Author(s): SA, M. A. C. de; SANTOS JUNIOR, J. de D. G. dos

Summary: ABSTRACT: Soil compactation is problem in modern agriculture. Over cultivation, intensive cropping and inappropriate soil management leads to soil compactation. There are important factors which directly affect plant growth, such as water, oxygen, temperature and mechanical resistance to seedling emergence or root growth. By the way, factors indirectly affecting plant growth are soil physical attributes, such as bulk density, texture, aggregation, aggregate stability and pore size distribution. To identify compact layers in soil, trench assessment, bulk density, relative bulk density or compactness degree and penetrometer evaluations can be used. But, these methods request knowledge about other soil attributes for a correct interpretation of analytical results. Recently, soil compactation has been interpreted by the least limiting water range (LLWR), defined as the range in soil water content within which limitations to plant growth associated with water potential, aeration and mechanical resistence to root penetration are small. However, further research is necessary to evaluate and validade LLWR in Cerrado soils.

Publication year: 2005

Types of publication: Booklets

Unit: Embrapa Cerrados

Keywords: Compactação do Solo, Crescimento, Densidade de Plantio, Manejo do Solo, Planta