HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lopes, A. S. Articles by Cox, F. R. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Lopes, A. S. Articles by Cox, F. R. Agricola Articles by Lopes, A. S. Articles by Cox, F. R.

A Survey of the Fertility Status of Surface Soils Under "Cerrado" Vegetation in Brazil¹

ABSTRACT

Agriculture is becoming more intensive in central Brazil, but there is little information available on the fertility status of most of the soils. To determine this status a total of 518 topsoil samples were collected from a 600,000-km² area in central Brazil. Laboratory characterization included pH, exchangeable Al, cation exchange capacity, nutrient levels (including micronutrients), organic matter, texture, and color. The results, presented as frequency distributions, indicate the following general conditions: a pH of 4.8 to 5.2, an organic matter level of 1.5 to 3.0%, extremely low levels of effective CEC and extractable Ca, Mg, P, and Zn, a high level of Fe, a high degree of Al saturation, and a broad range in textural class. Organic matter was the most important soil fraction in relation to effective CEC in these soils. The data suggest that problems associated with fertilizer inputs needed to bring these soils under more intensive agriculture are generally similar, but may vary in degree.

¹ Paper no. 5101 of the Journal Ser. of the North Carolina Agri. Exp. Stn., Raleigh, North Carolina. Part of a thesis submitted by the senior author in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the M.S. degree. Supported in part by Contract AID/ta-c-1236 with the U.S. Agency for International Development.

² Graduate Research Assistant at North Carolina State Univ. (and Associate Professor of Soil Science at Escola Superior de Agricultura de Lavras, Lavras, MG, Brazil); and Professor of Soil Science at North Carolina State Univ., respectively.

Received for publication October 21, 1976. Accepted for publication April 4, 1977.