ABSTRACT Bases are chemical species that donate electrons, accept protons, or release hydroxyls (OH–) in aqueous solution. In Soil Science, “base saturation”, “exchangeable bases” or “basic cations” has been widely used to distinguish Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, and K+ from H+ and Al3+ cations. This terminology is confusing since none of these cations are truly a base in chemistry sense. However, in the absence of the proposition of a correct term, the term “base saturation” remains in use nowadays, causing confusion among students, professionals, and even among professors and researchers in Soil Science, as it leads to the erroneous interpretation that the soil acidity can be corrected by adding these cations to the soil. Here, we present the historical background of this nomenclature and a theoretical foundation that justifies the abolition of the use of these terms in Soil Science. We consider that the most correct is to call it “Ca-Mg-K-Na saturation”, which, despite being long, would refer directly and without any misinterpretation of the terminology. In Soil Fertility, the “base saturation” is often calculated only as a function of the sum of Ca, Mg, and K, since the Na content is negligible in most tropical and subtropical soils. Thus, one could use the term “Ca-Mg-K saturation”. Likewise, it is also suggested to abolish the use of the term “sum of bases” and use the term “sum of Ca-Mg-K” or “sum of Ca-Mg-K-Na” instead when necessary.

ABSTRACT In Southern Brazil, agricultural soils are often treated over long periods with annual pig slurry (PS) applications, and their influence on soil nutrient dynamics should be monitored. This study aimed to evaluate the P forms accumulated in the soil and some biological and biochemical parameters of the P cycle after 19 successive PS applications over eight years, in a no-tillage (NT) system. Pig slurry was applied at rates of 0, 20, 40, and 80 m3 ha-1 per crop. Several P forms (available P, microbial P, phosphatase enzyme, total organic and inorganic P) in the 0.00-0.05 and 0.05-0.10 m soil layers were analyzed. Increases up to 5,523 % in available P, 308 % in microbial P, 104 % in phosphatase enzyme activity, 91 % in organic P, 251 % in inorganic P, and 19 % in Total-P were observed in the 0.00-0.05 m soil layer in response to the highest PS rate compared to the treatment with no PS. Results also indicated that P added via PS was preferentially accumulated in the inorganic fractions (83-98 %). The increase in organic P was limited by the increase in soil organic carbon. The increase in soil microbial biomass-P was more influenced by available P, while the increase in phosphatase enzyme activity was more related to the increase in organic P and C. Therefore, PS applied to the soil affected the chemical, biological, and biochemical components of the soil P cycle. Results indicate that even half of the PS rate normally used by farmers (20 m3 ha-1) poses a high risk of pollution of water bodies by runoff from these soils.

Práticas de manejo que visam reduzir a dependência de fertilizantes inorgânicos, como o uso de dejetos animais como fonte de P, podem contribuir para a sustentabilidade da agricultura. Embora informações sobre a biodisponibilidade e composição química do P presente nos dejetos utilizados como fertilizantes são importantes para o entendimento da sua dinâmica no solo, tais estudos ainda são escassos. Dessa forma, objetivou-se com o este trabalho avaliar o uso do fracionamento químico sequencial, da dessorção com resina de troca e da espectroscopia de ressonância magnética nuclear (31P-NMR) para caracterizar as formas de P presentes em três diferentes dejetos animais (ave, suíno e bovino). O fracionamento químico sequencial do P, a extração sucessiva com resina e a espectroscopia de 31P-RMN demonstraram que as formas de P presentes nos dejetos de aves, bovinos e suínos são principalmente inorgânicas e altamente biodisponíveis. O teor de P orgânico e recalcitrante foi desprezível e altamente dependente da relação Ca:P nos dejetos. Os resultados deste trabalho demonstram que o uso dos três diferentes métodos, quando aplicados conjuntamente, permite a caracterização completa do P presente nos dejetos animais.

Phosphate release kinetics from manures are of global interest because sustainable plant nutrition with phosphate will be a major concern in the future. Although information on the bioavailability and chemical composition of P present in manure used as fertilizer are important to understand its dynamics in the soil, such studies are still scarce. Therefore, P extraction was evaluated in this study by sequential chemical fractionation, desorption with anion-cation exchange resin and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (31P-NMR) spectroscopy to assess the P forms in three different dry manure types (i.e. poultry, cattle and swine manure). All three methods showed that the P forms in poultry, cattle and swine dry manures are mostly inorganic and highly bioavailable. The estimated P pools showed that organic and recalcitrant P forms were negligible and highly dependent on the Ca:P ratio in manures. The results obtained here showed that the extraction of P with these three different methods allows a better understanding and complete characterization of the P pools present in the manures.

Solos com baixo teor de argila e matéria orgânica apresentam baixa disponibilidade de enxofre (S) e, por isso, as culturas podem responder à adubação sulfatada. No entanto, a mobilidade de S no perfil do solo e sua deposição atmosférica pela água da chuva dificultam o estabelecimento do nível de suficiência do nutriente no solo. Este trabalho objetivou avaliar a resposta de culturas à adubação sulfatada e quantificar o S atmosférico depositado no solo pela água da chuva. Os cultivos avaliados (mamoneira, trigo, feijão-de-porco e milheto) foram realizados entre 2006 e 2009, em um Argissolo Vermelho distrófico arênico. As doses de S aplicadas em cada cultivo foram de 0, 5, 10 e 20 kg ha-1, utilizando-se gesso agrícola como fonte de S. Avaliaram-se a produção de matéria seca e o acúmulo de S na parte aérea do milheto e do feijão-de-porco, e a produção e o teor de S nos grãos de mamona e de trigo. Determinou-se o teor de S disponível no solo até 60 cm de profundidade e a deposição de S pelas precipitações. A maior produção de grãos da mamona e de matéria seca do segundo cultivo de feijão-de-porco foi obtida com aplicação de 14,5±0,35 kg ha-1 de S. Mesmo com teores de S abaixo dos níveis de suficiência, não houve respostas do trigo, do milheto e do primeiro cultivo de feijão-de-porco à adubação sulfatada. O aporte de S atmosférico ao solo foi de 4,5 kg ha-1 ano-1 e pode ter contribuído para a ausência de resposta desses cultivos.

Soils with low levels of clay and organic matter have low sulfur (S) availability. Therefore, crop yields may increase due to S fertilization. However, the mobility of S in the soil profile and its atmospheric deposition by rainwater make it difficult to establish the S sufficiency level in the soil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the response of crops to S fertilization and quantify the S atmospheric deposition in the soil via rainwater. The cultivations evaluated (castor bean, wheat, jack bean and millet) were performed between 2006 and 2009 in a Hapludalf. The S doses applied in each cultivation were 0, 5, 10 and 20 kg ha-1, using gypsum as a S source. The dry matter production and S accumulation were evaluated the in the shoots of millet and jack bean, and production and the S content were evaluated in castor bean and wheat. We also determined the level of available S in the soil to a depth of 60 cm and the S deposition by rainfall. The highest grain yield of castor bean and the highest dry matter yield in the second cultivation of jack bean were obtained with the application of 14.5±0.35 kg ha-1 S. Even with S content below the sufficiency levels, there was no response of wheat, millet and the first crop of jack bean to the S fertilization. The atmospheric input of S to the soil was 4.5 kg ha-1 year-1 and it may have contributed to the no response of these crops.

Em solos com baixos teores de argila e matéria orgânica pode haver menor disponibilidade de enxofre (S) e, por esse motivo, espera-se que a adubação sulfatada incremente a produção das culturas. O trabalho objetivou avaliar a resposta de culturas e a disponibilidade de S em solos com diferentes teores de argila e matéria orgânica, submetidos à adubação sulfatada. O experimento foi realizado em vasos em casa de vegetação no período de agosto de 2004 até janeiro de 2008. Foram realizados nove cultivos sucessivos de plantas em quatro tipos de solos, submetidos à aplicação de quatro doses de S. Avaliou-se a produção de matéria seca e o acúmulo de S na parte aérea das plantas e o teor do elemento disponível no solo das camadas 0 - 10 e 10 - 20 cm. As plantas do primeiro cultivo de milho e aveia preta aumentaram a produção de matéria seca com a aplicação de S, mas o aumento da produção do milho não teve relação com os teores de S disponível da camada 0 - 10 cm nos solos arenosos. Mesmo com teores de S disponível nessa camada abaixo dos níveis de suficiência, não houve resposta do girassol, feijão, soja e mamona à adubação sulfatada. A quantidade de S acumulada na parte aérea das plantas e o teor de S disponível no solo aumentaram com a aplicação do nutriente. Grande parte do S migrou para a camada de 10 - 20 cm, especialmente nos solos arenosos e, assim, o diagnóstico da sua disponibilidade deve ser realizado nas camadas subsuperficiais do solo.

Soils with low levels of clay and organic matter frequently had shown low sulfur (S) availability. Therefore, increases in crop yields trough sulfated fertilizations are expected. The objective of this work was to evaluate the response of crops and the S availability in soils with different contents of clay and organic matter submitted to sulfated fertilization. The experiment was carried out in pots in a greenhouse during the period from August 2004 to January 2008. Nine successive crops were cultivated in four classes of soils submitted to the application of four S levels. Dry matter yield and S accumulation in the shoot were evaluated. Soil samples from the soil layers of 0 - 10 cm and 10 - 20 cm were collected to quantify the available S content. Only the first cultivation of corn and black-oat increased the shoot dry matter yields due to sulfated fertilization. Besides, there was no relation between corn yield increases and the levels of available S from the soil layer of 0 - 10 cm in sandy soils. Even when the available S content in the soil layer of 0-10 cm was lower than the critical levels, no sulfate fertilization responses were observed when sunflower, bean, soybean and castor bean were cultivated. The amount of S accumulated in the shoots and the level of available S increased due to S fertilization. A large amount of sulfate also migrated to the soil layer of 10 - 20 cm, especially in sandy soils, and therefore, the diagnosis of S availability should be made in the subsurface soil layers.

No Rio Grande do Sul, o teor de N na folha inteira ou pecíolo e a expectativa de produção têm sido usados tanto para a tomada de decisão quanto no estabelecimento da dose de N a ser aplicada na cultura da videira. Entretanto, se carece de conhecimentos sobre a utilização, a distribuição e a acumulação na planta do N aplicado. O presente trabalho objetivou estimar o destino do N em videiras produtivas quando aplicado na época do inchamento das gemas. O experimento foi conduzido na safra 2002-2003 em um vinhedo de viníferas, cvs. Chardonnay e Riesling Renano, na Embrapa Uva e Vinho, em Bento Gonçalves - RS, sobre um Neossolo Litólico. As videiras receberam a aplicação de 15,91g N planta-1 no inchamento das gemas, correspondendo a 40 kg N ha-1, enriquecido com 4% de átomos 15N em excesso. Foram coletadas gemas brotadas e folhas na parte central do ramo emitido no ano, em oito épocas na cv. Chardonnay e sete épocas na cv. Riesling Renano. Na última coleta das folhas, as videiras foram cortadas e separadas em cachos, folhas, ramos do ano, ramos dos anos anteriores e caule. Foram secadas, determinada a produção de matéria seca e os teores de N total e 15N. Os resultados mostraram que a maior porcentagem de N nas folhas das videiras, cvs. Chardonnay e Riesling Renano, na brotação até a colheita da uva, é derivada de formas diferentes de N aplicado no inchamento das gemas. Na colheita da uva, a maior quantidade do N acumulado nas partes anuais e perenes das videiras é derivada do N do solo, sendo muito pequenas as quantidades de N aplicado no inchamento das gemas armazenado nas partes perenes.

The grapevines N fertilization levels in Southern Brazil use to be accounted as function of N leaf and leaf petioles rates for a limit yield expectation, without any information about the inner N dynamics in the grapevines. This experiment was carried out in 2002/03, to estimate the N destiny as N broadcasted on the vineyard soil with Chardonnay and Riesling Renano grapevines, at a Udorthent soil in, Bento Gonçalves, Southern Brazil. The vines received the application of 15.91g N plant-1, 40 kg N ha-1, with 4% atoms 15N, in bud break. The buds and leaves were collected in the central parts of the year branch eight different times in the Chardonnay grapes and seven times in the Riesling Renano grapes. The grapevines in the last collection of the leaves were separated in leaves, fruits, year branches, branches with two years and stem, and then were oven-dried, weighted and analyzed total N and 15N contents. The results showed that the larger percentage of N in the leaves of the Chardonnay and the Riesling Renano grapevines, since the beginning of the bud break until harvest is derived of different forms of N from those applied in the bud break. The highest quantity of N accumulated in the annual and perennial part of the grapevines is derived of the soil N, being very small the amounts of N applied in the bud break stored in the perennial parts.