The soil erodibility (K-factor) determination by indirect methods has not been adequate for application in Brazilian soils. This paper aimed the development of K-factor evaluation methods depending on easily-assessed chemical, physical and morphological soil properties. Samples from A and B horizons of 22 Brazilian soils bearing argillic horizon were submitted to several chemical and physical analyses and the morphological description of the soil profile was considered. A stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was run, relating the results of those analyses with the K-factor values directly measured in the field. Several equations with increasing degrees of complexity and precision were obtained. From the selected variables from the A and B horizons, as well as the particle-size distribution with and without chemical dispersant, it was possible to satisfactorily estimate the erodibility of such soils. The informations obtained from the soil profile description, specially about soil structure, as well as organic carbon amounts, are of major importance for the indirect determination of the erodibility (K-factor).
erosion, soil erodibility (K-factor); Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE)