Soil Chemical Attributes and Grape Yield as Affected by Gypsum Application in Southern Brazil

• Published in: Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 2011-01, Vol.42 (12), p.1434-1446
• Main Authors: Blum, Julius, Caires, Eduardo Favero, Ayub, Ricardo Antonio, Fonseca, Adriel Ferreira Da, Sozim, Marcello, Fauate, Marcos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: acidity; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; aluminum; Biological and medical sciences; Ca/Mg ratio; calcium; Cationic nutrition; crop yield; crops; exchangeable aluminum; fruit growing; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; grapes; gypsum; Hapludox; leaching; leaves; magnesium; researchers; soil profiles; Soil science; soil with variable charge; subsoil amelioration; subsoiling; topsoil; vines; Vitaceae; Vitis labrusca L. x Vitis vinifera L
• ISSN: 0010-3624; 1532-2416; 1532-2416; 1532-4133
• DOI: 10.1080/00103624.2011.577861

Yields of many crops are limited to subsoil acidity. Crop positive responses to gypsum have been shown, however, information regarding the use of gypsum in vine is scarce. A field trial was performed in Paraná State, Brazil, on a clayey Rhodic Hapludox to evaluate the effects of gypsum application (0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 Mg ha−1) on soil chemical attributes and grape (cv. ‘Niagara Rosada’) yield. Gypsum was surface applied in July 2005 and the soil and plant evaluations were realized during the years of 2006 and 2007. Gypsum decreased the subsoil exchangeable aluminum (Al) level, increased the calcium (Ca) and sulfate (SO4) contents in the soil profile, and caused leaching of magnesium (Mg) from the topsoil. The leached Mg resulted in decreases of leaf Mg concentrations and fruit production. The researchers estimated a critical level of Ca/Mg ratio in soil as well as in leaves of 1.9 for vine.