Long- and short-term effects of cultivation on properties of a Vertisol under sugarcane plantation

Particulate organic matter (POM) with long-term (8.2 g kg−1) and short-term cultivation (6.6 g kg−1) were significantly (P ≤ 0.007) higher than for native vegetation (2.1 g kg−1). In the 0-10 cm soil depth, cultivation had no effect on total nitrogen (TN), organic carbon (OC) and bulk density (Bd). However, in the 10-20 cm soil depth, significantly (P ≤ 0.03) greater N was present under the long-term cultivation (0.46 g kg−1) than under native vegetation and short-term cultivation (0.26-0.33 g kg−1). At 10-20 cm, soil bulk density under long-term cultivation (1.5 mg m−3) was lower (P ≤ 0.01) than under short-term cultivation (1.8 mg m−3) and native vegetation (1.7 mg m−3). At 20-30 cm, TN and bulk density were not affected, but OC was significantly (P ≤ 0.009) higher under native vegetation (4.9 g kg−1) than under short-term cultivation (1.7 g kg−1). It could be concluded that, long-term production of sugarcane in fine textured soils (>52% clay) improved soil properties relative to native vegetation in the semi-arid tropics.