The chemistry of the soil solution can be regarded as an indicator of the presence of nutrients or contaminants in the soil. To evaluate the variation of this chemical composition in the soil pores, a sequential system of extraction of the soil solution from the different soil pore classes was used. Soil columns were constructed and filled with air-dried fine soil of a Dystrophic Ultisol, and irrigated with: distilled water (T1), treated wastewater (T2) and treated wastewater + 1.2 g […]

The cultivation of Atriplex nummularia on saline-sodic soils is economically attractive because it can be used as a forage crop as well as in landscape projects. The potential of Atriplex nummularia for phytoextraction of Na+ from a saline-sodic soil irrigated with saline water was evaluated. Additionally, gypsum was tested for improving phytoremediation. The experiment was set up as a randomized block design, in a 2 x 3 factorial scheme. The treatments consisted of: no gypsum and 50 % of the […]

The influence of the salt content of two contrasting water sources (river and shallow well) on the hydraulic attributes of a clay loam Fluvic Inceptisol were tested. The experiment was carried out in 2000/2001 agricultural year on a 5,000 m2 plantation of Musa sp banana, cultivar pacovan. It consisted of a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement of two water sources and three irrigation levels (L1, L2 and L3), applied via microsprinkling. Results showed that the different irrigation levels and water quality did not […]

This study compares the chemical composition of the solution and exchange complex of soil in a 3-year-old irrigated vineyard (Vitis vinifera L., Red Globe cultivar) with that of adjacent clearing in the native hyperxerophyllic ‘caatinga’ vegetation. The soils are classified as Plinthic Eutrophic Red-Yellow Argisol; according to Soil Taxonomy they are isohyperthermic Plinthustalfs. Detailed physiographic characterization revealed an impermeable gravel and cobble covering the crystalline rocks; the relief of this layer was more undulating than the level surface. Significant higher […]

Micro-macromorphological, physical, chemical and mineralogical investigations were conducted on irrigated and non-irrigated Podzolic soils from Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brazil. The aim of this study was to characterize and evaluate differentiation among soils, as a function of their position in the landscape, due to the combined effects of surface and subsurface relief as well as five years of sprinkle irrigation on mango trees. Data from four profiles were used, two from the irrigated area and two from a contiguous area of natural […]

Salt-affected soils are characteristics of arid and semi-arid zones of the world. This study was undertaken at Açu valley region of Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil, by means of a field experiment conducted from April/90 to January/91. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of subsoiling and amendment additions (gypsum, farmyard manure and Copernica cerifera straw), on chemical properties of saline sodic soil. Subsoiling treatment provided beneficial effects decreasing soil exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) and pH […]