Resistência do solo a penetração em áreas sob sistema de produção pecuária

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.1072511023

• Palavras-chave: Compactação; Pisoteio animal; Pastagens; Forrageiras.

• Keywords: Compaction; Animal trampling; Pastures; Forage.

• Abstract: Soil compaction is a problem that reduces soil porosity, negatively affecting air and water circulation and nutrient flow, as well as hindering the root growth of forage species. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate soil penetration resistance in areas under production systems involving livestock. Five areas with different soil/land uses were studied: (i) Urochloa brizantha (Brachiaria brizantha; Braquiarão), (ii) Urochloa humidicola (Brachiaria humidicola; Quicuio), (iii) Megathyrsus maximus (BRS Zuri), (iv) an area transitioning to agriculture with the first year of soybean production, and (v) a natural Cerrado area. Sampling was based on monitoring each area four times (four repetitions). The physical quality of the soil was assessed in these areas using soil penetration resistance at the following depths: 0–20 cm, 20–40 cm, and 40–60 cm. Results showed that the Megathyrsus maximus, first-year soybean, and natural Cerrado areas had low soil penetration resistance values, indicating no compaction. The Urochloa brizantha area exhibited high soil penetration resistance values at depths of 0–20 cm, 20–40 cm, and 40–60 cm, while the Urochloa humidicola area showed high penetration resistance values only at the 40–60 cm layer. Based on these results, it is possible to conclude that the Urochloa area showed signs of soil compaction, which may result in limitations to root growth, nutrient uptake, and the development of forage species.