The reduction of a second growing season of sugarcane can lead to spread soil compaction, due to mechanical harvesting of sugarcane in the rainy season. Thus, it is necessary to define strategies to minimize this process. This study aimed to model the compressive behavior of the soil based on the critical pressure. The effects of the mechanized harvesting of sugarcane at different times of the crop were also assessed in a Red-Yellow (LVA) and in a Haplic Cambisol (CX). Soil macroporosity, preconsolidation pressure at different soil water contents and bulk density were determined in undisturbed soil samples. With the incorporation of the critical bulk density in modeling the soil compressive behavior, it was possible to estimate the critical pressure. The critical pressure overestimates the soil bearing capacity. The mechanized harvesting of sugarcane made in the friability zone did not cause harmful compaction to the crop. The sugarcane can be harvested mechanically without causing structural degradation in the LVA and CX, respectively, at soil water contents up to 0.16 and 0.21 kg kg-1.
Saccharum sp.; structural degradation; critical pressure; mechanized harvesting of sugarcane
