BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF THE SOIL IN A SYSTEM OF DIRECT PLANTING IN PURPLE CABBAGE

Abstract

Among the benefits that the no-till system provides to the soil, the maintenance of microfauna and microorganisms stands out. This work aims to quantify the epigeal fauna and soil macroorganisms in areas with cover plants and red cabbage. The experiment was conducted in the experimental area in the horticulture sector of the Faculty of Agronomy of the University of Rio Verde (UniRV). To determine the epigeal fauna of the soil, eight “pitt fall†traps were used in the central region of each treatment used to evaluate the activity of the epigeal fauna. For the determination of the macroorganisms, the method of direct collection was used, using the metal square of 0.30 m on the side, embedded in the soil, with a sample per block for each layer of soil from 0.00-0.05 ; 0.05-0.10 and 0.10-0.15 m in two periods (beginning and end) of the experiment. The main cultivation was conducted by the vegetable cabbage (Brassica oleracea) and the cover plants used were millet (Pennisetum americanum), sunflower (Helianthus annuus), brachiaria (Brachiaria decumbens), crotalaria (Crotalaria juncea) and spontaneous plants. A total of 1,570 insects were collected, with 1,165 during the red cabbage cycle and 405 during the cover crop cycle. 110 insects were captured in sunflower, in millet 87, in brachiaria 78, in crotalaria 49 and in spontaneous plants 81, whereas in the area with sunflower and brachiaria the order diversity was higher.