The intensification of agricultural systems (e.g., cropping of vegetables) to supply the world population demand for food has increased over the last decades. In Brazil, the largest area of vegetable cropping systems is in Oxisols within the Cerrado biome. These areas are characterized by intensive soil use and large-scale mechanized agriculture. This study aims to understand the possible impacts of the vegetable cropping systems (VGs) on the physical-hydric properties of highly weathered Oxisols. To this end, soil physical properties were assessed in representative VGs of different ages [15 (VG15), 20 (VG20), and 30 (VG30) years old] and in a native Cerrado vegetation (CV). The following physical analyzes were carried out: soil water retention curve (SWRC), soil bulk density (ρ), degree of compaction (DC), soil resistance to penetration (PR), saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat), disaggregation index, and structural stability index. Additionally, a soil physical quality index (SPQI) was developed for the assessment soil functions. The conversion from CV to VG promoted soil compaction as indicated by the increase in ρ, DC, PR values. This induced changes in soil porosity, mainly in mesopores. The change in porosity reduced the Ksat, field capacity, available water capacity, and increased the permanent wilting point. The conversion from CV to VG affected all soil functions. The function fi (support for root development) and the function fiv (resistance to erosion and degradation) were the most affected irrespective of VG age. The SPQI started with 0.89 in the CV site and was reduced by 34% (0.59) in VG15, 32% (0.61) in VG20, and 43% (0.51) in VG30. The cover crops used in VG20 seem to have influenced positively the SPQI in the short term. Our results indicate that VGs without increments of soil organic matter decreased the physical quality of a highly weathered Oxisol
