Soil physics advances: bulk density sampling and soil compaction management

• Ano de defesa: 2024
• Autor(a) principal: Menillo, Rafael Braghieri
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: eng
• Instituição de defesa: Biblioteca Digitais de Teses e Dissertações da USP
• Palavras-chave em Português: Agricultural sustainability; Cana-de- açúcar; Física do solo; Inovação tecnológica; Soil physics; Sugarcane; Sustentabilidade agrícola; Technological innovation
• Link de acesso: https://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/11/11140/tde-14012025-155203/

Soil compaction is a challenge in agriculture and is often observed in crops such as sugar cane due to the use of heavy machinery. This problem results in reduced soil porosity, restricted root growth and lower crop yields. In contrast, mitigating compaction is essential as global demand for food increases, and can be done through sustainable practices such as controlled traffic and the use of cover crops. Soil bulk density (BD) is an indicator of both compaction and soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and is usually measured using a volumetric ring. This traditional method is considered costly, invasive and impractical for assessments at depth or on a large scale. Recent innovations, such as tractor-mounted probes, offer a non-destructive and efficient alternative for measuring BD and SOC stocks. These tools contribute to providing rapid assessments that support large-scale carbon and soil health programs, as well as producers\' decision-making regarding management in compacted areas. With the aim of assessing BD, estimating compaction, and quantifying carbon stocks, this study explored the potential of an onboard probe as a more sustainable solution for soil management projects. The results obtained with the probe showed high similarity to conventional methods of collecting undisturbed samples, with notable effectiveness in clayey and well-structured soils. Thus, this method stands out as an efficient and feasible alternative, particularly for large-scale projects focused on soil health and carbon stock monitoring.