Soil testing can be adequate to evaluate the Zn availability if a good method is chosen. This experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, in Campinas, State of São Paulo, Brazil, in 1993, to evaluate the influence of liming on extractable Zn from soils, using corn as a test plant. Five rates of limestone were applied to four Oxisols and one Alfisol. Before and after the cultivation of corn, soil samples were taken and analyzed by extracting procedures of DTPA and Mehlich-1. Five days after emergence, corn seedlings showed leaf yellowing and reduced plant height (typical Zn deficiency symptoms), variable according to the liming level and soil studied. DTPA methodology showed the best results, with high and positive correlations estimated between plant-Zn and soil-Zn contents.
corn; zinc; micronutrient; soil analysis; liming