SUMMARYTillage systems are a key element of the technology of crop production, both with a view to crop yield and from the perspective of soil conservation and sustainability of the production system. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the effects of five tillage systems on the physical properties of a cohesive Yellow Argisol. The experiment was installed in the field on January 21, 2011 and lasted 260 days, in an area previously used as pasture with Brachiaria grass without liming or fertilization, but irrigated by a low pressure spray system. The treatments, in five replications and in a randomized block design, consisted of: 1) disk plow (twice) + disk harrow + ridge-furrow tillage (raising a ridge along the planting row), 135 days after transplanting (DP + RID); 2) disk plow (twice) + disk harrow (DP no RID); 3) subsoiler (SB); 4) disk plow (twice) + disk harrow + scarification with three shanks along the plant row (DP + SPR); and 5) disk plow (twice) + disk harrow + scarification with three shanks in the total area (DP + STA). In all tillage systems, furrows were mechanically opened for the papaya plants. After the treatments, the mechanical resistance to penetration was determined, followed by soil moisture, mean weight diameter (MWD), geometric mean diameter (GMD), bulk density (BD), macroporosity (Ma), microporosity (Mi), and number of fruits per plant. There were differences in penetration resistance (PR) between treatments. The subsoiler was more effective to decrease RP to a distance of 0.35 m from the plants, perpendicular to the plant row. The scarifier resulted in a lower PR than DP or SB, even at the depth of 0.40 m, and it was more effective at greater distances perpendicular to the plant. All tillage systems induced a PR between 2.0 and 3.0 MPa at the depth with the highest concentration of papaya tree roots (0-
RESUMO: EFEITOS DE PREPAROS DO SOLO NOS ATRIBUTOS FÍSICOS DE UM ARGISSOLO AMARELO COESO NO NORTE DO ESTADO DO ESPÍRITO SANTO
linha, confeccionado 135 dias após o transplantio (GA com CAM); grade aradora (duas vezes) + niveladora (GA sem CAM); subsolador florestal (SF); grade aradora (duas vezes) + niveladora + escarificação com três hastes sobre a linha de plantio (GA + ELP); e grade aradora (duas vezes) + niveladora + escarificação com três hastes em área total (GA + EAT). Todos os preparos receberam sulcamento mecanizado, visando ao plantio do mamoeiro. Após a implantação dos tratamentos, foi determinada a resistência mecânica à penetração (RP)