Compaction is one of the main causes of yield decreases in agricultural soils. Mechanical chiseling has been suggested to reduce soil compaction in long-term no-tillage systems. Another option to alleviate soil compaction is the use of cover crops, such as forage radish, with a well-developed tap root system and the capacity of growing into soil compacted layers, forming stable biopores and improving the soil physical properties. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of a mechanical (chisel plow) and biological […]

The microbial biomass is a living component of the organic matter responsive to changes caused by different soil management systems. The objective of this long-term study was to determine microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen in response to different management systems in a clayey Red Latosol cultivated with corn in the Cerrado. The field experiment was conducted on an experimental area of Embrapa Cerrados, Planaltina, in the Federal District. Eight soil management systems with different implements and periods of crop residue […]