Utilização de calcário para soja e milho em rotação, sob plantio direto e convencional, num Latossolo Vermelho de Cerrado.

ABSTRACT: The Cerrado soils are acid and deficient in calcium and magnesium, which limit crop growth. Also, there is aluminum toxicity for plant roots being necessary using lime to overcome these conditions. The effects of lime levels and methods of lime application in a Red Latosol, were evaluated. A soybean and corn crop rotation were settled, under conventional (disk plowing and harrowing) and no-tillage planting systems, for four years. Cover crops were planted in the dry season, mucuna cultivated after soybean and millet after corn. One lime treatment was included without cover crop under the conventional system. The occurrence of a dry spell period reduced the soybean yield in the first crop, but yield increases were observed due to lime application, under both systems, in the second and fourth crop with corn and third crop with soybean. In the beginning, grain yields were higher under the conventional cropping system. With no-tillage, lime levels without incorporation produced less corn grain yield as compared to incorporated lime. The corn response to split lime application was proportional to the incorporated lime levels. The exclusion of cover crops under the conventional system promoted corn grain yield reduction. Surface lime applications affected the soil chemical characteristics mainly at the 0 cm - 5 cm depth