The low reactivity of lime below the application layer is mainly due to its low solubility, to the increase in soil negative charge in the applied zones, and to the short permanence of anions of added anions in the soil solution. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of anions added as potassium salts on increasing the reactivity of surface-applied limestone. The experiment was carried out in 2005 on a Haplumbrept (360 g kg-1 clay, 60 g kg-1 organic matter, and […]

Chiseling is one of the mechanical practices that can be used in no-tillage (NT) soils in order to reduce soil bulk density, resistance to root penetration, and to increase water permeability. The effect of these changes on plant growth and consequently on grain yield depends on climatic conditions. In soils with ideal moisture conditions, the physical limitations tend to be less noticeable. This study aimed to analyze the changes in the physical and hydric properties of a chiseled Oxisol under […]

In view of the toxicity of As for man and animals and the possibility of existence of a great number of contaminated areas it is imperative to know the total As content in soils considered uncontaminated and about As sorption processes in soils of variable charge. The objective of this work was to determine the total content and maximum capacity of As adsorption (CMADSAs) in Oxisols. The total content was determined by the USEPA 3051A method. The cmADSAs was determined by […]

The distribution of phosphorus forms in the different soil compartments (labile, little labile and non-labile) is very influenced by geochemical and biological processes and by human activities. To evaluate the effect of liming and cattle manure on soil phosphorus forms, four experiments were carried out in an entirely randomized design, in a 4 x 5 factorial layout with four repetions, in a greenhouse. The treatments consisted of four liming levels (0; 0.5; 1 and 2 times the recommended dose to reach V […]

Temporal stability is described as the temporal persistence of a spatial pattern and is evaluated through correlation analysis of successive measurement data. In this study, the soil water storage was evaluated along two 76 m transects, each of them sampled at 20 points. The soil is an Oxisol (Yellow Red Latosol) under an 11- year-old citrus orchard, in Piracicaba-SP, Brazil. Soil water content, for the calculation of soil water storage in the layer 0.0-1.10 m, was obtained from weekly neutron probe readings at […]

Soil is an essential natural resource for life. Its overall capacity to function as substratum for plants, as environmental filter and regulator of gas, water and energy flow is defined as soil quality. An soil quality index can be used to monitor the effects of agricultural use on the soil attributes. The objective of this study was to determine a soil quality index (SQI) for the subsurface horizons of a cohesive argisolic Yellow Latosol (LAx) of Coastal Plains under natural […]

The specific surface area (SSA) is related to several properties that define the soil physico-chemical behavior. In this research, 23 soil samples developed from different parent materials found in the southern Brazil were used. They were evaluated for the contribution of the main soil constituents to the effective cation exchange capacity (CECe) and SSA. The clay fraction minerals were identified by X ray diffraction (XRD) and quantified by thermal analysis; the CECe, the SSAt (total) by the ethylene glycol monoethyl […]

Preconsolidation pressure is currently used as a tool in the study of the soil compaction process. The purpose of this work was to determine the layout and number of samples required for the determination of the preconsolidation pressure (sp) in a Red Latosol, as well as to characterize its variability and spatial distribution using classical statistics and geostatistics parameters. The study was carried out in an experimental farm area, in Lavras, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, conventionally tilled in the last […]

The high rice grain yields ensured by sprinkler irrigation have encouraged the use of higher fertilizer doses, mainly the nitrogen fertilizers. However, an improper management of nitrogen fertilization may result in plant lodging. Application of plant regulators may redirect assimilates to grain production while limiting the vegetative growth. This study aimed to: evaluate the influence of the growth regulator Ethyl-trinexapac on plant growth parameters and on 15N accumulation and distribution in the whole plant and plant components, and determine the […]

Agricultural soil use induces changes in soil physical, chemical, and microbiological characteristics. These changes can eventually lead to a loss of soil quality and a consequent reduction in plant growth and productivity. The analysis of biochemical and microbiological soil quality indicators is relevant to monitor changes in soil quality and in the performance of key soil functions, such as the capacity of nutrient cycling and storage. This study reports on physical, chemical, and biochemical/microbiological quality indicators of soil under eucalyptus […]