Atributos físicos e químicos do solo cultivado com braquiária para implantação de plantio direto em São João - PE

Abstract

The Regolithic Neosols have predominance in the Agreste region of the municipality of São João, PE. The main crops of the region are beans and cassava, planted in the conventional planting system. The maize consortium with Brachiaria decumbens has shown promise in this region, but there are few studies on the use of this consortium for the formation of straw for implantation of the no-tillage system. The objective of this work was to determine the chemical and physical attributes of a typical Eutrophic Regolithic Neosol, of sandy texture, under plants and straw of B. decumbens Stapf. in the municipality of São João - PE, evaluating its influence as a cover plant on the quality of sandy soil. The treatments consisted of a single plantation system and a consortium of corn and millet with B. decumbens, distributed in randomized blocks in a 2x2 factorial scheme, with four replications. The planting was carried out in May 2017, remaining fallow after harvest for 18 months. The physical and chemical attributes were evaluated in the 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm layers, as well as the existing dry biomass. The dry biomass results obtained in the treatments with Brachiaria ranged from 10.37 to 13.06 Mg ha-1, being adequate for the implantation of the no-tillage system in the region.The treatments consorted with B. decumbens showed higher levels of total organic carbon and calcium. The treatments consorted with B. decumbens showed a trend of lower soil density, with higher total porosity and greater available water capacity. Considering the conditions of this work, intercropped corn crops are more productive and sustainable than traditional crop cultivation.