Effects of different tillage systems on physical attributes of soil and productive performance of papaya Tainung 01

Avaliaram-se os efeitos de cinco sistemas de preparo do solo nos atributos físicos de um Argissolo Amarelo coeso de Tabuleiro, bem como no crescimento, desenvolvimento e nutrição do mamoeiro Formosa Tainung 01 irrigado. O experimento foi instalado em 21/01/2011 e conduzido a campo por 260 dias, em área anteriormente utilizada com pastagem de Brachiaria nunca corrigida ou fertilizada, irrigada por sistema de aspersão de baixa pressão. Os tratamentos, implantados em cinco repetições e em delineamento de blocos ao acaso foram: 1) grade aradora (duas vezes) + niveladora + camalhão sobre a linha confeccionado 135 após transplantio (GA c/ CAM); 2) grade aradora (duas vezes) + niveladora (GA s/ CAM); 3) subsolador florestal (SF); 4) grade aradora (duas vezes) + niveladora + escarificação com 3 hastes sobre a linha de plantio (GA + ELP); 5) grade aradora (duas vezes) + niveladora + escarificação com 3 hastes em área total (GA + EAT). Os preparos receberam sulcamento mecanizado e banquetas, confeccionadas manualmente com terra solta do sulco, que foram niveladas e fertilizadas para receber as mudas. Antes da implantação dos tratamentos a área experimental foi caracterizada quanto à resistência mecânica à penetração (RP) acompanhada pela umidade do solo, diâmetro médio ponderado (DMP), diâmetro médio geométrico (DMG), densidade do solo (Ds), macroporosidade (Ma), microporosidade (Mi), relação Ma/Mi, textura do solo e fertilidade. Após a implantação dos tratamentos foram determinadas RP, acompanhada pela umidade do solo, DMP, DMG, Ds, Ma, Mi, relação Ma/Mi e variáveis biométricas de nutrição e produção como altura de plantas, diâmetro do tronco a 0,20 m de altura, altura de inserção do primeiro fruto, sexo das plantas, teores foliares de macro e micronutrientes bem como número de frutos por planta com separação de frutos comerciais e não comerciais. O tratamento estatístico dos dados constou de cálculo do erro padrão da média para os dados de RP e para os demais dados, análise de variância e teste de Tukey a nível de 5% de probabilidade. Houve diferenças de resistência à penetração entre os tratamentos. O subsolador mostrou-se mais efetivo na diminuição da RP até 0,35 m de distância da planta no sentido transversal à linha de plantio. O escarificador resultou em menores RP do que GA ou SF, mesmo a 0,40 m de profundidade, e foi mais eficiente a maiores distâncias transversalmente à planta. Todos os preparos provocaram RP menores do que 2,5 MPa na profundidade de maior concentração de raízes do mamoeiro (0 0,25 m) fornecendo boas condições físicas até essa profundidade. Não houve diferença estatística entre os tratamentos para Ds, Ma, Mi, relação Ma/Mi, DMP e DMG a 0,20 m de profundidade e teores foliares de macro e micronutrientes aos 197 dias após transplantio. A altura de plantas em duas épocas foi menor para o SF e igual estatisticamente para os outros tratamentos. A grade aradora alterou os atributos físicos do solo em maior intensidade até 0,20 m de profundidade. A produção total de frutos e de frutos comerciais foi maior nos preparos GA c/ CAM, GA s/ CAM, GA+ELP e GA+EAT, os quais não diferiram entre si. Não houve diferenças para produtividade de frutos não comerciais. Não se justificou o uso do camalhão sobre a linha de plantio confeccionado após o transplantio. Do ponto de vista de conservação do solo, quando considerados os dados de estabilidade de agregados, os preparos foram semelhantes. A relação entre o crescimento e desenvolvimento das plantas e diferentes preparos de solo deve ser avaliada considerando o conjunto de atributos físicos e químicos do soloThe effects of five tillage systems on soil physical attributes, growth, development and nutrition of Formosa papaya Tainung 01 were evaluated on cohesive Alfisol of Coastal Tableland. The experiment was planted on january 21, 2011 and remained in field for 260 days, in an area previously used with Brachiaria never corrected nor fertilized before and irrigated by low pressure sprinkler system. Treatments were applied in five replicates and statistical design of random blocks were: 1) heavy disc harrow (twice) + offset disc harrow + ridge on row planting made 135 days after transplanting (GA c/ CAM); 2) heavy disc harrow (twice) + offset disc harrow (GA s/ CAM); 3) forester subsoiler (SF); 4) heavy disc harrow (twice) + offset disc harrow + chisel plow on row planting (GA+ELP); 5) heavy disc harrow (twice) + offset disc harrow + chisel plow on total area (GA+EAT). All tillage systems received mechanized furrower and a bench made with loose soil and fertilizers and over which the seedlings were planted. As a characterization of experimental area before application of treatments, were determined penetration resistance (RP) followed by soil moisture, mean weight diameter (DMP), geometric mean diameter (DMG), bulk density (Ds), macroporosity (Ma), microporosity (Mi), Ma/Mi ratio, soil texture and fertility. After application of treatments were determined RP, accompanied by soil moisture, DMP, DMG, Ds, Ma, Mi and Ma/Mi ratio and biometric variables of nutrition and production as plant height, stem diameter at 0,20 m height, height of insertion of the first fruit, plant sex, foliar contents of macro and micronutrients as well as number of fruits per plant with separation of commercial and non-commercial ones. Statistical treatment of data included calculation of mean standard error for RP and analysis of variance for all other data accompanied by the Tukey test for comparison of means at 5% level of probability. There were differences in penetration resistance between treatments. Subsoiler showed to be more effective in the decrease of RP up to 0,35 m away from the plant in the direction transverse to the rows. Chisel plow produced smaller RP than GA or SF, even at 0,40 m depth and was more effective at greater distances from the plant. All tillage systems produced RP smaller than 2.5 MPa at a depth with the greater concentration of papaya roots (0 0.25 m) and provided good physical conditions up to this depth. There was no statistical difference between treatments for Ds, Ma, Mi, Ma/Mi ratio, DMP e DMG at 0.20 m depth and foliar contents of macro and micronutrients at 197 days after transplanting. Height of plants in two stages were lower for the SF and statistically equal to the other treatments. Heavy disc harrow altered soil physical attributes at a higher intensity up to 0.20 m depht. Total fruit yield and commercial fruit yield was higher in GA c/ CAM, GA s/ CAM, GA+ELP and GA+EAT, which did not differ. There were no differences for non-commercial fruit yield. There was no justification for the building of the ridge on the planting row after instalation of the orchard. From the standpoint of conservation of soil, when considering the stability of aggregates data, all tillage systems were similar. The relationship between growth and development performance of plants and tillage systems should be evaluated considering whole physical and chemical properties of soi

Effects of tillage systems on physical properties of a cohesive yellow argisol in the northern state of Espírito Santo, Brazil

Tillage systems are a key element of the technology of crop production, both with a view to crop yield and from the perspective of soil conservation and sustainability of the production system. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the effects of five tillage systems on the physical properties of a cohesive Yellow Argisol. The experiment was installed in the field on January 21, 2011 and lasted 260 days, in an area previously used as pasture with Brachiaria grass without liming or fertilization, but irrigated by a low pressure spray system. The treatments, in five replications and in a randomized block design, consisted of: 1) disk plow (twice) + disk harrow + ridge-furrow tillage (raising a ridge along the planting row), 135 days after transplanting (DP + RID); 2) disk plow (twice) + disk harrow (DP no RID); 3) subsoiler (SB); 4) disk plow (twice) + disk harrow + scarification with three shanks along the plant row (DP + SPR); and 5) disk plow (twice) + disk harrow + scarification with three shanks in the total area (DP + STA). In all tillage systems, furrows were mechanically opened for the papaya plants. After the treatments, the mechanical resistance to penetration was determined, followed by soil moisture, mean weight diameter (MWD), geometric mean diameter (GMD), bulk density (BD), macroporosity (Ma), microporosity (Mi), and number of fruits per plant. There were differences in penetration resistance (PR) between treatments. The subsoiler was more effective to decrease RP to a distance of 0.35 m from the plants, perpendicular to the plant row. The scarifier resulted in a lower PR than DP or SB, even at the depth of 0.40 m, and it was more effective at greater distances perpendicular to the plant. All tillage systems induced a PR between 2.0 and 3.0 MPa at the depth with the highest concentration of papaya tree roots (0-0.25 m), improving the physical conditions to this depth. There was no statistical difference among the treatments for BD, Ma, Mi, MWD, and GMD at a depth of 0.20 m. The disk plow changed the physical properties of the soil most intensely to a depth of 0.20 m. The use of scarification, reduced tillage with a forest subsoiler, or ridge-furrow tillage did not improve the physical properties in the rhizosphere. Reduced tillage with a forest subsoiler resulted in a lower number of fruits per plant than all other treatments, which did not differ from each other