Abstract
Abstract The objective of this work was to evaluate the long-term effects of the surface application of lime on soil fertility and on the mineral nutrition and grain yield of soybean, and of black oat and sorghum in crop succession. The experiment was carried out on a clayey Oxisol, in a randomized complete block design, with four replicates. Treatments consisted of lime the rates of 0, 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 kg ha-1, applied in October 2002 and November 2004. Soil samples were collected at five soil layers, down to 0.60-m depth. Surface liming was effective in reducing soil acidity and increasing Ca2+ and Mg2+ contents in the subsurface. Moreover, it increased available phosphorus contents and soil organic matter in the long term (48 to 60 months after the last lime application). Surface liming improved plant nutrition, mainly for N, Ca, and Mg, and increased dry matter production and grain yield of the crops, even in years with regular distribution of rainfall. The greatest productivities of soybean, black oat, and sorghum were obtained with the respective estimated lime doses of 4,000, 2,333, and 3,281 kg ha-1, for shoot dry matter, and of 2,550, 3,555, and over 4,000 kg ha-1, for grain yield.
Highlights
Sustainable agricultural systems should avoid leaving the fields unplanted and the soils exposed, during the autumn-winter period, in the Brazilian Southeast Region agricultural off-season
In 2002/2003, 2003/2004, 2004/2005, 2005/2006, 2006/2007, 2007/2008, 2008/2009, and 2009/2010, the following main and second crops were respectively grown: rice/oat, common bean/ oat, peanut/oat, peanut/oat, corn intercropped with Urochloa grass, corn intercropped with Urochloa grass, soybean/black oat, and soybean/grain sorghum
The sampling carried out 48 months after the last surface liming exhibited linear increase of soil pH, and reduction of potential acidity (H + Al), at all depths
Summary
Sustainable agricultural systems should avoid leaving the fields unplanted and the soils exposed, during the autumn-winter period, in the Brazilian Southeast Region agricultural off-season. In this period, the irregular distribution of rain and low rainfalls are the main factors that affect shoot dry matter production and yield of annual crops. Studies of techniques and crops that are well suited to these conditions are important to enable cultivation during water-deficit periods (Soratto & Crusciol, 2008c, 2008d). Black oat (Avena strigosa Schreber) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) are attractive succession crops for soybean, due to their relative tolerance to limited water availability
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