Avaliação dos atributos físicos de um solo cultivado com melancia fertirrigada no perímetro irrigado do baixo Acaraú-Ce

Abstract

One of the most important and modern technology currently used in agricultural production systems are fertigation, which consists in applying the necessary nutrients to the the crops, through the water irrigation system, providing an improvement in the production efficiency. The study aimed to evaluate possible changes in the soil physical attributes caused by drip fertigation cropped with watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.) and located in the Irrigation Perimeter of the Low Acaraú in the state of Ceará, Brazil. The soil samples were collected with both deformed and undisturbed structure in three different periods of the crop cycle (at the beginning of the cycle, in the middle of the cycle in the 34 days after planting (DAP) and in the late season with 59 DAP), in two depths (0 - 0.15 and 0.15 to 0.30 m) and in in three situations of irrigation / fertigation managements (area of influence of the wet bulb containing fertilized culture - DC, area of influence of the wet bulb fertigated without culture SC (received only fertigation) and only an irrigated area - SF (without fertigation)). Physical attributes of particle size were determined: total clay and clay dispersed in water, soil bulk density and particle porosity (total macro and micropores), aggregate stability and mean weighted diameter, saturated hydraulic conductivity and water retention curve in the soil; Chemical analysis were determined for pH (hydrogen potential) in water, calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al), total acidity (H + Al), phosphorus, total organic carbon, nitrogen, C / N ratio, organic matter and electrical conductivity in the saturation extract (CEes). The experimental data were analyzed considering a completely randomized design with a split plots with 10 replications and it was conducted tests to verify the normality of the data, the F for the analysis of variance, the Tukey test for comparison of means. It was concluded that: a) Despite the predominantly sandy soil, the nutrients contained in fertigation caused positive changes in some physical soil properties studied, causing greater clay flocculation and decreasing the amount of dispersed clay in water, especially in the first layer sampled; b) The irrigation practice tended to alter adversely the quality of the ground, increasing its density and reducing the porosity; c) As the nutrients and water for irrigation were applied predominantly in the first layer of soil it was where it was observed the greatest variations of the physical attributes, including amount of stored water.