Phosphorus forms on soil under no-till as a function of the depth and of cultivation time

Abstract

The objective of this work was to study by the method of sequential extraction the alterations in P forms on soils as a function of time of cultivation and of two sampling depths under no-till (NT), in comparison with never-cultivated adjacent (referential) areas. The soil samples were collected at 0-5 and 5-10 cm depths in a Quartzarenic Neosol (Entisol), with one year of NT; two dystrophic Red Latosols (Oxisols) with three and five years of NT; and two dystroferric Red Latosols (Oxisols), with seven and 11 years of NT, and of the respective never-cultivated areas. The method of P fractionation was efficient to evaluate the effects of management in the dynamics of the P alterations in the soil. The P forms in the soils, showed decrease with depth, and with time of cultivation under NT, for the same soil class; the participation of non-labile P forms in relation to total P tended to decrease, being accompanied by a relative increase in more labile forms.