Basic research on laterites in tropical countries

In spite of extensive occurrence of laterites in the tropical belt of the c ontinents and descriptive-exploratory efforts spanning more than a century, basic questions on their genesis and systematics are still unresolved. Maj or areas of ignorance include: delineation and classification of biotic ver sus abiotic processes and textures, precise chronology of onset of lateriti zation, identification of diagnostic signals of active lateritization and s ystematics of minor and trace element dispersion in laterites. Both well-fo cused research and development programs using state-of-the-art technology a nd concepts, as well as assured funding in the medium to long term, are req uired if the past cycles of sub-critical efforts in laterite research are t o be broken. (C) 1998 INQUA/Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.