Chemical and microbiological indicators of quality in a yellow oxissol under conventional tillage of different ages

Abstract

Brazil's agricultural production in Savanna soils has been highlighted due to significant yield gains in these areas. The present study aimed to evaluate changes in soil chemical and biological indicators of Piauí Savanna areas after 1 (PC1), 3 (PC3) and 6 (PC6) years under conventional tillage compared to a native Savanna forest (NF), used as control. Chemical (pH, P, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺, H⁺, Al³⁺ and organic carbon) and total organic carbon (TOC) and microbiological attributes (microbial biomass carbon (MBC), basal respiration, microbial quotient and metabolic quotient), were assessed. In PC6 and PC3 areas, Al³⁺, H⁺ + Al³⁺ and total organic carbon reduction and pH and nutrient content increase were observed in all layers evaluated. TOC was little influenced by time, since the change was gradual according to soil use. MBC and qMIC values were higher in the soil under natural vegetation, indicating adverse effects of monoculture managed with prolonged conventional tillage on these variables. PC6 soil had the highest qCO₂ values in the depths of 0 to 0.20 and 0.20 to 0.40 m, which shows low efficiency of microorganisms in converting organic residue into microbial biomass in this system. Conventional management increased soil biological quality loss and favored chemical properties with its time of use.