Agriculture is becoming more intensive in central Brazil, but there is little information available on the fertility status of most of the soils. To determine this status a total of 518 topsoil samples were collected from a 600,000‐km 2 area in central Brazil. Laboratory characterization included pH, exchangeable Al, cation exchange capacity, nutrient levels (including micronutrients), organic matter, texture, and color. The results, presented as frequency distributions, indicate the following general conditions: a pH of 4.8 to 5.2, an organic matter level of 1.5 to 3.0%, extremely low levels of effective CEC and extractable Ca, Mg, P, and Zn, a high level of Fe, a high degree of Al saturation, and a broad range in textural class. Organic matter was the most important soil fraction in relation to effective CEC in these soils. The data suggest that problems associated with fertilizer inputs needed to bring these soils under more intensive agriculture are generally similar, but may vary in degree.
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Lopes et al. (1977) studied this question.