Evaluation of application of basalt powder effects in soil fertility and Eucalyptus benthamii nutrition

Abstract

In order to evaluate powdered basalt efficiency as a source of nutrients as well as effects of cattle manure on dissolution of these materials, it was improved an experiment in a greenhouse. The improved treatments were: control; conventional fertilization; 10.0, 20.0, 50.0 and 100.0 t ha-1 of basalt powder, and the same basalt powder doses associated with cattle manure. Such treatments had been tested on Eucalyptus benthamii seedlings. All treatments were compared to control by Duncan test. Basalt powder application promoted soil pH increasing in every doses. The contents of exchangeable Mg and Si were higher in treatments with powdered basalt associated with cattle manure, which proved to be a material that interferes in minerals dissolution as well as in release of such elements. The basalt powder, in association or not with cattle manure, imporved K contents in the leaves higher than the control ones. We can conclude that doses from 20 t ha-1 of basalt powder associated with cattle manure have effect on soil pH and can be use as a source of Mg, Si and K. Keywords: Stonemeal; minerals; source of nutrients.