Agricultural soils under no tillage systems are affected by soil compaction caused by machinery traffic, which can restrict root growth and reduce crop yields. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of different compaction levels on the physical quality of a Red Latosol (Oxisol), sandy-loam, in the Jaboticabal county, São Paulo state, Brazil, under corn, using multivariate analysis. The experimental design was completely randomized with six compaction levels and four repetitions. Undisturbed soil samples were collected in […]

Quantifying the relationship between physical and mechanical soil properties can contribute to the development of pedotransfer functions that allow estimating hard-to-measure soil properties. The objective of this study was to evaluate the interrelations between susceptibility to compaction and load support with some physical properties of soils from Southern Brazil. Penetration resistance, moisture, bulk density and compressibility of six soils were evaluated. In a model including soil moisture and bulk density as independent variables, the relation with penetration resistance values obtained […]

In São Paulo State, the autumn – winter seasons rainfall distribution restriction as well as high temperatures constitute a serious limitation for soil surface covering and crop production. For this reason it is very important to study alternatives for the no tillage system establishment in that State, specially for biomass production and for adequate management for better mulching in amount enough to improve soil physical quality and organic matter content. This study was carried out at the Lageado Experimental Station […]

This study had the objective of characterizing the main soil types cultivated with melon, based on physical features, in the Apodi Tableland, state of Rio Grande do Norte, to provide basic information for an adequate soil and crop management. Three soil types were studied, in September 2003: Cambissolo Háplico Ta eutrófico típico – CXve (Typic Haplocambids), Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo eutrófico típico – LVAe (Typic Eutrotorrox) e Argissolo Vermelho distrófico arênico – PVd (Arenic Kandiustults). A general analysis of the soil physical […]

The inadequate use of soils induces alterations, exhausting the productivity, and resulting in growing areas of degraded soil. This study had the objectives of a) studying alternatives to promote the formation of the A horizon of a degraded soil through the use of green manure, sewage sludge, and cultivation of a native tree species; and b) selecting soil quality indicators to detect the alterations in the surface layer. Evaluations were executed annually. The experimental design was in random blocks with […]

The intensive traffic of agricultural machines on soils used for hay production can result in soil quality degradation. The hypothesis evaluated was that systems of intensive hay production cause soil physical degradation. The objective of this study was to quantify the soil physical properties and morphological attributes to recognize and identify the soil physical degradation of a Red Latosol (Typic Haplorthox) cropped with Tifton 85 forage (Cynodon spp) for hay production, in western Paraná state, southern Brazil. A native forest […]

The improvement in the structural soil quality under continuous no-tillage occurs concomitantly to soil (re)acidification. Surface compaction can sometimes occur, owing to machinery traffic, which has to be corrected by soil tilling. In a 12-year experiment under different soil management systems we evaluated the time it takes to recover the initial soil physical attributes that are affected by soil tillage by the occasion of lime reapplication. The experiment was set up on a Rhodic Paleudult (Ultisol) at the Agronomical Experimental […]

The current sugarcane management techniques employed involve vigorous soil revolvement with ploughs, heavy disks and subsoilers before planting. The aim of this study was to evaluate the degree of modification of some physical properties of a kaolinitic Oxisol (LVd) and a kaolinitic – oxidic Oxisol (LVdf) under sugarcane and native forest in Jaboticabal county, São Paulo state, Brazil. The experimental design was completely randomized, in a 4 x 3 split plot scheme (four managements and three depths), with four replications. […]

Soil tillage and crop systems have significant influence on the soil structure, affecting water and air flow. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects the management has on the soil properties of a Hapludox cultivated with maize intercropped with summer cover crops. Two experiments were carried out in Chapecó, State of Santa Catarina, Brazil under reduced tillage (RT) from 1993 to 1998 and conventional tillage (CT) from 1994 to 1998. Three cropping systems were evaluated under each […]

This study was carried out from 1994 to 1998 in the Agronomy experimental area at the University of Cruz Alta – UNICRUZ, Cruz Alta, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil to evaluate the influence of five soil management systems on bulk density, porous space (total porosity, macro and microporosity) of an clayey Rhodic Hapludox, as well as their effect on soybean, wheat and corn yield. The experiment had a completely randomized block design with four replications. The following management […]