Papers

Summary

When the spatial variability of soil chemical attributes can be measured and registered, it can be used to optimize fertilizer application in each point, increasing the productivity and reducing environmental disturbances. The present work was developed in Guariba-SP, with the objective of evaluating the spatial variability of organic matter (OM), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and cation exchange capacity (CEC) in an oxisol under sugarcane cultivation. Data were submitted to descriptive statistics, geostatistics and kriging analyzes. After detailed slope gradient variation analysis at the lowest third of the hillside, two compartments (I and II) we identified. Soil samples were collected at the crossing points of a regular grid with intervals of 50 m, comprising a total of 206 points, at the depths of 0.0-0.2 m and 0.6-0.8 m, in each one of these compartments. The largest ranges were observed at the depth of 0.0-0.2 m for all the studied variables, reflecting the effects of the largest time of exhibition of the superficial horizons to weathering. We can conclude, based on the results, that the variability in the soil chemical attributes is related to small variations in the forms of the landscape.