Abstract
Soil management with the use of lime and agricultural gypsum can influence the development and yield of cotton and soybean crops. The use of cover crops avoids soil degradation and ensures nutrient cycling on the soil surface. In most cultivated species, the application of lime and agricultural gypsum provides corrections in the sub-surface soil, keeping the nutrients available. This study aimed to (i) verify whether cotton and soybean cultivated in succession to cover crops affect its agronomic performance and (ii) evaluate the influence of lime and gypsum doses on the agronomic performance of these crops. Two experiments were performed. The first experiment consisted of cotton cultivated in the off-season, and the second, of soybean cultivated in the regular season. The experiment was carried out under three plant residues (Urochloa ruziziensis, Pennisetum glaucum, and fallow area), combined with lime and gypsum doses. The experiment consisted of a completely randomized block design with four replications. For the cotton crop, only the gypsum doses influenced the variables plant height, initial and final population, and yield. Cover crops did not influence the agronomic performance of cotton and soybeans. The increase of lime doses resulted in a linear increase in cotton and soybean yield. The highest gympsum dose improved the agronomic performance of cotton plants; however, it only influenced the height of soybean plants.
Highlights
In the no-tillage system (NTS), surface and subsurface calcium deficiency may be linked to aluminum toxicity
The soil calcium content in the Brazilian agricultural area is lower than 0.4 cmolc dm-3, and the aluminum saturation is higher than 10% in the subsurface
In the Brazilian Cerrado, the dry spell is characteristic in the rainy season; cover crops are sown in the spring/summer, which can reduce in productive potential (BURLE et al, 2006; CARVALHO et al, 2008)
Summary
In the no-tillage system (NTS), surface and subsurface calcium deficiency may be linked to aluminum toxicity. In the Brazilian Cerrado, the aluminum toxicity results in soil acidity, which affects the yield of the cultivated species (PRADO et al, 2003). The soil calcium content in the Brazilian agricultural area is lower than 0.4 cmolc dm-3, and the aluminum saturation is higher than 10% in the subsurface. When applied to the surface, liming does not guarantee the subsurface correction and requires the leaching of the carbonates to guarantee its efficiency in the deeper layers for better yield (BLUM et al, 2013). Agricultural gypsum, which presents higher mobility in the soil and acts as a conditioner, provides calcium (Ca2+) and sulfur (SO4-2) in solution and guarantees the leaching of nutrients to the deeper soil layers, and reduces the aluminum toxicity in the subsurface (CAIRES et al, 2006)
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