The Campos Gerais region, in the State of Paraná, Brazil, is a pioneer in no tillage system, presenting high yields and high technical standards. Techniques such as precision farming or site-specific management have emerged to assist on the optimization of this process. The objective of this research was to evaluate the localized requirements of fertilizer and limestone in a commercial field under no tillage system and compare results with the traditional recommendation. The soil samples were collected in a grid formed by four rows of fifteen points each, 40 m distant of each other, in a total of 60 points (9.6 ha). Results for cation exchange capacity (CEC), sum of bases (V%), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) were analyzed by exploratory data analysis and geostatistics. Large differences in nutrient and liming needs were observed. Only commercially available NPK formulations were considered. Following traditional recommendation, 175 kg of P2O5 less and 138.9 kg of K2O more than required were applied for the study area. The liming necessities within the 60 points varied from zero to 4 Mg ha-1, totalizing 7.84 Mg. A complementary detailed economic study is suggested, for possible adoption by farmers.
precision farming; variable rate application; soil fertility
