Volume 31, Number 5, 2007

The industrial refining of kaolin involves the removal of iron oxides and hydroxides along with other impurities that cause discoloration of the final product and depreciate its commercial value, particularly undesirable if destined to the paper industry. The chemical leaching in the industrial processing requires treatments with sodium hyposulfite, metallic zinc, or sulfuric and phosphoric acids, in order to reduce, dissolve and remove ferruginous compounds. To mitigate the environmental impact, the acidic effluent from the leaching process must be neutralized, […]

When a determined number of single soil samples is recommended for the formation of a composite sample, the diameter of the sampling auger is not taken into account. Thus, this study aimed to determine the auger diameter that would allow a reduction in the time and effort needed for soil sampling. Single soil samples of six different volumes (40, 90, 160, 360, 810 and 1,000 cm3) were collected in three management-harvest systems (no-till planting (PD), conventional planting before (PCAA) or […]

The mechanisms for salt tolerance are complex and depend upon physiological and anatomical changes occurring in the whole-plant. This research aimed at evaluating ion retention, vegetative growth, and dry matter partitioning by two forage sorghum genotypes [Sorghum Bicolor (L.) Moench] irrigated with saline water. Selected seeds were sown in plastic pots containing 12 kg a sandy Argisol and grown under greenhouse conditions. The experiment was in completely randomized with treatments arranged in a 2 x 5 factorial design, consisting of […]

The measures of the average and variability of soil fertility indexes can vary with the sampling tool and soil tillage type. Soil sampling methods must be developed that are more reliable to represent the real conditions of soil fertility. This study aimed at an evaluation of the effects of the cutting shovel and hand auger on measures of average and variability of the soil fertility index (a) under no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT), (b) to estimate the minimum number […]

Nitrogen is one of the nutrients wheat needs most, but is often not supplied neither in the right quantity nor at the right time. Because of the importance of nitrogen fertilization and the lack of information available in Paraguay, this study was developed to establish a nitrogen fertilizer recommendation for wheat under no-till. Six field experiments were carried out over a period of two years, in four Departments of Paraguay, considering the most important soils (Oxisols, Inceptisols and Ultisols) and […]

To date, information on the efficiency of nutrients applied as organic fertilizers is scarce. Apparent recovery of nutrients applied as cattle manure or as anacharis (Egeria densa) residues were compared. Large masses of anacharis are removed from the reservoirs of the Paulo Afonso hydroelectric power plant and the disposal has been problematic. A pot experiment was carried out with five consecutive corn crops of 45 days each, planted after a single dry matter application (doses of 0, 10 20, 30 […]

Potassium uptake by plants is generally higher than the initial amount of exchangeable potassium, indicating that non-exchangeable potassium forms participate in supplying plants with this nutrient. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potassium depletion by successive cultivations in a sandy-textured soil, with and without potassium fertilization in the past. The greenhouse experiment was carried out at the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, in southern Brazil. Samples (0-0.10 m) of a Typic Hapludalf, without and with previous potassium […]

The degree of soil nutrient availability to plants is one of the major factors determining crop production. Mathematical models have been proposed to simulate nutrient flux toward roots, taking into account several physical and chemical soil parameters as well as anatomical and physiological root traits. The objective of this paper was to establish a relationship between Baldwin’s theoretical diffusion model and experimental field data involving the response of wheat to K fertilization. Based on simulations with the theoretical model, it […]

The objective of this work was to characterize and classify Cambisols of the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago to test and improve the Brazilian System of Soil Classificaton (SiBCS). For this ecological complex of touristic importance, information on soil characteristics and landscape distribution is essential to plan the land use and government actions focusing on sustainable land use. Based on a Detailed Soil Survey of the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, six representative Cambisol profiles were morphologically characterized and samples were collected […]

The objective of the study was to characterize and classify four Plintosols (Ultisols and Entisols with plinthite) in Pinheiro county, Maranhão state (Brazil), to validate the new classes proposed in the Brazilian System of Soil Classification (SiBCS). Four pedons were selected in different hill slope positions: shoulder, backslope, footslope, and toeslope. The parent material consisted of ferruginous sandstone of the Itapecuru Formation and colluvial and alluvial sediments. Soil profiles were morphologically described and each horizon analyzed for physical, chemical and […]