ABSTRACT Retaining sugarcane straw over the soil after harvesting can improve soil structure and increase soil carbon stabilization, mainly in macroaggregates. We evaluated the carbon content in the aggregate classes in areas under burn and no-burn (adopted for five years) sugarcane management systems, focusing on the superficial layer (0.00-0.20 m). The experiment was carried in an Oxisol and the treatments consisted in burnt sugarcane, manual harvest; burnt sugarcane, mechanized harvest; and no-burn, mechanized harvest. The retention of sugarcane straw on the soil surface is justified by the increase in carbon content and carbon stock in the surface layer (0.00-0.20 m) by restructuring of the soil, even though it cannot match the structure of the soil under native forest. Our results suggest that in no-burn management the carbon not occluded inside aggregates was important to increase carbon stabilization in soil and that more attention should be given to macroaggregates 2.00-8.00 mm present in this management system, that showed higher carbon content and was responsible for increase of the geometric and weight diameter, increasing the erosion resistance in the long term in relation to burn systems.

Este trabalho foi conduzido em Latossolo-Vermelho distrófico, sob cultivo de cana-de-açúcar, com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito de dois sistemas de manejo, com (CCQ - corte manual de cana queimada com carregamento mecânico) e sem queima (CSQ - colheita mecânica de cana picada, crua), sobre propriedades físicas do solo. Os dados foram comparados com os resultados do mesmo solo sob mata nativa. O delineamento utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado, com três tratamentos e 20 repetições. Foram determinadas a matéria orgânica, estabilidade de agregados, densidade e porosidade do solo, na profundidade de 0-0,20 m, e a resistência do solo à penetração. Após 15 anos de cultivo, constatou-se alteração do solo no sistema CCQ, evidenciada pela diminuição do diâmetro médio ponderado dos agregados estáveis em água e pelo aumento da densidade do solo. Foram também detectadas alterações significativas na porosidade total e distribuição de poros, devido às práticas de manejo nos dois sistemas de colheita. Valores críticos de resistência à penetração foram observados na área de cana mecanizada (CSQ), a 0,40-0,55 m de profundidade, sendo o valor (4,5 MPa) classificado como alto, podendo indicar compactação e restrição ao crescimento radicular. O manejo mecanizado foi o sistema que apresentou características do solo mais próximas às da área de mata nativa.

This study had the purpose of evaluating the effects of two management types of sugarcane: harvesting of burnt cane (BCH) and mechanized harvesting of unburnt green cane (MCH), on some soil physical properties of a dystrophic Rhodic Haplustox. The data were then compared with results for the same soil type under native forest. A completely randomized design was used, with three treatments and 20 replications. The following characteristics were determined: organic matter, aggregate stability, soil bulk density, and porosity at depths of 0-0.20 m and soil penetration resistance. After 15 years of cultivation, there were some alterations in the soil under cane burnt before harvesting, evidenced by a drop in the weighted average diameter of stable aggregates in water and increased soil bulk density. Significant changes were also detected in total porosity and pore distribution under both harvesting systems. Critical values for penetration resistance were observed in the area under mechanized sugar cane harvesting, with a value of 4.5 MPa in the 40-55 cm layer. This value is considered high and could indicate compaction and restriction of root growth. Soil properties under the green cane (unburned) management system were closest to those of the soil under native forest.