The term “cohesive” has been used in Brazil to distinguish sub-surface soil horizons that have hard, very hard or extremely hard consistency when the soil is dry, and friable when the soil is wet. Australian soils with similar behavior were identified as hardsetting. Researchers have indicated that many soils in Africa and other semi-arid regions can also be characterized as hardsetting. Based on the definition and characteristics of the hardsetting soils, it is believed that “cohesive” soils of the Low […]

The purpose of this work was to obtain the retarding factor (R) and the dispersion-diffusion coefficient (D) for chromium (III) in two highly weathered soils collected in São Paulo, Brazil. The influence of the following factors on these two parameters were analyzed: textures, pH and soil organic matter. Samples of the A and B horizons of two soils were used, differing significantly in organic matter contents (a) a Typic Eutrorthox (LVe) and (b) a Typic Haplorthox (LVd). Soil pH of […]

The aim of this work was to study the extraction of available boron using hot water and CaCl2 5 mmol L-1, and a microwave oven as the heating device. Boron was determined using azomethine-H. The influence of some soil characteristics on the performance of the extractants, was also studied. Corn plants were grown in a greenhouse, in a completely randomized block design, using 17 soil types and 6 B rates (0.0, 0.15, 0.30, 0.60, 0.90 and 1.5 mg dm-3) in a factorial with three […]

Mixed plantations of eucalypt and acacia can be beneficial from both the ecological and economic viewpoints, as they increase the biological diversity and reduce the costs of nitrogen fertilization. This trial had the objective to evaluate the effect of mixed plantations of Eucalyptus saligna (Smith) and Acacia mearnsii (De Wild) on soil and stand characteristics. The experiment was carried out on a Red Yellow Latosol, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and the treatment consisted of pure […]

The direct consequences of inadequate soil management are erosion, reduction of productivity and loss of sustainability. The indicators of soil structure quality are important tools for evaluating sustainability of management systems. This study aimed to evaluate the aggregation of typic dystrophic Red Latosol (Oxisol) under different management systems at cerrado region in Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Among the studied management systems, no-tillage presented higher percentage of aggregates in the > 2 mm class, smaller percentage in the < 2 mm and < 1 mm classes, […]

High acidity predominates in southeastern and midwestern Brazilian soils, where the largest area of sugar cane plantations is concentrated. Large amounts of slag, a steel-industry residue containing nutrients such as calcium and magnesium and acting as acidity corrective agents, are also present in the region. This study aimed to evaluate different base saturation levels using slag as a soil corrective agent. This material was compared to calcitic limestone to analyze acidity neutralization and certain chemical soil properties, as well as […]

Two toposequences on the coastal plain of Rio Guaratuba (SP) were studied to define the pedological and deposition/storage evolution by means of macromorphological soil analysis. The first sequence shows the change of a Podzol into organic soil on marine sandy sediments, whereas the second one shows the relationship of a Gley Soil on continental sediments with a Podzol soil on marine sediments. Marine sedimentation was found to form sandbanks with internal depression zones, which allowed the development of a Podzol […]

This paper presents data of an experiment carried out in a Yellow Latosol amended with sewage sludge and municipal waste compost where sugar-cane was grown for two years. The experiment design was a random block with 9 treatments and 4 replications. The treatments were: tr1  – mineral fertilization + CaCO3; tr2, tr3; tr4 and tr5 – levels of sewage sludge (respectively, 0; 33; 66 and 99 Mg ha-1, in the first year, and 0; 37; 74 and 112 Mg ha-1, in the second year, in […]

The effects of native semiarid vegetation deforestation on soil and water losses caused by erosive rainfall in Haplargid were studied. The data covering the period of 1983-1990 were obtained from the Experimental Station of Sumé (Paraíba, from Brazil) of the Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB). The treatments consisted of two deforested runoff plots, two runoff plots with native semiarid vegetation, two deforested watersheds and two watersheds with native semiarid vegetation. The deforested runoff plots, had soil losses of 61.7 and […]

Compaction is one of the main causes of degradation of agricultural soils and it has been evaluated through several indicators of: (a) soil structural quality for crop growth, such as the least limiting water range (LLWR), and (b) load support capacity of the soil, i.e., the preconsolidation pressure (σp). This research was carried out with the objective to relate the LLWR and the σp, as well as to determine critical pressures values that can be applied to the soil without […]