EVALUATION OF THE QUALITY OF AGRICULTURAL SYS TEMS IN PARAGUANÁ THROUGH SUSTAINABILITY INDICATORS

The aim of this study was to evaluate soil quality in different agricultural systems of the Paraguaná Peninsula using sustainability indicators as a basis for the design of agro - ecological management strategy. The assessment was made in three systems: Cucumis meloL. with drip irrigation, Zea mays associated with other crops and seasonal rains; and Aloe vera Munder zero tillage and without irrigation, considering as an ideal value, the soil not intervened under natural vegetation. The indicators evaluated were: bulk density (Bd), depth, stoniness, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), soil organic carbon (SOC), basal respiration (BR) and microbial biomass carbon (MBC). The results show that the evaluated systems are not sustainable, because they have deteriorated soil quality. The less sustainable system was C. melo, only the pH was within ideal values; Z. mayswas the most sustainable where ESP and BR were the furthest from the ideal value. The A. vera system presented less desirable pH values together with impaired biological properties, affecting the soil quality. Likewise, the loss of depth and stoniness increase in the assessed systems show erosion processe