The aim of this study was to assess quality indicators of a dystrophic Red Yellow Latosol (Oxisol) soil under native forest, pasture (Brachiaria brizantha cv. marandu), conventional tillage, minimum tillage system and no till system. It was determined the soil carbon and soil nitrogen in the microbial biomass, organic carbon and total nitrogen, ratios for microbial carbon and nitrogen and relationships between organic carbon and total nitrogen (C/N tot) and between carbon and soil nitrogen in the microbial biomass (C/N mic). The soil samples were collected in the Municipality of Cerejeiras/RO, at two depths (0-10 and 10-20 cm) in five treatments with five replications. The statistical analysis consisted of outliers analysis by Chauvenet method, and assumptions of variances by Bartlett's test and Shapiro-Wilk, followed by Kruskal-Wallis, between treatments, and comparison the variables between the depths, by Mann-Whitney' test, and the group analysis using Ward's method, all at 5% probability. The results show that different uses influence the variables, except for ration C/N tot, and the microbiology variables showed themselves more sensitive to changes in land use and management than other. The conventional tillage is the treatment that has greater homogeneity among the depths. The group analysis shows that the soil under no till system, minimum tillage system and conventional tillage have similarities among well as the soil under native forest and pasture are similar.
soil microbial biomass; soil quality indicators; crop systems
