Abstract

LEYVA, Santa L; MASAGUER, A  and  BALDOQUIN, Aimé. Effect of tillage systems on Luvisols dedicated to pasture production. Pastos y Forrajes [online]. 2014, vol.37, n.4, pp. 408-412. ISSN 0864-0394.

A trial was conducted in order to determine the influence of tillage systems on the properties of Luvisol soils, in the Las Tunas municipality. The evaluated indicators were: apparent density (ñ_b), total porosity (Pt), porosity of aeration (Pa), organic matter (OM) and Oligochaeta density and biomass. Experimental units were sampled, in a split-plot design and three repetitions, at the depths of 0-5, 5-20 and 20-30 cm. The OM contents and the Oligochaeta density and biomass were evaluated up to 20 cm. Two systems were considered: traditional tillage (TT) and tillage without turning up the soil layer (TWT) compared with a control without tillage (NT). The TWT produced the lowest density and the highest quantity of porous spaces in the soil matrix, with values that differed significantly from TT and NT, and favored the development of Oligochaeta up to the depth of 20 cm. The maintenance of the dense layers in the depth 20-30 cm in the TT decreased the total porosity and restricted root development, with aeration porosity values much below 10 %. It is concluded that traditional tillage affected the OM content at short term, and maintained the compact layers in the underlying horizon, for which the continuity of this practice in the livestock production areas of the region is not justified at short or long term.

Keywords : Oligochaeta; pasturelands; soil management.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )