The goal of the work was to evaluate the effects of soil tillage and crop rotation systems in the restrictive chemical attributes and plant production of grain crops of two layers of soil. The experiment was carried out in Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil, after more than two decades without limestone application. The design was randomized blocks, schedule of split plots, with three modes of soil tillage and crop rotations. It was evaluated the effect on grain yield and dry matter of the shoot of winter ( Triticum aestivum, Avena sativa and Vicia sativa) and summer ( Glycine max and Sorghum bicolor) crops. The effect of these factors in soil chemical attributes has also been evaluated according to the layer of soil (0 to 6.7 and 6.8 to 20 cm). The effects of soil tillage and crop rotation influenced the grain yields of crops of wheat and sorghum only, in addition to the mass of the shoots of soybean crop. Chemical soil attributes were not influenced by the interaction of factors studied, being little influenced by crop rotation. In all treatments, the results indicated a surface layer (0 to 6.7 cm) with a nutrient concentration, and other subsurface (6.8 to 20 cm) compacted and acid. In the surface layer the values of chemicals attributes were appropriated for the developing cropping evaluated. There were no differences between the amounts of organic matter and the particulate fraction. In the layer subsurface, in all treatments, the attributes of the soil acidity were restrictive to plant development.
