Spatial variability of Regosol chemical atributes in guava management with neem under semi-arid conditions

• Autor(a) principal: Castro,Douglas B.
• Data de Publicação: 2016
• Outros Autores: Pedrosa,Elvira M. R., Montenegro,Abelardo A. A., Rolim,Mario M., Leitão,Diego A. H. S., Oliveira,Ana Karina S.
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agrícola e Ambiental (Online)
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1415-43662016000700618
• topic: Azadirachta indica; management; soil quality; Psidium guajava

ABSTRACT Considering the relevant importance of guava (Psidium guajava) in Northeastern Brazil along with the benefits of neem cake amendments on soil characteristics, this work evaluated the effects of neem cake on chemical attributes of a Regosol under irrigated guava orchard in an alluvial valley of Pernambuco semi-arid region. Evaluations were carried out in two areas (area 1 - with neem cake; area 2 - without neem cake) at three periods: before the first application of neem cake, 90 days after the first application and 90 days after the second application. A regular 8 × 6-point grid was designed in each area and the soil was sampled for total organic carbon, pH, soluble salts (Na+, K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+) and total nitrogen contents, as well as soil C-CO2 evolution rate in soil. Geostatistical analysis pointed out the spherical model as the best fit to the studied variables, followed by the Gaussian model, with ranges from 12 to 60.5 m. Neem cake incorporation increased spatial variability and the contents of the evaluated soil chemical attributes.