Lime application on the soil surface in no-tillage systems, without incorporation, has not been effective in certain edaphic and climatic conditions for the correction of acidity or for calcium and magnesium supply to plants. Searching alternatives for limestone application without the conventional tilling and harrowing operations, this study tried to evaluate the efficiency of different lime application forms for the chemical soil attributes, nutritional state, and agronomic characteristics of corn crop. A randomized block design with split-plots and three replications was used. The treatments applied on the plots were: double hybrid corn Z 8447; corn variety AL 25; and double hybrid AG 122; and on the split-plots: control without liming; lime applied along the soil profile in the planting furrow; lime applied by spreading on soil surface; lime applied along the soil profile into the planting furrow plus more lime spread on the soil surface. Where lime was applied in the furrows, maize was sown in the furrows that had received lime. Soils were sampled 30 and 150 days after liming, from the sowing line to a distance of 25 cm from the sowing line, and at five depths. The pH was determined in the water and exchangeable Ca, Mg and Al in the samples. The nutritional state of foliar tissue was evaluated for the three cultivars, as well as some agronomic crop characteristics. Results showed that the lime applied into the planting furrow was distributed efficiently along the soil profile down to a depth of 20 cm, in a 10 cm wide strip. Surface lime application only had an effect on the chemical soil characteristics down to a depth of 5 cm. The concurrent application along the soil profile into the planting furrow plus more lime on the surface was the most efficient, with higher values of pH, exchangeable Ca and Mg, and lower levels of exchangeable Al. No effect of the lime application mode was observed on the nutritional state of the tested cultivars or the agronomic characteristics of the corn crop.
lime; pH; aluminum; calcium; magnesium; Zea mays L
