Soil fertility can be evaluated by several methods, such as field or greenhouse tests with plants. In greenhouse studies with untilled soils the sampling of undisturbed soil cores is difficult. The aim of this study was to propose an equipment for undisturbed soil core sampling of untilled soils for greenhouse studies and test its efficiency. A sampler with a diameter of 200 mm and depth of 300 mm was developed. The soil penetration resistance and density of the soil and […]

Soil physical characteristics were evaluated of a typical dystrophic Red Latosol (Typic Haplorthox) located in Passo Fundo, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, after ten years (1993 to 2003) under mixed production systems. The effects of production systems integrating grain production with winter annual and perennial forages under no-tillage were assessed. Five mixed cropping systems were evaluated: I) wheat/soybean, white oat/soybean, and common vetch/corn; II) wheat/soybean, white oat/soybean, and annual forages (black oat + common vetch)/corn; III) perennial cool […]

Soil management systems modify the spatial distribution of soil physical properties. The objectives of this study were to verify the spatial dependency and co-relationship of some soil physical properties by data fitting to individual and cross-semivariograms in an Oxisol (Typic Haplorthox) under no-till and conventional tillage, in Campo Mourão, state of Parana, Brazil. In April 2004, 128 undisturbed soil samples were collected in a 3 x 5 m grid, in the middle of the 5-0.15 m layer. The following soil […]

Chiseling and cover crops can be used in the management of orchards with the purpose of improving soil physical conditions and reducing soil compaction. This study had the objective of evaluating the influence of chiseling on the development of cover crops and citrus trees and on soil physical properties in an orchard with a compaction history in a clayey Typic Haplorthox. The soil was chiseled at 0.30 m, followed by three soil cover crops: spontaneous vegetation, pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), […]

During timber exploitation in forest stands harvesting machines pass repeatedly along the same track and can cause soil compaction, which leads to soil erosion and restricted tree root growth. The level of soil compaction depends on the number of passes and weight of the wood load. This paper aimed to evaluate soil compaction and eucalyptus growth as affected by the number of passes and wood load of a forwarder. The study was carried out in Santa Maria de Itabira county, […]

Soil resistance to penetration (PR) frequently reduces plant root growth. PR increases with soil bulk density (Bd) and decreases with soil moisture (θ), and the mathematical description of the relationships of PR with Bd and θ determines the soil penetration resistance curve (SRC). The objective of this study was to quantify the SRC of an Oxisol under different land use practices and to use it to describe soil physical degradation. Four areas were selected: (a) native forest; (b) pasture cultivated […]

Practices of soil use and management are based on the physical and hydric soil behavior. Our objective was to evaluate the inter-relationships between physical properties and coefficients of soil water retention curves in an Oxisol under different soil use systems. In 2004, three contiguous areas were selected, covered for over 20 years by forest (native), Brachiaria decumbens (fallow) and annual crops (cultivation). Twenty-five undisturbed soil samples were collected at a depth of 0-0.15 m to determine the soil water retention curves. […]

Different physical properties are used to evaluate the soil physical quality. In this context, soil tensile strength and friability are indicators of the soil physical and structural quality. The objective of this study was to quantify the tensile strength and friability of an Oxisol under different soil use systems: forest, fallow and cultivated. Soil samples were collected from three contiguous areas of an Experimental Farm of the State University of Maringá. Two areas were cultivated: one with annual crops under […]

Pedotransfer functions (PTFs) are useful tools to obtain estimates of soil physical properties such as the soil water retention curve (SWRC) and the soil resistance to penetration curve (SRPC), which are important inherent soil properties and difficult to measure. Most of the studies in the literature report PTFs only in relation to SWRC estimates. An important and necessary advance in this research area would be the development of PTFs for a simultaneous estimation of the SWRC and SRPC, which is […]

The soil physical quality is fundamental for the sustainability of citrus production. The objective of this study was to evaluate the homogeneity of soil physical quality in-between the rows of an orange orchard with groundcover management systems. The study was performed in an experimental field with groundcover systems in-between the rows of ‘Pêra orange’ on ‘Rangpur’ lime rootstock on a Typic Paleudult, in 1993, in Alto Paraná, in the northwestern region of the state of Paraná, Brazil. An experimental design […]