COMPRESSIBLITY AND PENETRABILITY OF LATOSSOLO VERMELHO-AMARELO DISTRÓFICO (OXISOL) UNDER VARIED MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND LAND USES

• Main Authors: Eudes Neiva Júnior, Wellington Willian Rocha, Bruno Silva Pires, Múcio Mágno de Melo Farnezi, Moacir de Souza Dias Junior, Danilo Fernandes Borges de Freitas, Enilson de Barros Silva, Gianniini Alexsandra de Oliveira Carvalho
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Ciência do Solo 2015-02-01
• Series: Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo
• Subjects: compactação do solo; pastagem de ovinos; plantio direto; mata atlântica
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-06832015000100086&lng=en&tlng=en

Soil compaction is one of the main degradation causes, provoked by inappropriate agricultural practices that override the limitations of the soil physical properties. Preconsolidation pressure and penetration resistance have proved effective as alternative to assess and identify soil compaction. Based on the interpretation of these physico-mechanical parameters, compaction can be prevented with a better adjusted soil management. This study was performed to generate preconsolidation pressure and penetration resistance models for Latososlo Vermelho-Amarelo distrófico (Oxisol) under various managements and uses; and evaluate which of these would lead to degradation or degradation susceptibility. The study was carried out in Curvelo, MG. Two managements and one land use were evaluated: no-tillage, sheep grazing and natural forest. Undisturbed soil samples collected from the 0-5 cm layer were subjected to uniaxial compression and penetration resistance tests. Preconsolidation pressure models for forest and no-tillage soils were not statistically different, demonstrating a low degradation potential in no-tillage systems. Preconsolidation pressure was higher in soil under sheep grazing at all water retention tensions and penetration resistance values were higher than under native forest indicating animal trampling as a potential degradation factor. Neither management presented penetration resistance values above 2 MPa at field capacity moisture. Only under sheep grazing the soil penetrability was near 2 MPa at field capacity and values greater than 2 MPa at 0.2 kg kg-1.