EDAFOLOGÍA, Vol 12. (3), pp 163-168 2005
EFECTOS DE OCHO AÑOS DE SIEMBRA DIRECTA EN LAS PROPIEDADES FÍSICO-QUÍMICAS DE UN LUVISOL CRÓMICO DEL SUROESTE DE ESPAÑA
A. MUÑOZ1, A. LÓPEZ-PIÑEIRO1, J.M. RATO2, A. ALBARRÁN1, D. PEÑA, M. RA- MÍREZ3, A. GARCÍA1
1 Área de Edafología y Química Agrícola. Facultad de Ciencias. Universidad de Extre- madura. Avda de Elvas S/N, 06071 Badajoz, España, e-mail: pineiro@unex.es
2 Escola Superior Agraria de Elvas, 254- 7350 Elvas, Portugal
3 Área de Microbiología. Facultad de Ciencias. Universidad de Extremadura. Avda de Elvas S/N, 06071 Badajoz, España.
The environment conservation requires to develop productive systems to prevent the erosion and assure the maintenance of the soil fertility and optimum use of the water. The objective of this work is to determine the effects that eight years of conservation agriculture technique exercise on the physicachemical properties of a Cromic Luvisol in Extremadura (Spain) under a semi-arid climate. In order to reach the objective proposed a tillage experiment it will be carried out in experimental parcels. The experimental design will be analyzed as a complete randomized block with three agricultural systems and four re- petitions: a) corn crop by direct sowing b) corn crop by conventional agriculture and c) corn crop by direct sowing in a 6 year-old parcel dedicated to non-tillage. An organic matter increment (68%) was observed in SD regarding to LC. The pH values are lower in SD than LC. Also has been verified than LC shows electrical conductivity higher (50%) than SD values. The direct seeding techniques exercise a beneficial effect on selected properties and they are hardly observed lapsed two years from their installation. The improvement observed in the studied soil quality diminishes its vulnerability to erosion, salinization and acidification processes.