Volume 28, Number 4, 2004

The determination of the soil water retention curve is a fundamental part of the characterization of soil hydraulic properties. Although soil water retention has been studied for a long time, many details on spatial variability of curves and experimental values are not well known. Knowing on this variability allows a better planning of experiments leading to simplification of sampling. The aim of the study was to explore the procedures for the analysis of the soil water retention curve in order […]

The objective of this study was to identify the K-bearing minerals as well as the granulometric fraction of the soil with potential to supply K to the plants from two basaltic Oxisols (Hapludox and Kandiudox). The mineralogical analyses of the granulometric fractions of the Hapludox soil revealed the probable occurrence of a mica mineral in the fine silt and coarse clay fractions, while feldspar minerals occurred in the sand, coarse silt, and fine silt fractions. In the Kandiudox soil, a […]

The use of porous cups to extract soil solution is interesting because it is a non destructive method. However, there are some uncertainties regarding the possible release of ions from the cups that would contaminate the extracted solution. An experiment was carried out at the College of Agricultural Sciences/UNESP, Botucatu, State of São Paulo (Brazil) to evaluate the Ca and Mg release by ceramic porous cups. Two tests were performed, consisting of four treatments: T1 – washing the cups with […]

Experiments testing the efficiency of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) originating from the same soil sample complement studies of taxonomic diversity by assessing functional relationships within mycorrhizal communities. In this study fungal isolates from three distinct communities were evaluated regarding their efficiency to increase dry biomass production and P content in two mycotrophic hosts. In the first experiment, the effect of 13 AMF isolates from the JA205, MN414, and VA105 communities were screened in order to test the hypothesis that at least […]

Before recommending biosolids at large scale for forest plantations it is necessary to have an ample understanding of its effects on soil and plant. Thus, it was evaluated the soil fertility, nutritional status and growth of a Eucalyptus grandis plantation fertilized with biosolid (bios). The trial was established at the Experimental Station of Forest Sciences of Itatinga – ESALQ/USP (São Paulo State, Brazil). The experimental design was in complete randomized blocks, with 4 replicates. There were nine treatments, namely: (1) control; […]

The soils of the Submiddle São Francisco River Valley are generally sandy, with low nutrient retention capacity. Since they are located in a semi-arid area, they are very poor in organic matter (OM) and as a consequence are deficient in nitrogen, which limits agricultural production. Thus, the use of legumes as green manure may overcome this problem because it adds carbon and nitrogen to soil. The study comprised two experiments with legumes intercropped with irrigated grape (Vitis vinifera) in a […]

The present study had as objectives to characterize K forms, plant use of these forms and to evaluate the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) response to K application in four lowland soils. It was also sought to determine the critical levels for K in soils and plant. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 4 x 5 factorial scheme with four replications. The treatments were a combination of four lowland soils [Mesic Organosoil (OY), Melanic Gleysoil (GM), Haplic Gleysoil (GX), and […]

Liming acid soils is considered to assure the availability of Mo in crops. Additionally, in peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) the positive response to liming is associated to a better supply of Ca+2, Mo for the nitrogenase-complex activity, and other non-nitrogen fixing activities of the crop. This study was thus undertaken to assess the effect of lime, Mo, and the lime-Mo interaction on peanut crop, on an acid Ultisol at the Mococa Experimental Station, Instituto Agronômico, São Paulo State, Brazil, from […]

The objective of the present study was to characterize the mineralogy and micromorphology of soils with stagnic properties from the micro region of Araripina, in the Sertão Zone of Pernambuco State aiming to improve the understanding of their properties and pedogenic processes. Up to now, these soils have been poorly studied. They are characterized by the presence of a solodic or natric B horizon underlying a normal argic B horizon. Three representative soil profiles were selected in Ouricuri County. According […]

The macro and micromorphological characteristics of the surface and subsurface diagnostic horizons of Oxisols and Quartzipsamments of the South American and Velhas geomorphic surfaces were analyzed in profiles under native vegetation cover, in order to establish a reference for future comparisons with similar areas under ongoing human intervention. The soils in their respective subregions and geomorphic surfaces were classified in three groups: Group 1: hypo to mesoferric, clayey to very clayey soils; Group 2: hypoferric; sandy to sandy loam soils, and Group 3: […]