With the expansion of the sugar/alcohol sector, the native vegetation was removed from soils with few limitations as well as with great risks for intensive cultivation and the areas incorporated in the production process. Therefore, the adoption of management systems that maintain the soil structure may be a key for the maintenance of the quality and sustainability of sugarcane production systems. The objective of this study was therefore to evaluate the use potential for sugarcane and structural quality of a Dystrophic Haplic Cambisol (CXvbd) (Inceptisol) and Dystrophic Red-Yellow Latosol (LVAd) (Oxisol), in the county of Goianesia, Goias State. The soils of each area were classified for their use capacity. Disturbed soil samples were collected at depths corresponding to the surface and subsurface diagnostic horizons, for chemical and physical-hydric characterization. Undisturbed samples were collected (from the layers 0-0.05, 0.1-0.15 and 0.3-0.4 m) to determine soil porosity, water retention curves, the least limiting water range and preconsolidation pressure. The evaluation of soils by the land use capacity system indicated that CXvbd belongs to class IVe and LVAd to IIIs. Results of the analysis of the chemical and physical-hydric attributes of the CXvbd indicated that a continuous sugar-cane cultivation, despite the classification as IVe in the use potential system, was due to the adoption of agricultural terraces, aside from the fact that the degrees of soil revolving was lower and of soil cover higher, when sugarcane was harvested green The water availability for plants was highest for CXvbd, which tends to be advantageous for crops. In the study conditions, the LVAd was most susceptible to compaction, which requires limitations of machinery traffic.
