Chisel plowing in-between rows of sugar cane ratoon, associated with fertilizer and harrowing (triple cultivation) is a common practice to reduce soil compaction, but little is known about its effects on ratoon rooting. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of post-harvest chisel plowing on the physical properties of an Oxisol, root distribution, and yield. The experiment was set up in an Arenito Caiuá Soil and used the third ratoon of RB72454 sugar cane variety. The treatments were: E1: 0.15 m-deep chisel plowing, fertilization, and harrowing; E2: 0.30 m-deep chisel plowing, fertilization, and harrowing; GR: fertilization and harrowing. The following parameters were evaluated: soil bulk density, total porosity, pore size distribution, root system distribution, yield, tiller number, and stalk diameter and length. Chisel plowing in-between the ratoon cane rows altered the soil bulk density and pore size distribution. Soil management down to 0.15 m depth gave rise to longer roots in a depth of 0.25-0.50 m but affected neither the total root area and length for the other studied conditions nor the sugar cane yield.
Saccharum sp; soil management; compaction; roots
