Soil fertility parameters were evaluated after four years (1990 to 1994) on a alic dusky latosol located in Guarapuava, Paraná, Brazil, under four wheat crop rotation systems as follows: system I (wheat/soybean); system II (wheat/soybean and white oats/soybean); system III (wheat/soybean, common vetch/corn, and white oats/soybean); and system IV (wheat/soybean, white oats/soybean, barley/soybean and common vetch/cor). Both winter and summer crops were seeded under no tillage. A randomized complete block design, with four replications, was used. Crop systems and soil samples at different depths were compared using the contrast procedure. All crop rotation systems, in the 0 to 5cm soil layer, higher values were observed for pH in water and Ca+Mg and lower contents for Al (except system III), as compared to the 15 to 20cm layer. Raising in Ca+Mg, K, and P levels occurred in the soil layer with the greatest root concentration (0 to 10cm). The soil organic matter contents decreased with depth from 0-5cm to 15-20cm.
crop rotation; crop succession; soil fertility; liming
