ABSTRACT Santa Catarina State, in the South region of Brazil, has 713 thousand hectares of pine forests. Harvesting operations of this species can degrade the soil, especially when carried out on very wet soil. However, there is little information on the impact of pine harvesting on the physical properties of the soil in this region. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of Pinus taeda L. harvesting on the physical properties of a Nitossolo Bruno distrófico típico. Two areas were […]

ABSTRACT Soil structure plays an important role in water retention, infiltration capacity, porosity, and penetration resistance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity and physical properties of Oxisol soils (bulk density and macro-, micro-, and total porosity) in the structures identified using the profil cultural method in areas under two different management practices (perennial pasture and sugarcane). Three pits were dug in each plot to find out how homogeneous morphological structural units (HMSU) were organized […]

ABSTRACT Accumulation of nutrients and surface compaction have been reported after a long time under a no-tillage system. The aim of this study was to evaluate soil chemical properties, bulk density, and crop yield following a single mechanical intervention associated with liming in a clayey Oxisol under a NT system for 17 consecutive years in Pato Branco, southwestern Paraná, Brazil. A randomized block experimental design was used in a split-plot arrangement, with plowing and harrowing of the soil in the […]

Conservation tillage systems in orange groves can increase soil load-bearing capacity minimizing their risks of soil compaction. The objective of this study was to evaluate load-bearing capacity through preconsolidation pressure and its dependence on water content, bulk density, and organic carbon of a Typic Paleudult soil 18 years after setting up permanent plant cover between the rows of an orange grove. A randomized block experimental design was used, with three replications. Three groundcover treatments subjected to mowing between the rows […]

Management of forage grazing height by cattle may compromise soil physical properties. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of grazing height of brachiaria (Urochloa ruziziensis) and the average stocking rate, after three years into an integrated soybean crop-livestock system, in the physical attributes of a Haplorthox (Rhodic Ferralsol). A randomized complete block experimental design with three replications was used. Five treatments were evaluated in 1 ha experimental plots: grazing heights of 10, 20, 30, and 40 […]

The use of no-tillage systems associated with the use of cover crops and crop rotation changes some soil physical properties and may indicate change in soil quality. This study aimed to use the aggregate stability index (IEA) and the sensitivity index (SI) to assess changes in soil physical attributes with the use of different plant cover after twelve years of no-tillage. We used a randomized block design with the following types of cover crops: sunn hemp, millet, sorghum, brachiaria, and […]

Soil physical properties, plant growth, and water availability in the soil are factors that interact in response to changes in soil structure. Knowing how these factors interact in field conditions is of great importance for management of soil compaction for crop yield. In this paper, three levels of soil compaction, with and without irrigation, were assessed in regard to growth and yield of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The probability of interaction between soil compaction and irrigation was 88 % […]

Soil tillage, machine traffic and animal trampling in unsuitable wet soil conditions (consistency in the plastic state) cause plastic and non-recoverable deformations in the soil. The aim of this study was to determine and evaluate the soil physical and mechanical properties to characterize the level of soil compaction and load bearing capacity in three areas with different land uses (rotational grazing, native forest and conventional tillage). Undisturbed soil samples were collected in layers from 0.00-0.05, 0.05-0.10 and 0.10-0.15 m, with […]

The least limiting water range (LLWR) is defined by the amplitude of the water content (θ) in the soil in which limitations to plant growth associated with water availability, aeration and soil resistance to penetration (SR) are minimal. In general, LLWR determination requires expensive equipment, and obtaining water retention and SR data is laborious. The use of pressure membranes and Richards’ pressure plates requires a long time to determine the water retention curve (WRC) due to the need for achieving […]

The effects of soil use and management on soil physical quality have been largely discussed due to its environmental and agronomic impacts. The least limiting water range (LLWR) is a modern indicator of soil physical quality that can indicate processes and mechanisms linked to soil physical degradation caused by soil use and management. The aim of this work was to quantify the influence of different land uses and soil tillage on the LLWR of an Oxisol (170, 40 and 790 […]