Abstract

The study was conducted on an Inceptisol soil of the livestock production farm «La Morrocoya», Sosa municipality, Barinas state, in order to evaluate the effect of covers on some soil properties, as basis to establish sustainable production strategies. Four areas were selected: area 1. Cutting pasture: king grass (Cenchrus purpureus L.), three years after establishment in a total area of 2 ha; area 2. Introduced pasture: star grass Cynodon plectostachyus L.) 6 years after being established in a 4-ha area; area 3. Introduced forest: mahogany Swietenia mahagani L.) with 15 years of establishment and 1,8 ha; area 4. Natural forest, with a total area of 3 ha. Nine samples were taken from each study area at different depths. The analyses performed were texture, organic matter, apparent density, pH, assimilable calcium, potassium and phosphorus. Correlation matrix and principal component analysis were applied. The use of different covers proved that the Introduced pasture and its adequate management improved and stabilized the studied physical and chemical properties after 6 years of establishment, compared with the other covers. Close relationships were determined between organic matter and apparent density and clay + silt, with values of r > 0,80. These soil properties were the ones with better response to the effect of the different covers.