Recurring lime applications to fix acidity in the whole soil profile

Publication Date

25-2-2019

Series Number

DAW00252

Publisher

Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC)

City

Perth

Abstract

  • Unlimed soil was acidified in the subsurface by almost a pH unit over 23 years. Once-off lime application in 1994 was not sufficient to move any alkalinity from lime to the subsurface soil.
  • Soil that was limed three times over the 23-year period had higher soil pH throughout the top 30 cm. These soils had a soil pH higher than 5.5 in the top 10 cm, thus allowed movement of alkalinity to the subsurface soil.
  • A large proportion of applied lime was stratified in the top few centimetres of the soil especially where lime was recently applied at higher rates (e.g., South Burracoppin site) and it is possible to improve soil pH of the whole profile through incorporation.
  • The long-term benefit of surface liming to boost the grain yield was clear, however, deep re-incorporation of undissolved in situ lime (without any new application) was able to increase grain yield further within a cropping season.

Disciplines

Agronomy and Crop Sciences | Soil Science

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