Humic substances and its distribution in coffee crop under cover crops and weed control methods

ABSTRACT Humic substances (HS) comprise the passive element in soil organic matter (SOM), and represent one of the soil carbon pools which may be altered by different cover crops and weed control methods. This study aimed to assess HS distribution and characteristics in an experimental coffee crop area subjected to cover crops and cultural, mechanical, and chemical weed control. The study was carried out at Londrina, in the state of Paraná, southern Brazil (23°21’30” S; 51°10’17” W). In 2008, seven weed control/cover crops were established in a randomized block design between two co...