Physical properties and organic carbon in soil layers under different use and management in the cerrados in West Bahia, Brazil

Abstract

The conversion of natural cerrado into agricultural areas has modified the physical properties and changed the carbon content in the soils, especially when the use and management do not contribute to the maintenance of these attributes This work aimed to evaluate the influence of soil use and management on physical properties and total organic carbon in soils, at four depths in the cerrados of western Bahia. The study was carried out in the municipalities of Barreiras and Luis Eduardo Magalhães in the State of Bahia. Nine collection points were chosen: in natural cerrado, no-tillage, conventional tillage (soy and cotton), pasture (with 2 and 5 years) and degraded pasture, coffee with 3 and 20 years. Collections were performed at depths of 0,00-0,10; 0,10-0,20; 0,20-0,30 and 0,30-0,40 m. The system with no-tillage (SPD), cotton with conventional tillage (AC), five-year pasture (P5) and degraded pasture (PD) showed higher density (P <0.05) than the reference area (natural “cerrado” (CN) )) in the superficial layer (0,00-0,10 m). The aggregation rates (DMP and DMG) were lower than those of cerrado area were in systems with no-tillage, conventional tillage (soy and cotton) and in degraded pasture. In relation to the carbon stock index, for the 0, 00 to 0, 40 m profile, the pasture with 2 years of cultivation and coffee with 3 years of age were superior to the native cerrado. In general, the use and management of the soil changed the physical properties and organic carbon, positively and negatively.