ABSTRACT In Brazil, empirical models are traditionally used to determine lime requirement (LR), but their reliability is doubtful in most cases, since they can lead to under- or overestimation of LR for different soil types. In this study, the most critical characteristics influencing LR were selected to develop reliable models for predicting LR that raise soil pH to optimum values for crop production in Brazil. Soil samples (n = 22) with varying proportions of clay (5-88 %) and organic matter (OM) levels (3.78-79.35 g kg-1) were used to develop the models. Organic matter and potential acidity (HAl) combined with ΔpH [target pH(H2O) - initial pH(H2O)] were the best predictor variables for estimating LR. Four models were developed (OMpH5.8, OMpH6.0, HAlpH5.8, and HAlpH6.0) for estimating LR to attain target pH values of 5.8 or 6.0 with reasonably high prediction performance (0.758≤ R2 ≤0.886). An algorithm was further developed for selecting the LR to be recommended among those estimated by the models. The proposed algorithm enables to select the minimum LR that ensure the adequate supply of Ca and Mg to plants and does not exceed the levels of soil HAl, thus preventing excessive pH increase. The new predictive models were less sensitive to predict LR high enough to meet Ca2+ and Mg2+ requirements of plants in soils containing levels of HAl lower than 5 cmolc dm-3 and OM lower than 40 g kg-1. However, they ensured an adequate supply of Ca2+ and Mg2+ to plants and avoided the overestimation of LR for most soils used in this research. Validation via an independent dataset (n = 100 samples) confirmed the good predictive performance of the models across a wide range of soil types. In summary, the proposed models can be used as good alternatives to traditional methods for predicting LR for a great variety of Brazilian soils. Further, they are versatile and may be easily deployed in soil testing laboratories, since soil pH, OM, and HAl are characteristics determined in routine analysis.

A dose de fertilizantes a ser recomendada para uma cultura depende do balanço de perdas e dos ganhos dos nutrientes no sistema agrícola (Lei da Restituição). Na UFV, o balanço foi modelado para recomendação de corretivos e fertilizantes para eucalipto (NUTRICALC), abacaxizeiro, algodoeiro, arroz, bananeira, cafeeiro, cana de açúcar, coqueiro, laranjeira, meloeiro, milho, pastagens, soja e tomate (FERTICALC) e teca (FERTI-UFV). A fertilização e a nutrição de plantas ornamentais tropicais baseam-se apenas na experiência de produtores e fabricantes de fertilizantes. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram desenvolver e apresentar técnica experimental que permita determinar: as taxas de recuperação de macro e micronutrientes por extratores de formas disponíveis, a demanda e as taxas de recuperação de nutrientes por plantas ornamentais e determinar a dose e os teores de nutrientes em fertilizante que suplementem os requerimentos das plantas. Para a modelagem, consideraram-se dois módulos: o módulo planta, que obtém a demanda e o requerimento dos nutrientes para definida produtividade; e o módulo substrato, que permite calcular o suprimento de nutrientes do vaso ou do canteiro a ser utilizado para o cultivo. A modelagem vislumbrou um novo método de pesquisa para recomendação de corretivos e fertilizantes para culturas com carência de informação, como para cultivo de plantas ornamentais, especialmente as tropicais. Esse Método Requerimento-Suprimento determina a dose e os teores de nutrientes no fertilizante-suprimento (FS), que suplementam os requerimentos das plantas. O método é iterativo e foi desenvolvido por meio de três tentativas. Na primeira tentativa, considerou-se a produção de plântulas de orquídea; e, na segunda e terceira tentativas, determinaram-se as curvas de crescimento com FS no cultivo de violetas, em vasos com substrato, e definiram-se os critérios para determinar as taxas de recuperação de nutrientes pelos extratores em análises químicas do substrato e pelas plantas. Por último, apresentou-se a técnica experimental projetada.

The recommendation of a fertilizer dose for a crop depends on nutrient gain-loss balance in the agricultural system (Restitution Law). At the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), this balance has been modeled for liming and fertilizer recommendations for eucalyptus (NUTRICALC), pineapple, cotton, rice, banana, coffee, sugarcane, coconut, orange, melon, maize, pastures, soybean, tomato (FERTICALC), and for teak (FERTI - UFV). Fertilization and nutrition of tropical ornamental plants is based on the knowledge of growers and fertilizer manufacturers. This study was developed to establish an experimental technique for determining: recovery rates of available forms of macro and micronutrients by extractors; nutrient demand and recovery rates of ornamental plants; as well as nutrient doses and contents in fertilizer which supplies plant requirements. The modeling focused on two modules. Plant module, in which nutrient demand and requirement for a given yield are obtained; and substrate module, that allows to calculate nutrient supply from the pot or bed used for cultivation. Modeling enabled to outline a new research method for lime and fertilizer recommendations of crops with insufficient information, particularly for tropical ornamental plants. The requirement - supply method allows to determine nutrient dose and content of supply fertilizer (SF) that meets plant requirement. The method is iterative and was developed in three approaches. The first one considered the production of orchid seedlings. In the second, growth curves with SF were determined for violets cultivated in pots containing substrate. In the last, criteria to define nutrient recovery rates in plants and substrate chemical extraction were determined. Finally, the proposed experimental technique is presented.

A disponibilidade de enxofre (S) depende da dinâmica de suas formas no solo. Visando estudar o equilíbrio entre as reservas de S lábil e S não lábil, amostras de 10 solos foram incubadas com cinco doses de sulfato de cálcio (0, 20, 50, 80 e 120 mg dm-3 de S), durante 1, 8, 15, 30, 60 e 90 d. Para a determinação do S lábil, utilizou-se membrana de resina de troca aniônica em forma de lâmina. O S extraído com 48 h de agitação foi denominado de enxofre rapidamente lábil (SRL). O teor obtido com tempo de agitação superior a 48 h foi denominado de enxofre lentamente lábil e o não lábil (SLL+SNL), pela diferença entre o S do solo (extraído após calcinação) e SRL. A resistência que o solo oferece à passagem do S da reserva do SRL para a do SLL+SNL foi denominada de capacidade-tampão do S lábil (CTSL), sendo obtida pelo inverso do coeficiente angular das equações lineares do teor de SRL em função do teor de SLL+SNL. Constatou-se que tempo de incubação (reatividade) e as doses de S, na forma de sulfato de cálcio, influenciam a dinâmica do S entre as reservas de SRL e SLL+SNL. A CTSL é sensível às mudanças no equilíbrio entre as reservas de S no solo. O aumento da CTSL dos solos relacionou-se, principalmente, com a capacidade máxima de adsorção de sulfato, teor de carbono orgânico, goethita e gibbsita da fração argila dos solos estudados.

Sulphur availability depends on the dynamics of its soil forms. An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of adding sulphur doses (0, 20, 50, 80, and 120 mg dm-3 of S), as calcium sulphate, and the incubation time (1, 8, 15, 30, 60, and 90 d) on the equilibrium between labile and non-labile sulphur reserves, in 10 soils. An anion exchange resin membrane was used to determine labile sulphur. A shaking period of 48 h (of water, soil and resin mixture) extracted a greater part of labile sulphur, which was termed quickly-labile sulphur (QLS). The slowly-labile sulphur plus the non-labile sulphur (SLS+NLS) were determined by the difference between the soil sulphur by calcination and the SRL. The soil resistance against passing the SRL reserve to SLL+SNL was named labile sulphur buffering capacity (LSBC), computed by the inverse angular coefficient of the linear equations between SRL and SLL+SNL contents. In general, it was observed that incubation time (reactivity) and S doses, in the form of calcium sulphate, affect the sulphur dynamics between QLS reserves and SLS+NLS. The LSBC is sensitive to changes in the balance between sulfur reserves in the soil. The increase in LSBC in the soil was mainly related to the maximum adsorption capacity of sulphate (MACS), and contents of organic carbon, goethite and gibbsite in the clay fraction of the soils.

Níquel é um micronutriente envolvido no metabolismo de nitrogênio e é componente da molécula da urease. Foram avaliados o crescimento de plantas e a atividade da urease em alface (Lactuca sativa L.) cultivada em solo em vasos, em experimento fatorial 2 x 8, com duas fontes de nitrogênio (N) e oito doses de Ni, com cinco repetições. O N foi aplicado ao solo (200 mg dm-3), incorporando-se metade no transplantio das mudas e a outra metade, mais tarde, na superfície do solo, utilizando-se nitrato de amônio (NH4NO3) e ureia [CO(NH2)2]. Os tratamentos com Ni (0, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 24 e 32 mg dm-3) foram aplicados, usando-se cloreto de níquel (NiCl2). Produção de matéria seca, atividade da urease e do Ni nas folhas de alface e Ni no solo (Mehlich-3 e DTPA) foram determinados. A produção de matéria seca nas plantas supridas com NH4NO3 foi maior do que nas supridas com CO(NH2)2. Não houve diferença na produção de matéria seca das folhas em resposta à aplicação de Ni ao solo. A atividade da urease aumentou com o incremento das doses de Ni, mas não se alterou em razão da fonte de N utilizada. As extrações com Mehlich-3 e DTPA foram eficientes para avaliar a disponibilidade de Ni para alface no Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo.

Nickel is a micronutrient involved in nitrogen metabolism and a constituent of the urease molecule. Plant growth and urease activity were evaluated in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) grown in soil-filled pots in a 2 x 8 factorial design with two nitrogen (N) sources and eight Ni rates, with five replications. Nitrogen was applied at 200 mg dm-3 (half the dose incorporated into the soil at seedling transplanting and half top-dressed later) using the sources NH4NO3 (AN) and CO(NH2)2 (Ur). The Ni treatments (0, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 24 and 32 mg dm-3) were applied as NiCl2. The shoot dry-matter yield, leaf urease activity, Ni levels in the lettuce leaves and Ni levels extracted from soil with Mehlich-3 (M-3) and DTPA were determined. In the plants supplied with AN, the shoot dry-matter yield was higher than in those supplied with Ur. There was no difference in shoot dry matter in response to soil-applied Ni. The leaf urease activity increased with Ni application, regardless of the N source. The extractions with M-3 and DTPA were efficient to evaluate Ni availability for lettuce in the Red-Yellow Latosol.