This experiment was carried out on a dystrophic Dark-Red Latosol from Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil, to evaluate the yield of corn, wheat and soybean as a function of the changes in the chemical characteristics of soil due to surface application of lime and gypsum under a no-tillage system. A completely randomized block design was used, with three replications, in a split-plot experiment. Dolomitic limestone was applied at rates of 0, 2, 4 and 6 t ha-1 (main plots) in July of 1993; gypsum was applied at rates of 0, 4, 8 and 12 t ha-1(subplots) in November of 1993. Corn was evaluated in the agricultural year of 1994/1995, wheat in the winter of 1996 and soybean in 1996/1997. Liming did not influence corn, wheat and soybean yields. Although lime acted upon the surface correcting the acidity of the superficial layers and subsoil, its effect in deep layers was not observed after 40 months. Gypsum improved the chemical characteristics of the subsoil, although it caused leaching of exchangeable magnesium of the soil. Of the three cultures studied, only corn responded to gypsum application, due to sulfur supply, the improvement of exchangeable calcium, the reduction of aluminum saturation and increased Ca/Mg relationship in soil.
liming; gypsum; subsoil; acidity; ion leaching; no-tillage system