PEDOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF AGRICULTUR AL ENVIRONMENTS AT CORRENTERIVER TABLELANDS, SOUTHWEST OF BAHIA STATE, BRAZIL

This study aimed to pedological characterization of agricultural envir onments, in order to fix bases for sustainable use and management of s oils and for knowledge transfer to similar areas. The study area is lo cated in the southwest of Bahia State, at the right margin of Corrente river, affluent of the left margin of Sao Francisco river. In this ar ea, which has considerable agricultural and hydrological potential, va rious irrigation projects are in development, in almost all cases with out being based upon systematic soil studies. Five environments were i dentified: lowlands; terraces; platforms located above the terraces; t ableland areas; and dissected areas, each one with its set of characte ristic soils. The crucial factors acting in the pedogenetic processes in these conditions are the parent material and the relief, which, con sidered in an integrated way, explain the characteristics and properti es of the soil classes. The color, texture and cohesion degree are con sequence of those factors and co-vary with diverse soil properties, al lowing, in this manner, their utilization for a secure and efficient t ransfer of knowledge to similar systems.