Abstract: The study shows that with the backward succession of vegetation, the latored soils suffered structural degradation, which was characterized by the sandification of surface layer with relatively increasing content of sand grains and decreasing content of clay grains, the lowering aggregate stability with decreasing water stable aggregates and the deteriorating soil porosity with increasing bulk density and lowering large pore content.For natural latored soil, the increasing bulk density and the decreasing large pore content were more obvious, but for cultivated one, the lowering structural stability and sandification of surface layer were more serious.It is also indicated that the decrease of soil organic matter content caused by vegetation deterioration was the main interior factor causing the structural degradation of latored soils.

Key words: Hilly latored soils, Structural characteristics, South subtropics, WOFOST crop model, winter wheat, yield reduction risk