Lime requirement diagnostic by base saturation (H + Al) estimation methods are critical in CEC calculation since they are bound to a potential soil acidity of pH 7.0. This study was carried out in order to evaluate a relation between the H + Al obtained by direct soil incubation with calcium carbonate and the estimation by the extractors acetate salt and SMP index. Twelve south Brazilian soils, incubated with increasing calcium carbonate rates to establish the real soil acidity at a pH of 7, were compared with acidity potential values obtained by different direct and indirect evaluation methods. Significant correlation was observed between the real and the extractant-estimated H + Al, but the angular coefficients in all situation were higher than one. To improve the H + Al estimation by the SMP index, the use of the real incubation data is necessary. The equation which best describes the relationship between H + Al and the SMP index is log (H + Al) = 3.020-0.371 SMP.
soil acidity; acetate; SMP index; cation exchange capacity