Pineapple and Sorghum Litter Contribution for Nutrient Mineralization in a Cambisol

Abstract

ABSTRACT The study evaluated the decomposition and mineralization of pineapple and sorghum litter applied to the surface and subsurface of a Cambisol. The experiment was conducted in pot using pre-treatment (dry oven and fragmented), in a completely randomized design with four replications, following a 2 × 2 × 9 factorial consisting of two plant litters (pineapple and sorghum), two managements (surface and subsurface), and nine incubation times (0, 14, 28, 42, 56, 70, 84, 98, and 112 days after application-DAA). The remaining dry mass, the t1/2 (half-life), and macronutrient mineralization were evaluated (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg). The pineapple litter showed the highest loss compared to sorghum litter. Ca and Mg showed the longest half-life and the lowest mineralization rate regardless of the management. The allocation of pineapple and sorghum litter to the soil subsurface favors nutrient mineralization, contributing to the potential release of 82 to 99 kg ha−1 of N, 9 to 17 kg ha−1 of P, and 286 to 401 kg ha−1 of K, respectively, after 112 days. At least 50% of these nutrients were mineralized between four and 35 days, highlighting the litter potential as a nutrient source for tropical crops.