The aim of this work was to quantify soil nitrogen microbial biomassa (SNMB) under different soil management systems: no-tillage (NT); one harrowing (OH); one subsoiling with two harrowings (SH). These systems were compared with native Cerrado, on a Red Yellow Latossol clay, in Federal District. Soils were studied at five depths, 0-5, 5-10, 10-20, 20-30 and 30-40 cm, over four periods: before soil preparation; 30 days after germination (DAG); flowering stage and after harvesting soybean plants. The native Cerrado showed the highest values of SNMB in all periods and management systems. Significant differences were found between 0-5, 5-10 and 10-20 cm soil layers, except at 30 DAG. The Nmic:Ntotal percentual ratio in cerrado soil was 2.5 times greater than OH system, three times greater than NT and five times greater than SH. The distribution of total N decreased in the Cerrado soil and other management systems with soil depth. Total N levels decreased with soil depth in all periods. There was a positive correlation between nutrients and microbial nitrogen in different management systems and soils under native cerrado vegetation.
Glycine max; harrowing; no-tillage; subsoiling
