The experiment was carried out in greenhouse at the Soil Science Departament - Federal University of Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The objective was to study the effects of different CaSO4/CaCO3 ratios on the movement of nutrients in soil and cotton growth. The treatments consisted of four CaSO4/CaCO3 percentage ratios (100/0, 75/25, 50/50, 25/75 and 0/100), in an equivalent basis. A control treatment, without application of either CaSO4 or CaCO3, was also established. Substantial calcium and sulfate movement downwards was observed with increasing CaSO4/CaCO3 ratios. On the contrary, N-NH4+ and K, N-NO3- and Mg movement increased with the CaSO4/CaCO3 ratios. Gypsum had little or no effect on subsoil acidity and exchange aluminum. Dry matter yield of cotton was reduced with increasing CaSO4/CaCO3 ratios, however, as compared to the control treatment. The application of gypsum was capable of markedly reducing the negative growth effect of acid soils.
Liming; gypsum; cotton