Soil organic matter fractions and carbon management index under integrated crop-livestock system

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the carbon content of the physical, chemical and oxidizable fractions of soil organic matter (SOM) and to calculate the carbon management index (CMI) in an area managed under an integrated crop-livestock system (ICLS) in the western region of Paraná - Brazil. The experiment was carried out at the experimental farm, belonging to the Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná. Seventeen areas, which are managed in different ways, fifteen in ICLS and two areas of controls (Forest and Haymaking), using the design divided with two nested controls, with three replications were evaluated. Deformed and undisturbed soil samples were collected from all the areas to determine the total organic carbon (TOC), carbon stock, the physical, chemical and oxidizable fractions of SOM and the CMI in the layers of 0-0.05, 0.05-0.1 and 0.1-0.2 m. Little significant changes in the fractions were found for the management of the ICLS area in relation to the Forest and the area of Haymaking, although the Forest presented the best values for most of the studied fractions. It is recommended to adopt sustainable practices, such as ICLS, even though the average fractions tend to take time to match reference areas.