Soil resistance to root penetration is the main parameter to express the soil compaction degree and the facilities that it offers to root penetration. The purpose of this study was to characterize the ratio of the soil water content and root penetration resistance of a DystrocohesiveYellow Argissol in the Recôncavo Baiano (Bahia, Brazil). The study was carried out in a commercial citrus orchard with ‘Pera’ sweet orange (Citrus sinensis Osb.) grafted on ‘Rangpur’ lime (Citrus limonia Osbeck) with a green […]

Among a number of organisms that constitute soil macrofauna communities, distributed in different types of habitats, with varied foraging habits and life cycles, some are capable of a rapid response to environmental changes. These organisms are considered efficient indicators of the well-functioning of ecosystems. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the following succession stages of a seasonal semidecidous submontane forest of the Atlantic Forest domain: Secondary Forest Initial Stage – SFIS, Medium Stage – […]

Soils developed at semi-arid climate can present salt accumulation, which compromise the agricultural use, being increased by inadequate irrigation management. Based on the use, the degradation of these soils can occur at higher or smaller intensity. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of soil uses based on physical and chemical properties of an irrigated area in the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil. The soil uses were annual crops (C), fruticulture (F), pasture (P), discarded lands (D), or native vegetation […]

As knowledge on no-till system expands, it has become quite clear that separate chemical indicators cannot provide a detailed soil characterization. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of tillage systems and soil use in the physical, chemical and biological properties of a clayey dystrophic Red Latosol – Oxisol and a sandy Neosol – Entisol. The treatments for the Oxisol consisted of: native savanna, pasture, conventional tillage, no-tillage with turnip and with forage sorghum as cover crop. […]

The S index corresponds to the slope of the soil water retention curve at its inflection point. A high S value indicates the presence of structural pores, which are essential for a good soil physical condition. The objective of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of the index of soil physical quality (S), as proposed in the literature for some physical properties of soils from Southern Brazil. In the seven soils used here, no relationship was found between clay […]

The purpose of this study was the characterization of a soil system, focused on proprieties that can clarify the dynamics and contribute to the definition of criteria that determine the ability of these soils as recipients of effluents. An experimental study area was used, adjacent to the Sewage Treatment Station of the municipality of Lins (SP), where the sewage is treated in a system of stabilization ponds. The soil samples, taken from five trenches in a toposequence of a slight […]

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the influence of three soil cover species Acacia auriculiformis, Mimosa caesalpiniifolia and Corymbia citriodora compared to pasture and natural secondary forest on soil chemical and microbial attributes. The field survival rate of the species reached over 70% and the development in height and diameter (DAP) was adequate. The survival rate of Mimosa caesalpiniifolia was the highest among the legume species, while the development of Acacia auriculiformis was the best, mainly between 27 […]

The soil structural quality is important for plant emergence as well as for crop growth, development and yield. A wide range of soil tensile strength values indicates that soil structure conditions meet these requirements. The objective of this study was to evaluate the tensile strength and friability of an Oxisol (Acrudox) under no-tillage with crop rotation and crop succession. The soil management treatments consisted of: crop succession with wheat and soybean (SDS); crop rotation with corn-oats-soybean-oats-soybean-wheat (SDR) and SDR plus […]

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 […]