Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o P remanescente comparado ao teor de argila como índice tampão para classificar o P extraído pelos métodos de Mehlich-1 (M1) e Mehlich-3 (M3), em solos do Rio Grande do Sul. O experimento foi realizado em delineamento inteiramente casualisado, com cinco doses de P2O5 (0, 50, 100, 200 e 400 mg kg-1), dois cultivos sucessivos de milho, e três repetições, em 20 solos representativos do Estado. O P extraído pelos métodos M1 e M3, antes dos cultivos, foi ajustado aos conteúdos de P na biomassa, tendo-se considerado a capacidade tampão do solo. A divisão dos solos em classes de tamponamento, de acordo com o teor de argila ou com o P remanescente, melhorou a capacidade preditiva do P disponível para ambos os métodos. Todavia, não houve diferença entre os coeficientes de correlação obtidos pela classificação dos solos de acordo com os índices avaliados (P remanescente ou teor de argila), tanto para o método M1 como para o M3. A análise do P-rem é uma alternativa viável para substituir o teor de argila na classificação do P extraído pelos métodos M1 e M3.

Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate remaining P compared with soil clay content as a P buffer index to classify P extracted by the Mehlich-1 (M1) and Mehlich-3 (M3) methods in soils from the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design with five P2O5 rates (0, 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg kg-1) and two sucessive corn crops, and three replicates, in 20 representative soils of the state. P extracted by M1 and M3 before crop planting was adjusted to P contents in biomass, considering soil buffer capacity. The division of soils into different buffering classes, based on soil clay or remaining P, improved the capacity of estimating soil available P of both methods. However, there was no difference among the correlation coefficients obtained by classifying soils according to the evaluated indexes (remaining P or soil clay) for both M1 and M3 methods. Remaining P is a viable alternative to replace soil clay content to classify soil P extracted with the M1 and M3 methods.

ABSTRACT Determining the chemical composition of poultry litter is important in order to apply this waste as soil fertilizer without causing negative environmental impacts. The aim of this study was to evaluate the average and variability of some chemical parameters of 165 samples of poultry litter produced from confined animal production facilities located in the states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, Southern of Brazil. Samples of approximately 5.0 L were collected on 20 points from the truck at the time the material was unloaded into the application sites. Subsequently, they were oven-dried at 65 °C and analyzed. Values of pH in water, dry matter, N, P and K were determined in all samples; N soluble in water (soluble-N), ammonium (NH+4-N) and nitrate (NO−3-N) were quantified in 50 samples; organic carbon (organic-C) and C/N ratio were assessed in 20 samples. There was large variation in the contents of N, P2O5 and K2O among samples, with the average accounting for 2.2, 3.0 and 2.9 %, respectively; these nutrients correlated with each other. More than 90 % of the N was in the organic form, into which the fraction soluble in water accounted for 21.8 % of the total. Inorganic N was predominantly in the form of ammonium (NH+4-N), and nitrate (NO−3-N) was absent. Average dry matter was 64.3 %, with a median of 66.5 %; pH was always alkaline (average of 7.8), with a low variation coefficient (7.4 %), and was negatively correlated with NH+4-N. The average of organic C and C/N ratio in dry matter was 28.3 % and 11.2, respectively, which results in the immediate release of N to the soil, with no microorganism immobilization. The chemical composition of poultry litters produced in confined systems in Southern Brazil is widely variable. Thus, to be successfully used as soil fertilizer, it is essential to know their composition, mainly in terms of moisture N, P2O5 and K2O contents.

ABSTRACT Mehlich-1 soil extract is currently used in Rio Grande do Sul (RS) and Santa Catarina (SC) States, in Brazil, to evaluate soil phosphorus available to plants and Mehlich-1 is sensitive to soil buffering capacity. This limitation is overcome partly by soil separation into buffering classes based on soil clay content. However, soil clay content has some technical and operational limitations, such as the underestimation of soil clay levels in soils under no-till. The aim of this study was to evaluate the remaining phosphorus (P-rem) compared to soil clay content as an index of the buffering capacity in soils of RS. The relationship between P-rem and soil clay content was assessed using 200 soil samples from a wide range of locations across the state. In 20 representative soil types, P-rem, soil clay content, P maximum adsorption capacity, total and pedogenic Fe contents, amount of P2O5 needed to increase soil P in 1 mg kg-1 extracted by Mehlich-1 and -3 methods and P capacity factor were determined. Furthermore, a pot experiment was carried out with plants to determine soil P content extracted by Mehlich-1 and -3 at the maximum technical efficiency (MET) and the maximum absorption efficiency (MEA). Correlation analyses were performed between P-rem and soil clay content and, with the attributes of soils involving the P buffering capacity. The relationship between P-rem and soil clay content was described as a decreasing exponential function; however, the adjustment was not adequate to propose critical levels for P-rem. The P-rem index was superior to soil clay index in practically all relationships with the attributes related to the soil buffering capacity of the soils. In some cases, the indexes were similar; however, P-rem was not lower than the soil clay content in any case. The P-rem is a more reliable index to represent soil buffering capacity than the soil clay content in soils from RS, and P-rem might be used to implement soil classes for Mehlich-1 and Mehlich-3 determinations of soil P.

Volatilização de NH3 é a principal reação que diminui a eficiência de utilização pelas plantas do N proveniente da ureia, quando ela é aplicada sobre a superfície do solo. A fim de minimizar essa perda, produtos têm sido misturados à ureia para inibir temporariamente a ação da urease. Este trabalho objetivou avaliar alternativas de aplicação de um fertilizante com inibidor de urease, visando a diminuir a volatilização de NH3 relativamente à ureia convencional, em algumas condições ambientais e de solo. Foram desenvolvidos quatro experimentos, todos em condições de laboratório, em 2007 e 2008, em Cambissolo Húmico. Os tratamentos variaram em cada estudo e incluíram combinações de níveis de pH do solo (natural; 5,5; 6,3; e 6,8), umidade do solo (5, 10 ou 20 % de água) e temperaturas ambientais (18 e 35 ºC), além de estados físicos (sólido ou líquido) e de métodos de aplicação dos fertilizantes (na superfície ou incorporado ao solo). As unidades experimentais foram constituídas por bandejas plásticas (23 x 51 x 17 cm) com 12 kg de solo, numa espessura de 15 cm, sobre as quais foram instaladas câmaras coletoras de NH3. A amônia volatilizada foi determinada em várias épocas, nos primeiros 28 dias após a aplicação dos fertilizantes. O pico de volatilização diária de NH3 ocorreu sempre na primeira semana depois da adição dos fertilizantes ao solo, e aconteceu dois a três dias mais tarde para a ureia com inibidor de urease, em relação à ureia convencional. A volatilização de NH3 nem sempre foi maior para a ureia convencional em comparação ao fertilizante contendo inibidor de urease, tampouco para o estado líquido em relação ao granulado. A volatilização de NH3 aumentou com a elevação do pH, da temperatura e da dose aplicada de N e foi menor nos extremos de umidade (solo com 5 % ou com 20 % de água). Para os fertilizantes aplicados sobre a superfície do solo, a taxa máxima de perda diária foi correspondente a 14 kg ha-1 de N, e a perda total acumulada variou de 2 a 50 % do N aplicado, dependendo principalmente do estado físico em que o fertilizante foi aplicado, da umidade do solo e da temperatura ambiente. A incorporação dos fertilizantes amídicos ao solo foi a maneira mais eficaz de minimizar as perdas de N por volatilização.

Ammonia volatilization is an important process of N loss which decreases the use efficiency of N by plants when urea is applied on the soil surface. To overcome this problem, some chemical compounds were mixed with urea to inhibit the urease action. The purpose of this study was to compare applications of an alternative fertilizer with urease inhibitor to reduce ammonia volatilization with conventional urea, under certain environmental and soil conditions. Four experiments were carried out in 2007 and 2008, under laboratory conditions, with samples of a Humic Haplumbrept. The treatments varied according to each experiment in terms of soil conditions, such as pH (4.0, 5.5, 6.3 and 6.8), soil water content (5, 10 or 20 % moisture), temperature (18 or 35 ºC), aside from the fertilizer physical state (solid or liquid) and application method (over the surface or soil-incorporated). The experimental units consisted of plastic trays into which 12 kg of soil (dry basis) were filled in a 15 cm layer. Ammonia gas traps were installed across the soil surface. Frequent measurements were performed during the first 28 days of soil-fertilizer incubation. The peak of ammonia volatilization from the soil occurred in the first week after the application of traditional urea, and two or three days later for urea with urease inhibitor. Ammonia loss was not always higher from conventional than from treated urea, nor from solid than from liquid fertilizers. Ammonia volatilization increased with increases in soil pH, temperature and N rate and was lower at the lowest (5 %) and highest (20 %) soil moisture content. For surface-applied fertilizers, the maximum daily N loss rate was 14 kg ha-1 and the total cumulative loss ranged from 2 to 50 % of the applied N, depending mainly on the physical state of the fertilizer, temperature and on soil moisture. Soil incorporation of urea fertilizers was the best option to minimize ammonia volatilization in all treatments.

Pulverizações com cálcio normalmente melhoram a qualidade e a capacidade de armazenamento de maçãs porque este nutriente ajuda a prevenir muitos distúrbios fisiológicos, associado ao fato de que a absorção de Ca, a partir do solo, às vezes não chega aos frutos em quantidades adequadas. Como a eficiência das pulverizações com Ca varia com o tipo de solo, com a cultivar e com as condições climáticas, conduziu-se o presente trabalho com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito das mesmas na qualidade e na capacidade de armazenamento de maçãs da cultivar Gala. O experimento foi conduzido de 1998 até 2004, em Vacaria-RS, sobre um pomar plantado em 1988, numa densidade de 1.234 árvores por hectare. Os tratamentos consistiram em 0; 4; 8 e 12 pulverizações anuais com solução de CaCl2 0,5%, regularmente distribuídas desde 30 dias após a queda de pétalas até uma semana antes da colheita. Frutos de mesmo tamanho e com mesmo nível de maturação foram analisados na colheita e após 5 meses de armazenamento em câmaras frigoríficas convencionais (-1ºC e 90-95% UR). Em cinco das seis safras, não houve incidência de distúrbios fisiológicos nos frutos em nenhum tratamento, e as pulverizações com Ca não afetaram a composição química das folhas e nenhum atributo dos frutos (sólidos solúveis, acidez titulável, índice de iodo-amido, firmeza e concentração de N, K, Ca e Mg). Na safra de 2000/2001, entretanto, quando a produtividade foi baixa (18 t ha-1) e os frutos apresentavam um peso médio de 175 g, a incidência de "bitter pit" e a depressão lenticelar atingiram 24% das maçãs que não foram pulverizadas com Ca, tendo diminuído para 2% nas que receberam 12 pulverizações. Dois anos mais tarde, a produtividade foi novamente baixa (25 t ha-1), e os frutos foram grandes (168 g), mas não houve incidência de nenhum distúrbio fisiológico, independentemente do número de pulverizações com Ca. Verifica-se, portanto, que o aparecimento de distúrbios fisiológicos em maçãs 'Gala', produzidas em pomares da região Sul do Brasil com acidez adequadamente corrigida e sem excesso de nutrientes, somente ocorre em áreas com baixa produtividade, em função da existência de frutos grandes e da alta relação entre folhas e frutos, associada com alguns fatores climáticos predisponentes ainda desconhecidos.

Calcium sprays have normally improved both the quality and the storage life of apples throughout the world because Ca helps to prevent many fruit disorders and that taken up from the soil does not often reach the fruit in adequate amounts. Since the efficacy of Ca sprays varies according to soil, apple cultivar, and weather conditions, this study was carried out from 1998 to 2004, in the Southern of Brazil, in order to assess the effect of Ca sprays on the quality and storability of 'Gala' fruits. The experiment was set up in an orchard planted in 1988, on a density of 1234 trees/ha. Treatments consisted of 0, 4, 8, and 12 annual sprays of 0.5% CaCl2 regularly distributed 30 days after petal fall until one week before harvest. Fruits of the same size and maturity level were annually analyzed at harvest and after five months of conventional cold storage (-1ºC and 90-95% of RH). In five out of six seasons, fruits from all treatments were free of any physiological disorder, and Ca sprays had no effect on leaf composition and on any fruit attribute (soluble solids, titratable acidity, starch pattern index, flesh firmness, and concentrations of N, K, Ca and Mg). In the season of 2000/2001, however, when yield was 18 t ha-1 and fruits had an average weight of 175 g, the incidence of bitter pit plus lenticel blotch pit on stored fruits was 24% in the treatment with no calcium sprays and it decreased up to 2% in that with 12 sprays. Two seasons later, yield was also low (25 t ha-1) and fruits were large (168 g each), but they did not show any physiological disorder regardless of the number of Ca sprays. It seems that the incidence of Ca related disorders in 'Gala' apples grown on limed soils in Brazil with no excess of any nutrient only occurs on seasons with low crop yield, as a result of large fruits and a high leaf/fruit ratio, associated with some unknown environmental conditions.