, operating cost, and economic profit. The highest accumulated gross yields were obtained in the more diversified crop rotation systems. The results show that the more diversified crop rotation systems were more profitable. When the opportunity cost was included, the most diversified crop rotations presented greater economic feasibility. The less diversified crop rotation system presented a negative economic profit. The crop rotation systems including beans presented the highest economic profit.

The aim of this study was to determine how often rural farmers in a watershed use no-tillage systems combined with crop rotation, contour farming and agricultural terraces. The study area was Paraná Watershed III (PB3) in the western region of Paraná State, and data from the 2006 Agricultural Census of the Brazilian Institute of geography and Statistics were used. A frequency distribution analysis of farms as a function of the no-tillage (NT) area was conducted in combination with a cluster analysis of soil and water conservation practices (adoption of crop rotation, contour farming and agricultural terrace practices). The results showed that the farms in PB3 adopt adequate soil and water conservation practices, with 73% adopting NT combined with at least 2 other conservation practices; however, agricultural terracing was found to be the most neglected practice in the region. In addition, based on the soil and water conservation practices in the watershed, 5 groups of farms were identified, the worst of which, those located in the municipalities that mainly neglect conservation practices, live in areas with highly erodible soils.