This study was carried out to increase the efficiency of energy inputs used in tropical agriculture, so the energy cost (MJ ha(-1)) of the main mechanized agricultural operations was determined in four soil preparation systems for seeding of maize. In addition, the possible reduction of this cost by the conservationist preparation systems was quantified, relative to the conventional system. The experiment was conducted in the Universidade Federal de Vicosa- MG, by using the split-plot design with four treatments and nine replicates, total of 36 experimental plots. The following variables were analyzed: soil density, soil water content, soil resistance to penetration, fuel consumption and energy cost. The no-till cropping provided the lowest fuel consumption, followed by the minimum cropping system with light-disk grate, the reduced preparation and the conventional one. The energy cost of the no-till planting was 52.72% the cost of the conventional system, where as the minimum cropping was 77.52%, therefore turning possible to save between 1216.51 and 578.39 MJ ha(-1), respectively, which corresponds to 25.45 and 12.10L the diesel oil in each hectare.
