The Oxisols present high fixation of phosphorus (P) caused by oxides and hydroxides of iron and aluminum in the clays. The application of mixtures of organic and inorganic materials can help to decrease this fixation. Two organic materials were used (chicken manure and compost) and two inorganic materials (lime and triple superphosphate). A total of thirteen treatments were established in randomized blocks and composed of different combinations of mineral and organic fertilizers. The adsorption of P was determined by means of the Langmuir isotherms, at the moment of the crop establishment and ten weeks later. All the treatments showed that when the concentration of P was increased, the curves of adsorption presented an asymptotic tendency and they were delimited at a level of maximum adsorption, which indicates the existence of chemisorption. When chicken manure was added in concentrations smaller than 25 mg L-1 of P, the adsorption of P decreased, and when the concentrations were greater than 75 mg L-1 the retention of P increased. The combined application of organic materials with chemical fertilizers presented the smallest fixation in P, nevertheless it has to be made periodically, because after 10 weeks the P adsorption increased again.
chicken manure; lime; compost; triple superphosphate; chemisorption
