Changes in Soil Properties and Crop Yield as a Function of Early Desiccation of Pastures

The aim of this study was to evaluate the early desiccation of pasture on soil biological and chemical properties, and yield of soybean (Glycine max) and maize (Zea mays). The experiment was carried out in a Dystroferric Red Argisol. The experimental area was occupied with Urochloa brizantha (cv Marandu) for 5 years before this experiment. The experiment was designed with five treatments, consisting of different periods from desiccation of pastures (15, 30, 60, 120, and 150 days before soybean). Soybean and maize were grown in two consecutive years and soil samples were collected at the beginning and end of each crop for analysis of biological (microbial biomass C and N, microbial quotient, soil respiration, metabolic quotient (qCO(2)), dehydrogenase and phosphatase) and chemical (pH, soil organic matter, P, K, H + Al and base saturation) properties. The earliest desiccation of pastures (150 days) increased soil microbial biomass C (136 mg kg(- 1)) and N (16 mg kg(- 1)), while decreased soil respiration (1.4 mg C-CO2 kg(- 1) h(- 1)) during the first year of soybean and maize. Soil pH (6.4), K content (74.3 mg kg-1) and base saturation (37.2%) also increased with the earliest period of desiccation. During the second year of soybean and maize, the differences in soil biological properties were lower than the first year. The early desiccation of pastures contributed for increasing crop yield. The early desiccation of pastures influences positively the soil properties and crop yield, being a suitable practice for improving soil quality and yield.