Evaluation of biological attributes of soil type latossol under agroecological production

• Main Authors: Marisol Rivero Herrada, Ramiro Remigio Gaibor Fernández, Wilson Mozena Leandro, Enderson Petrônio de Brito Ferreira, Tatiana Maris Ferraresi, Juan José Reyes Pérez
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Universidad Central "Marta Abreu" de Las Villas 2016-10-01
• Series: Centro Agrícola
• Subjects: agroecosystem; microbial biomass; cover crops; soil management; agroecosistema; biomasa microbiana; cultivos de cobertura; manejo de suelo
• Online Access: http://cagricola.uclv.edu.cu/index.php/es/volumen-43-2016/numero-4-2016/834-evaluacion-de-atributos-biologicos-de-un-suelo-latosol-bajo-produccion-agroecologica-2

Biological soil attributes have shown to be good indicators of soil changes as a result of the management function. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of using cover crops, as well as planting and tillage systems on the biological attributes of a yellowish red latosol soil. Soil samples were taken at 0 to 0.10 m depth, seven days before the bean harvest. Microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen, basal soil respiration, metabolic ratio and total enzyme activity were evaluated in this study. The best agroecological management was achieved under the association of the ground cover with millet and in direct seeding because they showed higher soil microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen content and lower metabolic quotient, being pork bean the best plant coverage. All biological soil attributes were sensitive to the tillage system, which showed the best results of the total enzyme activity and of the soil metabolic quotient which resulted to be the most efficient.