Mineralogy, chemistry and stability of silt-size aggregates of soils from the Southeast Region of Brazil

Com o objetivo de avaliar a relação da composição mineralógica e química do solo com a estabilidade de agregados do tamanho de silte, foram realizados estudos utilizando-se amostras de horizontes A e B de diversos solos da Região Sudeste do Brasil. Amostras de TFSA foram dispersas a 12.000 rpm por 20 minutos e a fração silte foi separada por esgotamento da fração argila, constituindo-se na fração denominada pseudo-silte, a qual foi sonificada, separando-se a fração argila desagregada (por sifonamento) da fração silte propriamente dita. Estudos de correlação mostraram que as composições mineralógica e química dos solos têm efeito marcante na dispersão de argila, com reflexos na fração silte. Maiores teores de gibbsita refletem em maior estabilidade dos agregados do tamanho de silte ao passo que a caulinita proporciona efeito inverso. As formas de Al determinadas na fração pseudo-silte estão associadas à maior dificuldade de dispersão da fração argila dos solos.The objective of this work was to evaluate the relationship of soil mineralogical and chemical composition with stability of silt-size aggregates. The studies were carried out using samples of A and B horizons of some soils from the Southeast Region of Brazil. Fine-earth samples were dispersed at 12,000 rpm during 20 minutes and the silt fraction was separated through clay fraction drain, constituting the fraction named pseudo-silt, which was sonificated, separating the desegregated clay fraction (by sonication) from the properly named silt fraction. Correlation analyses showed that the soil mineralogical and chemical compositions have marked influence upon clay dispersion, with reflections on the silt fraction. Higher amounts of gibbsite reflect in higher stability of silt-size aggregates, while the kaolinite promotes inverse effect. The Al forms determined on the pseudo-silt fraction are associated with higher difficult of dispersion of clay fraction of soils

Occurrence of macaúba in Minas Gerais, Brazil: relationship with climatic, pedological and vegetation attributes

O objetivo deste trabalho foi relacionar a ocorrência da macaúba (Acrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd. ex Martius) no Estado de Minas Gerais a atributos climáticos, pedológicos e vegetacionais. O Estado possui três grandes regiões de ocorrência de macaúba: Alto Paranaíba, Zona Metalúrgica e Montes Claros. A região de Montes Claros é relativamente mais quente e mais seca do que as outras duas, porém as diferenças macroclimáticas regionais não chegam a representar um fator limitante à ocorrência da macaúba. Dentro de cada região, foram selecionadas e amostradas nove seqüências de solos na paisagem, totalizando 27 perfis de solo, registrando-se, inclusive, a vegetação primitiva. O uso de atributos químicos e físicos do solo permitiu separar de forma eficiente os conjuntos de segmentos da paisagem (sítios) com e sem macaúba, mediante a análise de componentes principais, dos quais as correlações com os atributos químicos são os mais relevantes. A ocorrência de macaúba acompanhou áreas de solos com fertilidade natural mais elevada e vegetação primitiva de fisionomia florestal, o que mostra que a espécie avança como pioneira, evitando extremos de deficiência de nutrientes e de água. Os resultados evidenciam que, nos casos estudados, a ocorrência da macaúba só se verificou quando a vegetação primitiva é de floresta subcaducifólia.The objective of this work was to relate the occurrence of macaúba (Acrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd. ex Martius) in Minas Gerais State, Brazil, to climatic, pedological and vegetation attributes. The State has three huge regions where macaúba occurs: Alto Paranaíba, Zona Metalúrgica, and Montes Claros. The Montes Claros region is relatively warmer and drier than the two others, although these regional macroclimatic differences do not limit the macaúba occurrence. Within those regions, nine soil sequences were selected and sampled in the landscape, totalizing 27 soil profiles, being also registered the primitive vegetation in each case. The use of soil chemical and physical attributes allowed to discriminate the sets of landscape segments (sites) with and without macaúba through the principal components analysis; the correlations with the chemical attributes were the most relevant. The macaúba occurrence followed soil areas where the natural fertility was higher and where the primitive vegetation was forest, showing that the species advances as pioneer, avoiding extreme conditions of deficiencies of nutrients and water. The surveyed data evidence that in all cases the macaúba occurrence only happened when the primitive vegetation is semideciduous forest

Urochloa decumbens growth and P uptake as affected by long-term phosphate fertilization, mycorrhizal inoculation and historical land use in contrasting Oxisols of the Brazilian Cerrado

ABSTRACT In the fertility management of highly weathered-leached Brazilian Oxisols, P is the most limiting macronutrient. A greenhouse experiment was conducted with the objective to evaluate the influence of the interaction between P doses, mycorrhizal inoculation and historical land use on Urochloa decumbens growth and P uptake in four Oxisols with contrasting chemical, physical and mineralogical properties. The plants were cultivated in plastic pots containing 4 kg of soil in a completely randomized design, four replications and 2x2x2 factorial scheme: with two P doses; with and without mycorrhizal inoculation; soils cultivated for long periods and non-cultivated (under native vegetation). There were two plantings of ten weeks each. Shoot dry mater, concentration and accumulation of P in the shoot were evaluated. In the first planting, the Urochloa response was greater in non-cultivated soils associated with inoculation and P addition. However, in the second planting, the inoculation had a greater effect in all soils compared to the first planting associated with the lowest P dose. As the P concentration in the soil increased, P in the shoot dry matter increases. The inoculation did not affect the P concentration and accumulation in the shoot of Urochloa. The growth of Urochloa decumbens was strongly influenced by the interaction among soil class x history of land use x dose of P x inoculation

Long-term phosphate fertilization, mycorrhizal inoculation and historical land use influence on soybean growth and P uptake

ABSTRACT Phosphorus is a key-nutrient in the fertility management of highly weathered tropical soils. So, this work was carried out with the objective of evaluating the influence of the interaction between P doses, mycorrhizal inoculation and historical land use on soybean growth and P uptake in five Latosols (Oxisols) with contrasting chemical, physical and mineralogical properties under a continuous long-term phosphate fertilization (more than 15 years). The plants were cultivated in 4.5L-plastic pots containing 4 kg of soil in a completely randomized design, four replications and 2x2x2 factorial scheme with two P doses; and with or without mycorrhizal inoculation; and soils cultivated for long periods and non-cultivated (under native vegetation). There were two cultivations of ten weeks each. Shoot dry mass, P content and accumulation in the shoot dry mass were evaluated after each cultivation period. The cultivation history reduced the response to P application and inoculation. The soybean response to inoculation was greater in cultivated soils and when the lower P dose was applied. The soybean response magnitude to these variables was different among the studied Latosols. The mineralogical and chemical attributes of the Latosols were determinants

Competitive retention and desorption of inorganic anions on natural soil gibbsite

O objetivo deste trabalho foi quantificar a retenção e a dessorção competitivas dos ânions nitrato, sulfato, silicato e fosfato na fração argila gibbsítica de um Gleissolo Melânico. Amostras da fração argila foram agitadas em tubos de centrífuga com solução de NaCl 30 mmolc L-1 contendo estes ânions em quantidades equivalentes a 30% das respectivas capacidades máximas de retenção exibidas pela argila. Para fins comparativos, as amostras foram agitadas com a mesma solução contendo 1 mmolc L-1 de cada um dos ânions citados. Os tubos foram centrifugados e determinaram-se as concentrações aniônicas nos sobrenadantes. A dessorção foi realizada agitando-se a fração argila remanescente nos tubos de centrífuga com a solução de NaCl, quantificando-se os ânions liberados. Em outro ensaio, com o silício e o fósforo previamente adsorvidos à gibbsita, adicionou-se, na seqüência, o fósforo e o silício intercalados para avaliar a capacidade de dessorver o ânion previamente adsorvido. O fosfato foi preferencialmente adsorvido em relação aos demais ânions estudados e a aplicação prévia de silício reduziu a fixação de fosfato. Desse modo, a aplicação de silício previamente à de fósforo favorece a fitodisponibilidade deste em solos altamente intemperizados.The objective of this work was to quantify the competitive retention and desorption of nitrate, sulfate, silicate and phosphate anions on gibbsitic clay fraction of a Melanic Gleisol. Samples of clay fraction were shaken in centrifuge tubes with 30 mmolc L-1 NaCl solution containing these anions in quantities equivalent to 30% of the respective maximum adsorption capacity exhibited by clay. For comparative purposes, samples were also shaken with the same solution containing 1 mmolc L-1 of each mentioned anion. The tubes were centrifuged and the anionic concentrations in supernatants were determined. The dessorption was performed by shaking the residual clay fraction in centrifuge tubes with NaCl solution and quantifying the released anions. In another experiment, with the silicon phosphorus previously adsorbed to gibbsite, P and Si were added in the sequence, intercalated for evaluating the capacity of desorpting the previously adsorbed anion. The phosphate was preferentially adsorbed in relation to the other studied anions and the previous silicon application reduced the phosphate fixation. The silicon application previously to phosphate favours the bioavailability of P in highly weathered soils