Soil quality index in the Animal Husbandry Enterprise El Tablón

In 2015, soil fertility studies in the main animal husbandry enterprises of Cuba showed that 90,6% of the areas were affected by one or more limiting factors; and in Cienfuegos province, 25% of the agricultural surface of the Animal Husbandry Enterprise El Tablon was not free from such deficiencies. In this study the quality index of a Grayish Brown soil was determined in areas of natural pastures of that entity, from the validation of the software Sistema Cuantitativo de Evaluacion y Monitoreo de la Calidad del Suelo (Quantitative System of Soil Quality Evaluation and Monitoring, SEMCAS), which integrally analyzes physical, chemical and biological indicators. The measurements were made according to a randomized block design, in two dairy farms and in 4 x 4 [m.sup.2] plots. The samples were taken in the rainy and dry seasons. The data were statistically processed, through a simple classification variance analysis. The physical indicators showed high apparent density and hygroscopic moisture below the established optimum range. Acid pH was found; while assimilable phosphorus, cation exchange capacity and base saturation percentage were low. The values of the soil quality index differed statistically between the sampling sites, although discreetly, and in general they were between 0,29 and 0,32. To widen the sampling frequency and to include new indicators in the evaluation are recommended. Keywords: carbon, soil fertility, physical-chemical properties soil