Preliminary screening of physical parameters more adequate for the study of the effect of soil compactation on the dry matter production of common bean (Phaseolusvulgaris. L.)

Abstract

Soil samples of the A and B2 horizons of an Oxisol (LR) and.an Alfisol (PVp) were subjected to compaction, to offer resistance to cone penetrograph penetration of 0 - 8,8 - 17,6 kg/cm2. The soil samples were cultivated with common bean, cultivar Rico Pardo 896, during 67 days, In 3,8 liter pots in geenhouse, with the soil water content between the tension levels of 100 to 300 mbars. It could be verified, considering the different soil samples, that the dry matter production seems to correlate better with the efective aeration porosity. So it seems to be the better indicator for the plant dry matter production tendency in different soils, with different compaction degrees. The parameters soil bulk density, saturated hydraulic conductivity an mechanical resistance to penetro-graph did not seem good general indicators.