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Title: FERTILITY MANAGEMENT OF TROPICAL ACID SOILS FOR SUSTAINABLE CROP PRODUCTION

Author
item FAGERIA, N - EMBRAPA/BRAZIL
item Baligar, Virupax

Submitted to: Handbook of Soil Acidity
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2002
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Tropical regions have the largest land area available for crop production to meet growing food demand by increasing world population. Declining soil fertility is the fundamental cause of declining productivity in tropical regions. Adopting sound practical measures to maintain and/or improve nutrient supplying capacity of tropical soils is the key factor to improve and/or sustain long-term crop production. Soils in this region are classified as Oxisols and Ultisols and these soils cover about 43% of the tropics with low natural fertility, high aluminum saturation and high P fixation capacity. Farming systems need to be developed with improved soil management technology to bring these areas under successful crop production without degrading their production potentials. Addition of sufficient amounts of nutrients is one of the key factors in improving crop yields and maintaining sustainable agricultural production on these lowlands. Soil fertility management for sustainable crop production represents a resource efficient option in maintaining adequate nutrient levels. This is an important aspect to sustain these soils and consequently the society. The objective of this review article is to suggest appropriate management strategies for improving nutrient status of tropical acid soils for sustainable crop production.