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All forms of potassium in the soil are in a dynamic equilibrium with K in the soil solution, which affects K availability to the plants and it is affected by the soil pH. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the soil pH and K application on the distribution of soil K forms in five Brazilian soils. The experiment was conducted in laboratory, using five soils. Treatments consisted of a factorial combination including rates of limestone (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 times the amount of lime indicated by the SMP method to raise soil pH to 6.0) and two rates of K (0 and 1000 mg kg-1). Addition of KCl, together with limestone, promoted lower values of soil pH relatively to limestone alone. Solution K was the most sensitive K form affected by liming rates, which decreased in all soils with increases on K rate, regardless of K addition. Exchangeable K also decreased in all soils with the increase on lime applied, except on the Argisol. The non-exchangeable K levels were the least affected by liming. Addition of lime affects the distribution of K among all K forms and this may affect the availability of K to the plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work was to verify the effect of the application of lime in doses higher than those recommended and of agricultural gypsum on the productivity and macronutrient content of the native field in the "Campos de Cima da Serra" region (Southern Brazil). The experiment was conducted in a native pasture located in Vacaria municipality (Rio Grande do Sul state). The experiment was arranged in randomized blocks allocated in split plots, with four replications each. Conducted in a 3x2 factorial scheme: three doses of limestone (0, 3, and 5 ton ha-1, aiming to reach a base saturation of 65% and 5.0 ton ha-1, aiming to reach a base saturation 75%) and two doses of gypsum (0 and 2.0 ton ha-1), applied superficially. In addition, agricultural gypsum was randomly applied to one of the subplots. At the end of each climatic season, evaluations of forage mass production and macronutrient content were carried out in dry shoot matter in two samples collected from an area of 0.25 m2 per plot by cutting the aerial part "close to the ground”. The production of dry matter in the native field in autumn, winter and spring showed a significant increase with the application of 5 ton ha-1, with no influence in summer. Furthermore, the application of lime in the soil increased the nitrogen and potassium content in the leaf tissue of the native field in the autumn period. Interestingly, the same happens to calcium in the spring. On the other hand, the application of agricultural gypsum increased dry matter production only in spring and reduced magnesium contents in winter. Therefore, the results demonstrate the potential of using limestone in doses higher than those currently recommended and agricultural gypsum to increase natural forage production and their quality at time intervals evaluated in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]