Abstract
The objective of this experiment was to study the effects of soil management systems on the bulk density, chemical soil properties, and on the soil microbial activity on a Latossolo Vermelho distrófico (Oxisol). Soil samples were collected from plots under the following management conditions: a) natural dense "cerrado" vegetation (savanna); b) degraded Brachiaria decumbens pasture, 20 years old; c) no-tillage treatment with annual crop sequence (bean, corn, soybean and dark-oat in continuous rotation), 8 years old; d) conventional tillage treatment with crop residues added to the soil, and annual crop sequence, 10 years old. The continuous use of no-tillage system resulted in an increase in microbial biomass and decrease in soil basal respiration, therefore displaying evident long-term effects on the increase of soil C content. The no-tillage system also provided an improvement in bulk density and chemical properties of the soil. Hence, the no-tillage management system could be an alternative for the conservation and maintenance of physical and chemical conditions and the productive potential of "cerrado" soils.
Highlights
Introduction25% of the total Brazilian territory, and they have a fundamental role on the concentration and balance of almost all biological systems
Abstract The objective of this experiment was to study the effects of soil management systems on the bulk density, chemical soil properties, and on the soil microbial activity on a Latossolo Vermelho distrófico (Oxisol)
The soil microbial biomass responds as a whole to changes in agricultural practices which alter the annual input of organic matter into the soil
Summary
25% of the total Brazilian territory, and they have a fundamental role on the concentration and balance of almost all biological systems. Microorganisms inhabit soil and, together with exocellular enzymes and soil mesofauna and macrofauna, conduct all known metabolic reactions These organisms play a key role in the composition of soil organic matter and nutrient cycling and, microbial activity is very important for the maintenance of soil fertility. Their retention alters soil properties, mainly by causing a gradual increase in soil organic matter content Such changes are slow and difficult to measure accurately against the large background of organic matter present in most of the soils (Powlson & Jenkinson, 1981). The soil microbial biomass responds as a whole to changes in agricultural practices which alter the annual input of organic matter into the soil It can give an early warning of the direction of longterm changes in soil organic matter content long before they can be detected by conventional techniques (Saffigna et al, 1989). The present paper aimed to study the effects of different soil management systems on the bulk density and chemical soil properties and on the soil microbial activity
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