SciELO - Brasil - Available sulphur by different extractants in soils of the state of Ceará, Brazil Available sulphur by different extractants in soils of the state of Ceará, Brazil

Despite the relevance of sulphur (S) to plant development, studies in Brazil on its availability in the soil are restricted to a few crops and regions. The aim of this study was to compare extractants for assessing the availability of S, and establish critical levels for soils in the state of Ceará. In the laboratory, available S was extracted from 23 soils (0 - 0.20 m), using two extractants: a solution of Ca(H₂PO₄)₂, 500 mg L^-1 P in H₂O (MCP) and NH₄OAc in HOAc (AMA). In an experiment set up in a greenhouse, forage sorghum ‘EA116’ (Sorghum vulgari Pers.) was used as an indicator plant in two successive crops. A completely randomised experimental design was employed, in a 23 x 2 factorial scheme with three replications, where the factors corresponded to the soils and to the doses of S (0 and 80 mg per experimental unit). The MCP was more efficient in extracting available S than was the AMA, although the S content obtained by both did show a significant correlation (r = 0.96). The