A proposal to clarify the use of Sum of Bases in the Brazilian Remineralizer Regulation and in Soil Science

The term Sum of Bases has different meanings in Soil Science and the Remineralizer Regulations. This issue may cause misunderstandings in communication, particularly between the agricultural community and the mining community, becoming an obstacle to the advancement of the use of this soil amendment. In this scientific note we propose the use of subscript R (SBR), standing for Rock, in English, and Rocha, in Brazilian Portuguese, and S (SBS) standing for Soil in English and Solo in Brazilian Portuguese. In this way SBR will refer to the Sum of Bases as defined in the Remineralizer Regulation (SBR = %CaO + %MgO + %K2O), and SBS to the Sum of Bases as defined in Soil Science (SBS = Ca (mmolc dm-3) + Mg (mmolc dm-3) + K (mmolc dm-3) + Na (mmolc dm-3)). This approach avoids confusion and facilitates the correct use of laboratory data. We provide a working example, a conversion table and a formula to estimate the potential increase in SBS caused by SBR.

Automated summary

The term Sum of Bases has different meanings in Soil Science and the Remineralizer Regulations. This can lead to misunderstandings, especially between the agricultural and mining communities, hindering the progress in the use of this soil amendment. In this scientific note, we propose using subscripts R (for Rock) and S (for Soil) to differentiate between the two definitions. This approach helps avoid confusion and facilitates the correct interpretation of laboratory data. We provide a practical example, a conversion table, and a formula to estimate the potential increase in SBS caused by SBR.