Untrafficked furrowed seedbed sustains soil physical quality in sugarcane mechanized fields

Abstract

AbstractManagement strategies that reduce machinery traffic, such as creating seedbeds, could be adopted to preserve soil health and reduce soil physical restriction to sugarcane (Saccharum sp.) growth. Field experiments on clayey and sandy loam soils were conducted along four crop seasons (2013–2017) to investigate the changes in bulk density, soil penetration resistance, macroporosity and microporosity in the row and inter‐row positions, as well as sugarcane biomass production (root and stalk yield) under different machinery traffic treatments. The experimental areas were conducted in randomized block design with two treatments and four repetitions. The evaluated treatments were: (a) regular traffic, in which all operations were performed mechanically using regular machinery traffic; and (b) without traffic, in which all field operations (except those used for sunn hemp management and for opening the sugarcane planting furrow) were performed manually without machinery traffic. No critical values of physical properties were identified in either soil type in plots without machinery traffic, indicating the lowest density and soil penetration resistance values, as well as higher macroporosity, where sugarcane seedbed zones had been established. Our findings show that seedbeds resulted in greater root growth and development in the soil profile, mainly in inter‐row positions. Overall, sugarcane stalk yield was similar between the treatments in both soil types. This study reinforces the importance of the planting furrow in keeping suitable soil conditions for plant growth and concludes that sugarcane production in untrafficked seedbeds is an effective strategy to sustain soil physical conditions over the crop cycle, without the need for tillage operations during the (re)planting period.Highlights The use of seedbeds sustains soil physical quality along the crop cycle Most of root biomass were concentrated in the crop‐row Crop‐row position provides adequate soil physical conditions for root growth and plant development Untrafficked furrowed seedbed sustains soil physical quality and makes no‐tillage viable