Compaction has become one of the main causes of soil degradation in agricultural areas. It is directly related to the soil management system, often requiring decompaction practices to mitigate the problem. This study aimed to determine the duration of the effects of mechanical soil decompaction, e.g., by plowing and chiseling, associated with soil breaking devices on the seeders, for example disks and disk-ripper, to mitigate the compaction of soil under no tillage; soil physical properties and the force exerted by […]

The adjustment of animal quantity according to the herbage allowance is fundamental to the sustainability of natural pastures. The management of herbage allowance, besides affecting the plant species that compose the pasture, can also compromise soil properties, such as density and aggregation. This study aimed to evaluate the soil bulk density, weighted mean diameter of soil aggregates and carbon fractions under natural pasture, under varying grazing intensities for 22 years, represented by herbage allowance levels of 4, 8, 12, and […]

Despite evidences that soil morphology and classification can be used to infer measurable soil properties and to correlate management results among different agricultural sites, there is still the need of data to support many of those inferences. The aim of this research was to validate the use of soil morphology and taxonomy to predict soil properties based on measurements and analyzed by geostatistics, mainly those related to Nitic and Ferralic/Oxic soil horizons. Three selected soil profiles under no-tillage and fallow […]

The soil-water retention curve (SWRC) is essential to understand the physical-hydric soil behavior. However, data for the construction of the SWRC are obtained in slow and expensive processes. This study hypothesized the possibility that SWRC could be constructed based on fewer tension data within a shorter time, without affecting the accuracy. The objective was to determine the tension data required for the construction of an accurate SWRC in less time. Undisturbed soil samples were collected from a Eutrophic Red Oxisol […]

Soil mechanical penetration resistance exerts a strong influence on plant development since the root growth as well as crop yield are inversely related to this variable. On the other hand, soil organic matter and pH are also relevant for plant development, for being directly linked to soil nutrient availability. In the 2005/2006 growing season, the following dendrometric parameters of Eucalyptus camaldulensis were analyzed: (a) wood volume (WV), (b) perimeter at breast height (PBH) and c) plant height (PH), and the […]

The increasing need for food, space and other conditions for human survival generate greater anthropic interferences with the environment. Intensively and improperly tilled soils are degraded and illegal civil construction in rural areas is causing problems. Different techniques are being used to ameliorate these soils, mainly by the addition of organic matter, but information on the time required for soil recovery, influence of the organic matter type and on indicators of soil alterations is still rare. Our study aimed to […]

The traffic of agricultural machinery and soil compaction occur near the canopy of citrus trees, which increases soil physical restrictions to root growth. Soil management strategies include the use of permanent groundcover in the interrows of orange tree plantations, although the effects of these practices on the soil physical quality are largely unknown. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of groundcover management systems on some indicators of soil physical quality for orange tree orchards. The study […]

Brazil is the most important exporter of cashew nut in the world. The production is concentrated in the northeast region, which accounts for 97 % of the national production. However, in the recent years the cashew nut production has been declining, specially in the state of Ceará, mainly due to inadequate soil management. The aim of this study was to evaluate alterations in the physical and chemical properties of an Ultisol submitted to distinct soil management practices and the development […]

The study of the effects of soil tillage systems on some physical and chemical properties of a Typic Paleudal and on cassava yield (Manihot esculenta, Crantz) was carried out in the northwest of the state of Paraná, Brazil in 1994/95 and 1996/97. Three soil tillage systems were used: (a) no-tillage; (b) minimum tillage (field cultivator and disc harrowing); and, (c) conventional tillage (mouldplowing and disc harrowing). A randomized complete block experimental design with six replications was used. Higher macroporosity values in the 0.10 m […]

The changes in some soil chemical properties, bulk density, and microbiological activity due to the replacement of a native forest by orange cultivation were evaluated in an Yellow-Red Podzolic Soil. The study was conducted at the Cambuhy orange farm, Matão (SP) in April, 1996. Two areas were selected: (a) a native forest, and (b) a 15-year-old orange plantation. Ten sites were randomly selected in each area and soil samples were taken at 0-20 and 20-40 cm depths. In the cultivated area, […]