Distribution and Availability of Zinc and Copper in Benchmark Soils of Pernambuco State, Brazil

Abstract

The benchmark soils collection of Pernambuco state contain 13 of the 14 soil orders of the Brazilian System of Soil Classification. Thus, information on zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) status in such soils is useful as a reference of micronutrient distribution and availability in a representative set of Brazilian soils. The present work was performed to assess Zn and Cu distribution into operationally defined fractions of benchmark soils of Pernambuco state. In addition, chemical extractants, with contrasting chemical properties, were used to assess the availability of these micronutrients to relate such values with fertility guidelines concentrations and with the fractions defined by the sequential extraction. The results demonstrated that the organic matter was the most important fraction retaining Zn and Cu in the studied soils, as indicated by the sequential extraction. The Zn availability in the majority of the soils (90% of the samples) is sufficient to meet the requirement of the major field crops, although the available Cu concentrations are below the critical levels for plant growth in 46% of the analyzed samples. Mehlich‐1 extractant appeared to be the most efficient in predicting the availability of Zn in the soils because of its better correlation with exchangeable and organic fractions. DTPA and Mehlich‐3 were the most efficient extractants for the evaluation of Cu availability, as suggested by the better correlation with organic matter, which is the main pool of available Cu in the soils.

Keywords:

• Micronutrient
• tropical soils
• fractionation