ABSTRACT: Soil physical quality in lowlands from the Pampa biome under no-tillage (NT) plays an important role; therefore, this study aimed to establish a soil physical quality index (SPQi) from a minimum data set to detect the effects of different deployment times of NT in an Albaqualf. The comparison of areas with one (NT1), three (NT3), five (NT5) and seven (NT7) years of notillage was established using as reference a non-cultivated field plot (NC) for at least thirty years, nearby the sites under NT. Soil samples with undisturbed and disturbed structure were collected to determine the physical quality indicators and soil organic matter (SOM) fractions. The factor analysis (FA) was used to identify and select a minimum data set. The SPQi was elaborated by using the deviations of the measured indicators at different deployment times of NT in relation to NC. The SPQi showed sensibility to identify and explain soil physical quality changes with different deployment times of NT. In well-drained lands, higher deployment times of no-tillage promote the physical quality of lowlands.

ABSTRACT: The southern Brazilian lowlands have been historically used for flooded rice cultivation. Over time, heavy machinery and intensive tillage practices have resulted in soil structure disruption, soil compaction, higher production costs and lower agricultural profitability. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different deployment times of no-tillage (NT). Soil properties including bulk density (BD), compression index (CI), preconsolidation pressure (σp), bulk density at preconsolidation pressure (BDσp), degree of compactness (DC), soil water retention curve (SWRC), plant available water (PAW) and total organic carbon (TOC) content were evaluated using a 30-yr non-cultivated field (NC), adjacent to the experimental plots as a control. The BD, σp, BDσp and DC decreased in response to NT adoption time while the soil water holding capacity increased, allowing for higher PAW. Results from this study demonstrated the positive effects of NT on the overall quality of soils.

Resumo O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos do sistema plantio direto (PD) e do manejo com preparo convencional (PC) sobre atributos físicos e hídricos de um Planossolo Háplico cultivado com soja, em terras baixas do Sul do Brasil. Amostras indeformadas de solo foram coletadas às camadas de 0,00-0,10, 0,10-0,20 e 0,20-0,40 m, para a determinação dos atributos físico-hídricos, tendo-se monitorado o potencial mátrico do solo com sensores, ao longo de um ciclo de produção da soja. Os valores de macroporosidade foram menores do que 0,10 m3 m-3, independentemente do sistema de manejo do solo, o que restringe a possibilidade de cultivo da soja em sequeiro, pelo comprometimento da difusão de gases. Comparado ao PC, o PD promove a microporosidade na camada de 0,00-0,10 m, o que aumenta o conteúdo de água armazenada no solo e a disponibilidade hídrica para a cultura da soja, com reflexos positivos sobre a produtividade da cultura.

Abstract The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) on the physical and hydric properties of an Albaqualf soil cultivated with soybean, in the lowlands of Southern Brazil. Undisturbed soil samples were collected at the 0.00-0.10, 0.10-0.20, and 0.20-0.40-m soil layers, in order to determine soil physicohydric properties, by monitoring the soil matric potential with sensors, over a cycle of soybean production. Macroporosity values were lower than 0.10 m3 m-3, irrespectively of the soil management system, which restricts the possibility of rainfed soybean cultivation because it affects gas diffusion. In comparison to CT, NT increases microporosity at the 0.00-0.10-m soil layer, which increases soil water content and soil water availability for soybean crop, with positive effects on crop yield.

Resumo O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade física e as frações da matéria orgânica de um Planossolo sob sistema plantio direto (SPD), com diferentes tempos de implantação, no Sul do Brasil. Amostras de solo foram coletadas nas camadas de 0,00-0,03, 0,03-0,06, 0,06-0,10 e 0,10-0,20 m, tendo-se determinado: a porosidade total (Pt); a macroporosidade (Ma); a microporosidade (Mi); a resistência do solo à penetração (Rp); a densidade (Ds); os macro e microagregados; o diâmetro médio ponderado dos agregados (DMP); o carbono orgânico total (COT); o carbono das frações leve livre (FLL), leve oclusa (FLO) e pesada (FP); os estoques de carbono (EstC), os índices de labilidade (ILC), de estoque (IEC) e de manejo do carbono (IMC). O tempo de implantação SPD aumentou a Pt, a Ma, os EstC, e diminuiu a Mi, a Rp e a Ds. O SPD promove os atributos DMP, ILC, IEC e IMC a partir do quinto ano de implantação, e, portanto, melhora a qualidade física do solo.

Abstract The objective of this work was to evaluate the physical quality and the organic matter fractions of an Alfisol soil under no-tillage (NT) with different deployment times in Southern Brazil. Soil samples were taken at the 0.00-0.03, 0.03-0.06, 0.06-0.10, and 0.10-0.20-m depths, for determining: total porosity (Pt); macroporosity (Ma); microporosity (Mi); soil penetration resistance (Rp); bulk density (Ds); macro- and microaggregates; mean weight diameter (MWD) of soil aggregates; total organic carbon content (TOC); the free light (FLL), light occluded (FLO), and heavy (FP) carbon fractions; carbon stocks (EstC); and the lability (ILC), stock (IEC), and carbon management (IMC) indexes. SPD deployment time increased Pt, Ma, and EstC, and decreased Mi, RP, Ds. NT promotes MWD, ILC, IEC, and IMC after five years of deployment, and, therefore, it improves soil physical quality.

A recuperação de áreas degradadas após a mineração de carvão é fundamental para a sustentabilidade do meio ambiente. Este trabalho objetivou avaliar a qualidade estrutural de um solo construído sob diferentes plantas de cobertura, utilizando como referência um solo construído sem plantas de cobertura e um solo natural sob vegetação nativa à frente da mineração. Concluiu-se que as plantas de cobertura, principalmente a Tanzânia (Panicum maximum), contribuíram para melhoria da qualidade estrutural do solo construído, reduzindo a densidade do solo, promovendo a macroporosidade, a porosidade total, o teor de carbono orgânico total e do diâmetro médio dos agregados estáveis. Mais estudos precisam ser realizados enfocando a agregação, resistência tênsil de agregados e friabilidade, considerando que o método de construção interfere na qualidade estrutural desses solos.

Land reclamation after coal mining is essential for the sustainability of that environment. This study aimed to evaluate the structural quality of a soil built up under different cover crops, taking a soil built up without cover crops and natural soil under native vegetation across from the mining operation as references. It may be concluded that cover crops, especially Tanzania (Panicum maximum), contributed to improvement of the structural quality of the built-up soil, reducing bulk density and increasing macroporosity, total porosity, total organic carbon content and the average diameter of stable aggregates. More studies are needed with a focus on aggregation, tensile strength of aggregates and friability since the way in which the soils are built up affects their structural quality.

Management systems may influence the structural quality of soils. Tensile strength (TS) and friability (F) are indicators of soil structural quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the TS and F of an Alfisol under different management systems. The treatments were as follows: (i) soil under conventional system with growing maize after tobacco cultivation, (ii) soil under conventional system with growing maize after use as pasture, (iii) soil under natural pasture, and (iv) a natural area with predominance of spontaneous vegetation. TS and F were evaluated at depths of 0.00-0.05 and 0.05-0.10 m. The water content of soil aggregates, soil particle-size distribution, total organic carbon, carbon in the coarse fraction and carbon associated with minerals were also determined. The increase in clay content and soil organic carbon influences the values of TS. The lowest TS was for the soil under maize cultivation after tobacco in the conventional system. Soil under natural area in the 0.05-0.10 m layer was classified as slightly friable, while other systems were classified as friable. Evaluations of the structural quality of soils under management systems can be performed using TS. However, F was not efficient in detecting changes between the different management systems.