TECHNICAL NOTE: MECHANICAL RESISTANCE TO PENETRATION OF SOIL IN FUNCTION OF MOISTURE CONTENT AND PENETROMETER TYPE - DOI: 10.13083/1414-3984.v22n01a08

Abstract

With the advent of mechanized farming the soil began to receive greater pressure from tires of the machines, which can result in areas of impeded root growth. The object of this study was to evaluate the soil mechanical resistance to penetration using an electronic penetrometer and impact in moisture conditions for an area previously cultivated with sorghum. The experiment was conducted at the Campus of Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of São Francisco Valley - UNIVASF, Petrolina (PE), Brazil. Data collection of mechanical resistance to penetration was performed using an electronic penetrometer and impact in moisture content conditions (3.5 and 6,7%) at depths from to 0.00 to 0.50 m. The penetrometers were placed 0.20 m from each other for collection. For the impact penetrometer of mechanical resistance to penetration high values were encountered, and there was no difference in values at different moisture contents. For the electronic penetrometer it was found that at low moisture content conditions no soil penetration was observed, and in the layer to 0.30 m there was a difference in resistance values, being lower in soil with higher moisture content. There was a relationship between the moisture content and the value of mechanical resistance for the electronic penetrometer.