Physical and biological alterations in sugarcane cultivated soil after harvest and vinasse application

Abstract

Variations on the physical and biological soil properties resulting from harvest and vinasse application were evaluated in a sugarcane cultivated area in the municipality of Goiana, Pernambuco, Brazil. Evaluations were based on soil humidity and density, porosity, granulometry, particle density and nematode community trophic structure characterization, carried out before and after both sugarcane cut and vinasse application. Horizontally, samples were colleted in 42 points within a 60×50 m square. Vertically, in each point, samples were colleted 0-10, 10-20, 20-30, 30-40, 40-50 cm deep. Within the physical variables soil humidity, porosity and density were influenced by harvest and vinasse application. Harvest affected Mononchidae and Cephalobidae directly, but Xiphinema and Criconemella, inversely. Vinasse decreased Dorilaymidae and Meloidogyne density, in contrast to the increase on Rhabditidae and Cephalobidae. Plant parasitic nematodes were the most abundant community in all sampling periods.