Organic fertilizers promote improvements in soil properties and are important in providing balanced nutrients to plants. The officials parameters adopted by the Commission of Chemistry and Soil Physics in the States of Rio Grande do Sul Santa Catarina to calculate the amount of organic fertilizer are its mean composition and the efficiency index of nutrient release (EINR) to fulfill the demand of each system crops. This indicator is related mainly to the type of organic residual, but the other factors affecting the mineralization are not adequately addressed, such as climatic conditions and soil texture, among others. The expectation of this work is that these factors are especially relevant in regions with large variation of soil types and climatic conditions, such as the South of Brazil region. So, the factors cropping season and soil texture were studied under the application of two different organic sources (pig slurry and chicken litter) in the field and in laboratory experiments. The texture effect was analyzed in an incubation of three soils containing 238, 470 and 605 mg clay kg soil-1, which was evaluated during 112 days of evolution of mineral nitrogen (N-NH4+ + N-NO3-), the net mineralization and % mineralization of total N and organic added. The influence of growing season was tested under field conditions in two crop series starting with the potato (summer and winter), which evaluated the productivity and nutrient cycling in three crops per system. The results of incubation showed that soil type affects the N dynamics in the soil after the addition of organic fertilizers. Most clayey soils make slowly immobilization and nitrification of ammonium, independently of addition of the broiler litter or pig slurry, which reduces the N pollution potential. The net N mineralization was greater in sandy soil due to lower physical-chemical protection of colloids. Also were greater with the chickens litter due to the amount of total N added have been much higher compared to pig slurry. The results of N available to plants (%NAP) and net mineralization of nitrogen in the soil (%Nminnet) with the addition of organic fertilizers indicate that EINR is overestimated in relation to N effectively added to the soils, and can result in depletion of soil organic matter in the long term growing. Also concludes that, to sandy soils or when manure are rich in available N, that must be done a N fractionated application between plantation and cover fertilization. In field experiments, there would significant differences in the efficiency of release of N in cropping systems of "summer" and "winter". The immediate effect was equal in the summer period to all fertilization sources, but in the winter the mineral source was 10-20% more efficient, showing the effect of temperature and soil moisture in the availability of N in soils under organic fertilization. The residual effect of chickens litter in the second crops was lower than expected in comparison to the pig slurry and mineral fertilizer, since the efficiency index of N liberation would be 20% for chickens litter and zero for the slurry. However only in the third crop that litter exceeded the slurry in dry matter production of summer crop (maize) and winter (black oat). Finally, due very different climatic conditions in South of Brazil, the results indicate that it necessary more and integrated studies about the impact of crop date and soil type to refine the parameters of the recommendation of organic fertilizer, making it thus more sustainable. / Os adubos orgânicos promovem melhorias nas propriedades do solo e são importantes no fornecimento equilibrado de nutrientes às plantas. Os parâmetros oficiais adotados pela Comissão de Química e Física do Solo dos Estados do Rio Grande do Sul Santa Catarina para calcular a quantidade de adubo orgânico, são a sua composição média e o índice de eficiência de liberação dos nutrientes (IELN) frente à demanda de cada sistema de cultivos. Este último indicador está associado essencialmente ao tipo de resíduo, porém os demais fatores que afetam a mineralização não são devidamente considerados, como as condições climáticas e a textura do solo, entre outros. A expectativa do presente trabalho é de que esses fatores sejam especialmente relevantes em regiões de grande variação edafoclimática, como o Sul do Brasil. Assim, os fatores época de plantio e textura do solo foram estudados sob a aplicação de duas fontes orgânicas distintas (dejeto líquido suíno e cama de aves de corte), a campo e em laboratório. O efeito da textura foi discutido numa incubação de três solos contendo 238, 470 e 605 mg argila kg de solo-1, onde se determinou a evolução do N mineral (N-NH4+ + N-NO3-) durante 112 dias e se calculou a mineralização líquida e a % de mineralização do N total e orgânico adicionados. Já o efeito da época de cultivo foi testado a campo em duas sucessões iniciadas com cultura da batata (denominados de cultivos de verão e de inverno), onde se avaliou a produtividade e a ciclagem de nutrientes de três culturas por sistema. Os resultados da incubação mostraram que o tipo de solo afeta a dinâmica do N no solo após a adição de adubos orgânicos. Solos mais argilosos retardam a imobilização e a nitrificação do amônio, independente de se utilizar cama de aves de corte ou dejeto líquido de suínos, contribuindo para diminuir o potencial poluente do N. A mineralização líquida do N foi maior no solo arenoso devido à menor proteção físico-química da sua fração coloidal. Também foi maior com o uso da cama de aves de corte, em todos os solos, em função quantidade de N total adicionado ter sido bem maior em relação ao dejeto de suínos. Os resultados de N disponível às plantas (%NDP) e de mineralização líquida do N no solo (%NminL), com a adição dos adubos orgânicos, sinalizam que o IELN está superestimado em relação ao N que é efetivamente adicionado aos solos, podendo levar à depleção da matéria orgânica do solo a longo prazo. Também se infere que, para solos mais arenosos ou quando se dispõe de dejetos ricos em N disponível, faça-se a aplicação fracionada do N entre o plantio e em cobertura. Nos experimentos de campo, por sua vez, houve diferenças significativas na eficiência de liberação do N nos sistemas de cultivo de verão e de inverno . O efeito imediato foi igual no verão para as fontes cama de aves, dejeto suíno e adubo mineral, mas no cultivo de inverno a fonte mineral foi entre 10 a 20% mais eficiente, demonstrando o efeito da temperatura e da umidade na disponibilização de N nos solos sob adubação orgânica. O efeito residual da cama de aves no segundo cultivo foi inferior ao esperado na comparação com o dejeto suíno e adubo mineral, visto que o índice de eficiência de N seria de 20% para a cama e zero para o dejeto. Porém, foi só no terceiro cultivo que a cama superou o dejeto na produção de matéria seca no cultivo de verão (milho) e de inverno (aveia preta). Por fim, dada a grande diversidade edafoclimática no Sul do Brasil, os resultados apontam que se devem fazer mais estudos e de forma integrada sobre o impacto da época de plantio e tipo de solo para aperfeiçoar os parâmetros de recomendação da adubação orgânica, tornando-a assim mais sustentável.

The bulk of Zimbabwe’s groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) crop is grown on sandy soils in the smallholder sector where sustainable production is hindered by acid soil infertility. The study goal was thus to examine the effects of soil acidity amelioration by four Ca-containing materials on nutrient composition, vegetative and reproductive growth, and quality of groundnut to formulate ameliorative strategies to improve productivity on acid soils. The effectiveness of calcitic lime (CL), dolomitic lime (DL), gypsum (G) and single superphosphate (SSP) in ameliorating soil acidity was determined in field experiments conducted for three seasons at two Research Stations in Zimbabwe, and in greenhouse experiments conducted for two seasons at Harare Research Station. In both experiments the lime application rates were from 0 to 4000 kg ha-1, while G application rates were from 0 to 3450 kg ha-1, and those of SSP were from 0 to 250 kg ha-1. Calcitic or dolomitic lime applied at 2000 or 4000 kg ha-1 increased soil pH and Ca and Mg contents in the pod and root zones, and in the plant material. Gypsum and SSP applications at 200 and 250 kg ha-1 respectively, had no significant effects on pH, Ca and Mg levels, but when applied in equivalent amounts of Ca as lime, gypsum improved soil Ca status. Effects of the four ameliorants on the N, P and K levels in the soils and in plant material were generally neither significant nor consistent. The direct and residual benefits of application of CL or DL were manifested in improved plant stands, better growth, nodulation, productivity and quality of groundnut. Gypsum applied at equal Ca rates as CL or DL was the superior Ca-source in improving pod and kernel quality. By the end of the third season, the increases in cumulative kernel yields due to application of 4000 kg ha-1 lime over non-application were up to 319%. The major growth-limiting factors on the studied acid soils were identified as deficiencies of Ca and Mg, and low pH per se. In a field experiment conducted to evaluate the tolerance of 15 groundnut genotypes to soil acidity, significant differences in yield and nutrient utilization efficiency of the genotypes were observed, implying that productivity on acid soils can be increased by growing genotypes efficient in uptake and utilization of nutrients. Results from greenhouse and growth chamber studies conducted to examine the effects of pH (3.0 - 7.0) and its interactions with Ca (0 - 2000 µM Ca) on early seedling growth and reproductive growth of groundnut indicated that low pH per se has a major detrimental impact on seedling survival, growth, pod formation, yield and quality of groundnut, but not on germination. The adverse effects of low pH were more pronounced in the absence of Ca, and became progressively less as the solution Ca concentrations increased. Further experiments showed that it is feasible to mitigate the adverse effects of soil acidity on groundnut germination and seedling survival by pelleting seeds with small amounts of CaCO3, or priming with CaSO4. / Dissertation (PhD (Plant Production: Agronomy))--University of Pretoria, 2003. / Plant Production and Soil Science / unrestricted

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