Morphologically differentiated Spodosols usually occur in the Coastal Plain of the South of Bahia and North of Espírito Santo. They are found in profiles known as “muçungas”, i.e. sandy soils that accumulate water. In these areas, two kinds of Spodosols, different from those in the Restinga area, can be found: Spodosols with E albic horizon (white muçunungas) and without this horizon (black muçunungas). Eight soil profiles with spodic characteristics were collected and described in order to evaluate differences in the […]

The Brazilian System of Soil Classification (SiBCS) is a taxonomic system, open and in permanent construction, as new knowledge on Brazilian soils is obtained. The objective of this study was to characterize the chemical, physical, morphological, micro-morphological and mineralogical properties of four pedons of Oxisols in a highland toposequence in the upper Jequitinhonha Valley, emphasizing aspects of their genesis, classification and landscape development. The pedons occupy the following slope positions: summit – Red Oxisol (LV), mid slope (upper third) – […]

The Semiarid Region of Northeast Brazil covers around 750,000 km2 and the Pre-Cambrian areas are dominated by shallow and poorly developed soils. According to the Brazilian System of Soil Classification the soils of the region are predominantly classified as Lithic Neosols, Luvisols and Planosols. This study aimed to characterize and classify 12 soil profiles in four toposequences representative of the common occurrence of Luvisolics in the Semiarid Region of Northeast Brazil by the Brazilian System of Soil Classification. Two sequences […]

The soil types Neossolos Litólicos (Leptosols) and Neossolos Regolíticos (Regosols) have been poorly studied in Brazil, due to their relatively low potential for agricultural use. Consequently the morphological description of Neossolos in the field is also hampered, particularly in terms of contacts between soil, saprolite and rock, and their classification in the Brazilian Soil Classification System. The purpose of this study was: to define morphologically the contact between soil, saprolite and rock in Neossolos; generate data of the saprolite layer […]

Soil mineralogy is an important tool to study and understand soil genesis and soil physical and chemical behavior. Furthermore, soil mineralogy is used as diagnostic criterion to define soil classes in the Brazilian System of Soil Classification and provides information on the potential soil mineral reserve of plant nutrients. In this context, this study presents the mineralogical characterization of gravel, fine and coarse sand fractions (under a binocular lens and petrographic microscope), and of the silt and clay fractions (by […]

Farm planning requires an assessment of the soil class. Research suggest that the Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System (DRIS) has the capacity to evaluate the nutritional status of coffee plantations, regardless of environmental conditions. Additionally, the use of DRIS could reduce the costs for farm planning. This study evaluated the relationship between the soil class and nutritional status of coffee plants (Coffea canephora Pierre) using the Critical Level (CL) and DRIS methods, based on two multivariate statistical methods (discriminant and […]

The objective of this research was to determine a methodology for the use of spectral data obtained in the laboratory and from orbital images for the recognition and discrimination of three soil classes in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Reflectance data were obtained by a spectroradiometer/by Landsat 5 images in the laboratory as standards from soil samples of Oxisol, Ultisol, and Entisol profiles. Orbital data were converted to reflectance and classified by the Spectral Angle Mapper. The spectral curves obtained […]

A soil classification system is proposed, based on the aeration and hydration capacities of profiles. Hydration is measured by the available water (field capacity minus wilting point), and aeration evaluated by the connection of available air (total porosity minus field capacity) values and steady state infiltration rate. On this basis, 10 soil orders and 28 soil classes are defined. Input variables are: density of solids, bulk density, porosity, field capacity, wilting point, and steady state infiltration rate. The classification is based on […]

The hydric characterization of the soils of the Campus of the Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias in Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil has certified that the Red Latosol presented the largest available soil water capacity and that the amount of water held at field capacity (0.01 MPa) and permanent wilting point (1.5 MPa) was better correlated to the clay and silt contents, as compared to the organic matter content and soil bulk density. Using the hydric characteristics of the soils, their […]

The spatial variability of the soil characteristics colour, clay content, pH and penetrometer resistance was evaluated in seven areas on which strongly weathered and intensively cropped soils occur, in the Planalto Médio region, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Nested analysis of variance was performed with the objective of assessing their homogeneity and optimal soil sampling density. Representative soil profiles were characterized and classified in these areas. Field work was performed from August to November, 1989. Kandiudox, Hapludox and […]