The stability of aggregates and organic carbon content after the application of gypsum, soil scarification and a succession of agricultural crops

Milton César Costa Campos,Eduardo Santos Neves Dos Santos,Wildson Benedito Mendes Brito,Alan Ferreira Leite De Lima,Paulo Guilherme Salvador Wadt,Fernando Gomes De Souza,Jose Mauricio Cunha,Elyenayra Nogueira Pinheiro

doi:10.14393/bj-v36n3a2020-42333

Milton César Costa Campos, Eduardo Santos Neves Dos Santos + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.14393/bj-v36n3a2020-42333

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Abstract

Studies related to the monitoring of soil quality by physical attributes are important for the evaluation and maintenance of the sustainability of agricultural systems, besides indicating the appropriate management of the environment, aiming at its conservation and productivity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the stability of aggregates and organic carbon after the application of gypsum, soil scarification and a succession of crops. The treatments consisted of an absence and addition of gypsum, absence and presence of soil scarification, and three systems of crops in succession. The experimental design was made of randomized blocks, in a 2x2x4 factorial scheme, with eight replications. The aggregates were evaluated as stabled in water and soil organic carbon content. The treatment where gypsum was applied, as well as the soybean/maize/brachiaria/fallow (SMBF) succession system, presented better results in soil aggregation and higher levels of organic carbon.

Highlights

Agricultural practices, when performed improperly, result in changes of both physical and chemical soil attributes, such as aggregation, which is one of the most important factors for the conservation and maintenance of the environmental functions of the soil (LOSS et al, 2009; HANKE; DICK, 2017), and organic matter, involved in the processes of cementation and stabilization of aggregates
The relationships between soil aggregates and organic matter content are related to mineral fraction, soil fauna, microorganisms, presence of roots, inorganic agents and environmental variables as the main factors involved in the formation and stability of soil aggregates (SALTON et al, 2008)
Without 91.3 b 3.1 a 1.9 a 1.1 a Geometric Mean Diameter (GMD) = geometric mean diameter; WAD = weighted average diameter; ** significant at the 1% probability level (p

Summary

Introduction

Agricultural practices, when performed improperly, result in changes of both physical and chemical soil attributes, such as aggregation, which is one of the most important factors for the conservation and maintenance of the environmental functions of the soil (LOSS et al, 2009; HANKE; DICK, 2017), and organic matter, involved in the processes of cementation and stabilization of aggregates. The increase of the stability of aggregates provides the best structuring of the soil, supplying it with pore spaces and allowing a better development of a root system for plants, airflow and water in the soil (SALTON et al, 2014). The cultivation of plants with abundant root systems combined with management practices that add organic matter in soils are essential for the formation and stability of aggregates larger than 2 mm, resulting in the restructuring of soil particles (RIBON et al., 2014)

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