Physical quality and organic matter fractions of an Alfisol under no-tillage

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the physical quality and the organic matter fractions of an Alfisol soil under no-tillage (NT) with different deployment times in Southern Brazil. Soil samples were taken at the 0.00–0.03, 0.03–0.06, 0.06–0.10, and 0.10–0.20-m depths, for determining: total porosity (Pt); macroporosity (Ma); microporosity (Mi); soil penetration resistance (Rp); bulk density (Ds); macro- and microaggregates; mean weight diameter (MWD) of soil aggregates; total organic carbon content (TOC); the free light (FLL), light occluded (FLO), and heavy (FP) carbon fractions; carbon stocks (EstC); and the lability (ILC), stock (IEC), and carbon management (IMC) indexes. SPD deployment time increased Pt, Ma, and EstC, and decreased Mi, RP, Ds. NT promotes MWD, ILC, IEC, and IMC after five years of deployment, and, therefore, it improves soil physical quality.