Soil physical properties under different soil managements for the cultivation of sweet potato

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the impact of tillage systems on physical properties of an Alfissol type soil and on the growth of sweet potato tuberous roots. To assess the soil physical properties, an experiment was conducted in randomized blocks design, in split-plot scheme. The plots consisted of the treatments conventional tillage with making mounds and straw incorporated, conventional tillage with making mounds and without straw, reduced tillage with straw on the soil surface and reduced tillage without straw; and the subplots, to collect periods. The soil physical properties evaluated were soil bulk density, total soil porosity, soil macroporosity and soil microporosity, soil resistance to penetration and gravimetric soil water. For the assessment of the growth of sweet potato tuberous roots, it was adopted an experiment where the plots corresponded to the soil management forms and subplots to four collect periods: 90, 120, 150 and 180 (DAP). The length / roots diameter of individual roots relations were avaluated. It was concluded that the reduced tillage gives greater soil resistance to penetration of roots, by reducing the vertical growth of roots, and the presence of straw incorporated in the conventional tillage favors maintenance of lowest soil bulk density and highest soil macroporosity along the time.