The role of grasses in the recovery of degraded soils

Perennial grasses, due to their fasciculated root system, are widely used in soil recovery in degraded areas. The objective of this study was to verify the physical and chemical attributes of a Red Nitossolo soil cultivated with grasses, with and without mineral fertilization, at different sampling depths after four years of cultivation. The experiment was conducted at the EMEPA Experimental Station in Alagoinha, Paraiba. The design was randomized blocks, with four replicates in sub-subdivided plots with the treatments, pangola grass and brachiaria ruziziensis in the presence and absence of NPK mineral fertilization, at soil sampling depths (0-10, 10-20, and 20-30 cm). In the laboratory, the samples were subjected to physical and chemical soil determinations. The results obtained show that the use of grasses contributed to a reduction in soil density and an increase in total porosity. Brachiaria grass provided better aggregate stability values. The grasses promoted an increase in the levels of organic matter, P, K, and CTC, with a greater effect on the surface layer.