Physical indicators of soil quality of alfisol under conventional system of physic nut

Abstract

The implantation and development of alternative crops to production of biofuel are dependents of soil structural quality. The physic nut has been considered as one of the promising sources of biofuel. The objective of this study was to quantify the influence of use systems on some indicators of soil physical quality and to identify critical values of bulk density and air-filled porosity to crop development of an Alfisol under conventional system of physic nut. For the evaluation of physical indicators of soil quality, samples were collected with disturbed and indisturbed structure in different sampling positions (crop row and interrow). The samples were taken of the layers 0.00 - 0.05; 0.05 - 0.10 and 0.10 - 0.20 m depth. In the conditions of this study, concluded that: i) except to 0.10 to 0.20 m depth, the sampling positions influenced all soil physical parameters; ii) the crop row position presented higher macroporosity and total porosity in 0.00 to 0.10 m depth; iii) the critical air-filled porosity and bulk density values for plant growth were 0.74 and 1.49 Mg m-3 and iv) considering the bulk density and air-filled porosity only the crop row position no indicate restrictive values to plants development.