The monitoring of soil quality based on physical properties is important for the evaluation and maintenance of the sustainability of agricultural systems. An indicator property of soil quality should be sensitive to management changes. This study aimed to evaluate the S parameter as an indicator of soil physical quality and aggregation of an Oxisol, managed for 11 years in systems with and without the inclusion of off-season cover crops. The treatments consisted of: conventional system (SC) and conservation systems with cover crops (sunn hemp - SDC, millet SDM, and lab-lab SDL). The experimental design was a randomized block design with four treatments and six replications, the split plots consisted of soil layers. The organic matter content in the conservation systems SDC, SDM and SDL was higher than in the conventional system in the 0-0.05m layer. Higher mean values of weighted and geometric diameter of the aggregates were observed in the conservation tillage systems. The S index indicated good physical quality (all values > 0.035).
physical properties; aggregates; cover crops
