Self-sustaining systems encourage microbial populations due to the conservation and improvement of organic matter in the soil. In addition, the plants constituents of these systems produce the rhizospheric effect through the influence zone of the roots, increasing activity and modifying the microbial population. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of winter crop rotation and summer crop sequences in a no tillage system, based on biochemical (amylase, urease, cellulase, and protease) and chemical (organic carbon, total carbohydrates, and total protein) characteristics in rhizospheric (SR) and non-rhizospheric soil (SNR). Three winter crops were studied: corn (Zea mays L.), sunflower (Helianthus anuus L.), and pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp), in rotation with three summer sequences: soybean/soybean (Glycine max L.), corn/corn, and soybean/corn. Samples were taken from soil adhering to the plant roots (SR) and from in-between the rows (SNR). The activities of amylase, cellulase, protease, and urease in SR were 16, 85, 62, and 100 % higher, respectively, than in SNR. For total organic carbon and total protein, the difference was 21 %. Of the winter crops, corn stimulated higher amylase, cellulase, protease, and urease activity in SR, as well as amylase, protease, and urease activity in SNR. The winter crops and the summer sequences did not affect total protein levels. The total carbohydrates were influenced by winter corn and sunflower crops. Only the summer corn/corn sequence influenced total organic carbon. The biochemical and chemical properties analyzed in this study can be used as indicators of changes in soil caused by winter crops and summer sequences.
soil enzymes; rhizospheric effect; microbial activity
