The soil use not always result in an ecological sustainable system. An intense and inadequate soil use leads to soil degradation. In this sense, this study aimed to investigate the influence of sewage sludge on the recovery of physical properties of a degraded Oxisol, cultivated for 2.5 years with eucalyptus (Eucalyptus citriodora Hook) and Brachiaria grass (Brachiaria decumbens), in Selvíria, MS, Brazil. Six treatments were evaluated in an experiment in a randomized block design with four replications: (1) Savannah; (2) exposed soil without treatment for recovery; (3) soil under eucalyptus and pasture (without application of sewage sludge or mineral fertilization); (4) soil under eucalyptus and pasture with mineral fertilization; (5) soil under eucalyptus and pasture with application of 30 Mg ha-1 sewage sludge, and (6) soil under eucalyptus and pasture with application of 60 Mg ha-1 sewage sludge. In the soil layers 0.00-0.05; 0.05-0.10; 0.10-0.20 and of 0.20-0.30 m, the following physical properties were studied: macroporosity; microporosity; soil porosity, and bulk density. Green and dry mass of pasture and height and DBH of eucalyptus were evaluated. It was concluded that the studied soil is a recovery process. The treatments with sludge application were more effective because of their influence on the soil physical properties, besides resulting in higher green and dry mass yield in brachiaria and increased growth of eucalyptus trees. The best indicators of soil recovery were plant development, soil bulk density, total porosity, and macroporosity.
organic matter; soil recovery; Oxisol; eucalyptus; Brachiaria
