Fertility and phosphorus fractions in soils under monospecific and mixed stands of Eucalyptus and Acacia mangium

The intercropping planting with nitrogen-fixing species can enhance the productivity of eucalyptus plants. The dynamics of P in natural ecosystems is established and managed, in large part, by interactions of inorganic and organic phases of soil nutrient and soil microorganisms. Therefore, detailed research on the dynamics and the availability of phosphorus (P) require separation and identification of the different forms of the nutrient in the soil. The theoretical reason for using intercroping with leguminous plant is to provide higher levels of nitrogen (N) and P, due to the higher quality and plant diversity. This would allow an increase in the total carbon (Ct), total nitrogen (Nt) and P levels, and a smaller C/N and C/P ratios, favoring a rapid cycling of nutrients and, consequently, better development of eucalyptus. Given the above, in order to clarify the effect of mixed plantings in fertility change and P fractions in the soil, this study includes the following objectives: i) to evaluate soil fertility; ii) evaluate the P fractions in soil; iii) determine the relationship between P fractions in soil and physical and chemical properties of the soil; iv) understand the effect of fertility and changes in P fractions in soil, on the productivity of plantations. The study was conducted in four experimental areas, located in the municipalities of Itatinga, Bofete and Luiz Antônio/SP, and Santana do Paraíso/MG. Productivity of single eucalyptus or acacia plantations and mixed between the two species and soils under these treatments was evaluated. Soil samples were collected at two depths (0 - 5 and 5 - 10 cm), and where were determined contents of macro, micronutrients, Ct, Nt, P fractions and particle size. The consortium short period allowed between species not verify whether there was a trend in increasing the nutrient content and the fractions of P. However, for the crops that were in the second rotation cultivation under the same treatment, the differences were higher, indicating that with the years of intercropping this increase in the levels of nutrients and in the P fractions can be more significant. The percentage of organic P (Po) in relation to the total P soil varied between 16 and 36% excluding the residual P, the proportion Po varied between 22 and 60%. Significant positive correlations were found between the attributes and the fractions of P in soil with crop yields. These results indicate better nutritional maintenance on crops containing the A. mangium (Acacia and Mixed), the ability to improve soil fertility and also increase the diversity of crops. The non-correlation of the growth of A. mangium with the labile fractions of P and the positive correlation of growth with the moderately labile and non-labile fractions suggest that the species is able to absorb the P derived fractions not readily available. Eucalyptus had high competition with A. mangium in mixed plantings, especially in experimental areas of milder weather (Itatinga, Bofete and Luiz Antonio), resulting in lower growth of A. mangium. (AU)