On the visual evaluation of soil structure: the Brazilian experience in oxisols under no-tillage

NFB Giarola; AP Da Silva; CA Tormena; RML Guimaraes; BC Ball

doi:10.1016/j.still.2012.03.004

On the visual evaluation of soil structure: the Brazilian experience in oxisols under no-tillage

NFB Giarola
, AP Da Silva
, CA Tormena
, RML Guimaraes
, BC Ball

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

46 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure is a helpful tool for assessing the physical quality of soil, since it allows detailed examination of the soil structure as well as identification of layers modified by soil management. The Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure (VESS) method (Ball et al., 2007) has been applied in Brazil because it is simple and relatively objective, giving semi quantitative results quickly. It was used to determine the physical quality of soils under systems of no-tillage. In the present study, the potential for utilization of the VESS method was studied in three field experiments under no-tillage: (i) a comparison between mechanical and biological soil loosening, (ii) a study of changes in soybean yield and soil structural quality along a transect with a soil textural gradient, and (iii) a comparison with Visual Soil Assessment (VS) method (Shepherd, 2009) along the same transect. Overall the use of VESS proved to be an efficient semi quantitative methodology for assessing soil physical quality in Brazilian soils under no-tillage. 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	60 - 64
Number of pages	5
Journal	Soil and Tillage Research
Volume	127
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2012.03.004
Publication status	Print publication - Mar 2013

Bibliographical note

1023321

Keywords

Biological subsoiling
Mechanical subsoiling
Soil aggregates
Soil morphology
Soil physical quality

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10.1016/j.still.2012.03.004

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title = "On the visual evaluation of soil structure: the Brazilian experience in oxisols under no-tillage",

abstract = "The Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure is a helpful tool for assessing the physical quality of soil, since it allows detailed examination of the soil structure as well as identification of layers modified by soil management. The Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure (VESS) method (Ball et al., 2007) has been applied in Brazil because it is simple and relatively objective, giving semi quantitative results quickly. It was used to determine the physical quality of soils under systems of no-tillage. In the present study, the potential for utilization of the VESS method was studied in three field experiments under no-tillage: (i) a comparison between mechanical and biological soil loosening, (ii) a study of changes in soybean yield and soil structural quality along a transect with a soil textural gradient, and (iii) a comparison with Visual Soil Assessment (VS) method (Shepherd, 2009) along the same transect. Overall the use of VESS proved to be an efficient semi quantitative methodology for assessing soil physical quality in Brazilian soils under no-tillage. 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.",

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author = "NFB Giarola and \{Da Silva\}, AP and CA Tormena and RML Guimaraes and BC Ball",

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year = "2013",

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doi = "10.1016/j.still.2012.03.004",

language = "English",

volume = "127",

pages = "60 -- 64",

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AU - Giarola, NFB

AU - Da Silva, AP

AU - Tormena, CA

AU - Guimaraes, RML

AU - Ball, BC

N1 - 1023321

PY - 2013/3

Y1 - 2013/3

N2 - The Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure is a helpful tool for assessing the physical quality of soil, since it allows detailed examination of the soil structure as well as identification of layers modified by soil management. The Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure (VESS) method (Ball et al., 2007) has been applied in Brazil because it is simple and relatively objective, giving semi quantitative results quickly. It was used to determine the physical quality of soils under systems of no-tillage. In the present study, the potential for utilization of the VESS method was studied in three field experiments under no-tillage: (i) a comparison between mechanical and biological soil loosening, (ii) a study of changes in soybean yield and soil structural quality along a transect with a soil textural gradient, and (iii) a comparison with Visual Soil Assessment (VS) method (Shepherd, 2009) along the same transect. Overall the use of VESS proved to be an efficient semi quantitative methodology for assessing soil physical quality in Brazilian soils under no-tillage. 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

AB - The Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure is a helpful tool for assessing the physical quality of soil, since it allows detailed examination of the soil structure as well as identification of layers modified by soil management. The Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure (VESS) method (Ball et al., 2007) has been applied in Brazil because it is simple and relatively objective, giving semi quantitative results quickly. It was used to determine the physical quality of soils under systems of no-tillage. In the present study, the potential for utilization of the VESS method was studied in three field experiments under no-tillage: (i) a comparison between mechanical and biological soil loosening, (ii) a study of changes in soybean yield and soil structural quality along a transect with a soil textural gradient, and (iii) a comparison with Visual Soil Assessment (VS) method (Shepherd, 2009) along the same transect. Overall the use of VESS proved to be an efficient semi quantitative methodology for assessing soil physical quality in Brazilian soils under no-tillage. 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

KW - Biological subsoiling

KW - Mechanical subsoiling

KW - Soil aggregates

KW - Soil morphology

KW - Soil physical quality

U2 - 10.1016/j.still.2012.03.004

DO - 10.1016/j.still.2012.03.004

M3 - Article

VL - 127

SP - 60

EP - 64

JO - Soil and Tillage Research

JF - Soil and Tillage Research

ER -

On the visual evaluation of soil structure: the Brazilian experience in oxisols under no-tillage

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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