Soil Physical Quality in Agricultural Production Systems in the Brazilian Midwest Cerrado

Abstract

Soil physical quality plays a crucial role in sustaining agricultural productivity and environmental resilience, particularly in highly weathered tropical soils. This study evaluated the effects of different management systems on the physical quality of an Oxisol in the Brazilian Midwest Cerrado, including no-tillage (NT), crop-livestock integration (CL), and native vegetation as a reference. The systems differed in implementation time (4 and 11 years for NT; 5 and 10 years for CL) and forage species (Urochloa hybrid cv. Mavuno and Urochloa hybrid cv. Mulato). Soil physical attributes were assessed up to 0.60 m depth, including bulk density, porosity, penetration resistance, soil moisture, aggregate stability, and soil organic carbon. Results showed that soil physical quality varied according to both management system and time of adoption, with more pronounced effects in subsurface layers. Recently implemented systems generally exhibited lower penetration resistance compared to older systems, suggesting ongoing structural adjustment. Crop-livestock systems promoted higher soil moisture and improved pore functionality, although some conditions of increased bulk density were observed depending on forage species and management intensity. The system with 5 years of CL using Urochloa cv. Mulato showed the best overall soil physical quality, likely due to favorable root development and biomass input, enhancing aggregation and pore distribution.