ABSTRACT Compaction caused by mechanization affects soil quality and, consequently, the development of crops. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different degrees of soil compaction on the physiology, morphology, and anatomy of different coffee cultivars in a controlled environment. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse, with randomized block design in a 5 × 5 factorial arrangement, with five coffee cultivars (Arara, Catuaí Amarelo IAC 62, Catuaí Vermelho 144, MGS Paraíso 2 and Mundo Novo IAC 379-19) […]

Associated with the benefits of the no-till system for the soil, there may be the formation of a vertical gradient of fertility and a compacted layer caused by heavy farm machine traffic, which may modify the root growth of crops. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of rates and forms of phosphate fertilizer application and soil compaction by machine traffic on the physical properties and root system of soybeans and maize. The study was conducted in […]

The pressure applied by animal hooves can lead to soil surface compaction in a crop-livestock system (CLIS), with effects on soil physical quality. The hypothesis of this study was that the trampling of animals as a result of grazing on oat and ryegrass crops in a Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico (Oxisol) under no-tillage in a CLIS degrades soil physical quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different grazing heights on soil bulk density (BD), total porosity […]

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 % […]

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 […]

The introduction and intensification of no-tillage systems in Brazilian agriculture in recent decades have created a new scenario, increasing concerns about soil physical properties. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of different tillage systems on some physical properties of an Ultisol previously under native grassland. Five tillage methods were tested: no-tillage (NT), chiseling (Ch), no-tillage with chiseling every two years (NTCh2), chiseling using an equipment with a clod-breaking roller (ChR) and chiseling followed by disking (ChD). […]

Soil compaction is one of the processes responsible for soil physical degradation that may result in the loss of sustainability of agricultural production. Therefore, it is important to have instrumental strategies to quantify soil physical properties that are influenced by soil compression and used to assess soil quality. The objectives of this study were to: (i) develop an inexpensive pneumatic consolidometer, (ii) evaluate its functionality by the study of the compressive behaviour of a sandy clay Rhodic Hapludox under no-tillage, […]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate, under field conditions, in Colina-SP, Brazil, the response of two genetically different corn cultivars to six compaction levels of an Oxisol. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design, with strip plots and four replications. The corn hybrids DKB 390 and DAS 2B710 were used. After corn seeding, non-deformed soil samples were collected from the layers 0-0.10, 0.10-0.20 and 0.20-0.30 m to determine soil physical properties and the S index. At the seed […]

The establishment of irrigation management has been based on the soil water potential (Ψ) as a limiting factor for plant growth. However, other variables can affect crop growth even when Ψ is not limiting. The least limiting water range (LLWR) is a concept of available water that take account the influence of aeration and soil resistance to penetration (SR) in addition to Ψ. The objective of this study was to quantify the LLWR in an irrigated Dystroferric Red Nitosol and […]

Quantifying the relationship between physical and mechanical soil properties can contribute to the development of pedotransfer functions that allow estimating hard-to-measure soil properties. The objective of this study was to evaluate the interrelations between susceptibility to compaction and load support with some physical properties of soils from Southern Brazil. Penetration resistance, moisture, bulk density and compressibility of six soils were evaluated. In a model including soil moisture and bulk density as independent variables, the relation with penetration resistance values obtained […]