Agricultural liming materials can have two calcium carbonate equivalents: one calculated in function of calcium and magnesium oxide percentages, by the expression: % CaO x 1,79 + % MgO x 2,48 = %ECaCO3; and the other determined analytically by the neutralization power or value. For one sample, both values should be similar, however, this rarely occurs. Several hypoteses were raised to justify the difference. Results of this research permit to infer that not all calcium and magnesium should be associated to the chemically effective bases, but they are also associated to phosphate, sulphate or other bases of inexpressive strength. It is also possible that, the neutralizing components could be captured inside cristals, like silica for example, which react only after a strong solubilization of the sample. It is concluded that the chemical evaluation of agricultural liming materials at the present time cannot explain the agronomical behaviour of these products.
agricultural liming materials; calcium carbonate equivalent; neutralization power
