Even though raising cattle at crop fields can increase soil compaction, there is scarce information on this problem. This study aimed to evaluate some physical characteristics of soil in a typical Dystrophic Red Latosol (typical dystrophic Hapludox) in the county of Coxilha, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, after ten years of establishment of six ley farm production systems. The treatments were arranged in blocks with four replications. We also evaluated the fertility of the soil of a subtropical forest fragment adjacent to the experiment. Both winter and summer crops were established under no-tillage. Cropping systems and soil of different sampling depths were compared using the orthogonal contrast procedure. We compared the systems and values of the physical characteristics of soil in each system in the layers of 0.0-0.05 m or 0-0.02 m and also 0.10-0.15 m. Soil bulk density and penetration resistance were lower in the layer of 0-0.05 m or 0-0.02 m. The subtropical forest showed highest soil bulk density and soil penetration resistance and lowest total porosity and macroporosity than most systems studied. The soils under different ley farm production systems, despite showing signs of degradation, did not reach levels considered critical to the development of crops. The system wheat/soybean and black oat + vetch + rye grass/pearl millet pasture (IV) presented the worst physical attributes to plant development.
crop rotation; ley farming; soil bulk density
