Evolution of soil physical attributes in an integrated crop-livestock system

The objective of this work was to assess the effect of sward height and successive grazing cycles over soil physical attributes in an integrated crop-livestock system. The experiment was established in 2001, in the Planalto Medio region, RS, Brazil, in a Rhodic Hapludox (Oxisol), with annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) intercropped with black oat (Avena strigosa), under continuous grazing, during the winter, and single cropped soybean (Glycine max) during the summer. The treatments consisted of different grazing intensities, determined by sward height (10, 20, 30, and 40 cm), and a no-grazing area was used as a control. Soil bulk density and soil porosity were evaluated at the end of the grazing and soybean cycles, as well as soil resistance to mechanic penetration and aggregate stability in the seventh year of the experiment. No significant differences were found on soil bulk density and soil porosity after seven years under crop-livestock integration. Soil resistance to penetration is higher on the superficial layer after the grazing cycle. Soil aggregation increases in grazing areas, regardless of grazing intensities.