The organic acids from the organic matter decomposition, root exudation and microbial activity, play an important role on physical and chemical soil conditions. However their efficiency is conditioned to the quality and kind of organic acids and interactions with the soil mineral surface. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of humic and organic acids of high and low molecular weight on the physical and chemical properties of B horizons of four Oxisols and one Plinthustult, and a C horizon of Quartzipsamment. A completely randomized 6x3x5 factorial design (soils x organic acids x dose) was used, with 3 replications. The following organic acid rates were applied: 0, 1, 3, 9 and 18 mM citric and oxalic acid and 0.0; 2.0; 4.0; 6.0 and 10.0 g kg-1 humic acids. The experimental units consisted of 25 cm³ of air-dried fine-earth fraction in PVC cylinders (2.0 cm height and 4.0 cm diameter), subjected to moistening and drying cycles in an isothermal chamber at 30 °C, for three days, in seven cycles. The water dispersible clay, penetration resistance and ammonium oxalate-extracted Fe and Al were determined. The contents of water dispersible clay were variable, related to the rate and type of organic acids, and also to soil texture and mineralogy. Thus, the dispersion resistance of the goethitic was higher than of the hematitic soils, which was in turn higher than of the gibbsitic soils. Moreover, organic acids of low molecular weight resulted in higher dispersion and penetration resistance than those of high molecular weight, in the following sequence: citric acid ³ oxalic acid > humic acid. The content of water dispersible clay proved to be an important factor in the increase of penetration resistance.
citric acid; humic acid; oxalic acid; Oxisols
