Physical quality of a yellow latossol under integrated crop-livestock system

Soil physical quality is essential to global sustainability of agroecosystems, once it is related to processes that are essential to agricultural crop development. This study aimed to evaluate physical attributes of a Yellow Latossol under different management systems in the savanna area in the state of Piaui. This study was developed in Uruçuí southwest of the state of Piauí. Three systems of soil management were studied: an area under conventional tillage (CT) with disk plowi and heavy harrow and soybean crop; an area under no-tillage with soybean-maize rotation and millet as cover crop (NT + M); two areas under Integrated Crop-Livestock System, with five-month pasture grazing and soybean cultivation and then continuous pasture grazing (ICL + S and ICL + P, respectively). Also, an area under Native Forest (NF) was studied. The soil depths studied were 0.00-0.05, 0.05-0.10 and 0.10-0.20 m. Soil bulk density, as well as porosity and stability of soil aggregates were analyzed as physical attributes. Anthropic action has changed the soil physical attributes, in depth, in most systems studied, in comparison to NF. In the 0.00 to 0.05 m depth, ICL + P showed higher soil bulk density value. As to macroporosity, there was no difference between the management systems studied and NF. The management systems studied changed the soil structure, having, as a result, a small proportion of soil in great aggregate classes (MWD). Converting native forest into agricultural production systems changes the soil physical quality. The Integrated Crop-Livestock System did not promote the improvement in soil physical quality. A qualidade física do solo é fundamental para a sustentabilidade global dos agroecossistemas, pois está relacionada com processos fundamentais para o desenvolvimento das culturas agrícolas. Este estudo teve por objetivo avaliar os atributos físicos de um Latossolo Amarelo sob diferentes sistemas de manejo no Cerrado piauiense. O trabalho foi desenvolvido no município de Uruçuí, no sudoeste do Estado do Piauí. O solo da área foi classificado como Latossolo Amarelo distrófico textura areia franca. Foram estudados três sistemas de manejo do solo: Preparo convencional (PC) com uso de aração e gradagem e monocultivo de soja; sistema de plantio direto, com milheto como cultura de cobertura (SPD + M); e sistema de integração lavoura-pecuária, com pastejo de cinco meses e cultivo de soja e com pastejo contínuo (SILP + S e SILP + P). Estudou-se, ainda, uma área sob F