Agregação de um Latossolo submetido a elevadas doses de gesso na cafeicultura

Abstract

Latosols, the main soil class in agricultural terms in Brazil, are highly weathered, with high content of aluminum toxic to plants, acidic, well structured and with high stability of aggregates. Under anthropic conditions the management of these soils usually affects their chemical and physical properties. Thus, conservation management systems that promote an increase in the content of organic matter and preserve its structure are of extreme importance. In the coffee region of Minas Gerais, a management system has been developed that, among other practices, uses high doses of gypsum to improve soil physicochemical conditions. The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of high doses of gypsum on soil aggregation through ultrasonic sonification, 8 years after the implantation of the management system in a Red Latosol. For this work were evaluated the doses of gypsum of 0; 14; 28; 56 Mg ha-1. The equivalent of 5 g of dry aggregates (oven dry weight at 105 ° C) was used, in the fraction of 4 - 8 mm in diameter for the evaluations. The results were adjusted to obtain aggregate stability indexes. After 8 years of system implantation, gypsum still continues to act along the soil profile and contributed positively to the formation and stabilization of macro and microaggregates. The DSCC implements the sustainability and conservation assumptions indicated in its creation philosophy.