Avaliação da compactação do solo em função das colheitas mecanizadas em diferentes ciclos da Saccharum officinarum nas áreas comerciais no município de Maxaranguape-RN

Abstract

Mechanized harvesting of sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum L.) has grown in recent years, however, monitoring soil compaction is of fundamental importance in maintaining the longevity of sugarcane fields, which means controlling the levels of pressure applied by machinery or define management strategies based on predicting the impacts of operations on the soil structure, aiming to assist in decision-making around the appropriate time to maintain the chemical and physical properties of the soil and consequently not affect production. The objective of this work was to evaluate the soil structure as a result of mechanized harvesting in different cycles of S. officinarum in commercial areas in the municipality of MaxaranguapeRN. The experiment was carried out in the months of October and November 2023, in an area of commercial sugarcane cultivation, in an area of 50 ha, at Fazenda Agropecuária Rosário in the municipality of Maxaranguape-RN. Soil resistance was assessed by surveying soil compaction, with the help of an impact penetrometer in the layers (0-5; 5-10 and 10-15 cm), randomly, with averages of four repetitions both for the edges, as for the center of the planting area, according to the age of the plant with and without the work of mechanized harvesting. Harvesting sugarcane at the edges and in the center of the plantation in all plots with or without the use of mechanized harvesting during different periods of the sugarcane harvest resulted in a gradual increase in soil resistance, proving that there was compaction, as, readings were not possible in deeper layers. Harvests carried out in low humidity zones cause soil compaction at all stages of sugarcane crop development, regardless of the variety, planting area and semi- or mechanized system. Therefore, investigating compaction in different areas of sugarcane plots is essential for the implementation of sustainable agronomic practices, aiming to preserve soil quality and increase productive efficiency while preserving the environment.