Description
Proper pH management is the foundation to a good soil fertility program. Soil pH influences nutrient availability and root growth and function. Just because an agricultural product contains calcium does not mean that it will change soil pH. The effectiveness of three calcium products in raising soil pH was compared to an untreated check in acid soils. A field trial was conducted at 16 locations across Kentucky and a laboratory incubation study was conducted at the University of Kentucky Research and Education Center. The same application rates were used for the three products, whether in field trials or laboratory incubations. The rates were 46.8 L ha-1 for the liquid calcium and 4.5 Mg ha-1 for the pelletized and ag limes. The field studies exhibited higher soil pH at 3-month and 12-month sample dates with ag lime and pelletized lime treatments than with the check and liquid calcium treatments. The lab study exhibited higher soil pH values at each sample date (1, 3, 6 and 12 month) with ag lime and pelletized lime than with check and liquid calcium. The soil pH was not improved with the addition of liquid calcium (chloride) and results of this study are supported by the chemical foundations of soil acidity neutralization reactions - calcium chloride does not neutralize acidity and calcium carbonates do.
Citation
Ritchey, Edwin L.; Teutsch, Christopher D.; and Grove, John H., "It Takes More Than Calcium to Neutralize Soil Acidity" (2023). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 16.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/XXV_IGC_2023/Utilization/16
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
It Takes More Than Calcium to Neutralize Soil Acidity
Proper pH management is the foundation to a good soil fertility program. Soil pH influences nutrient availability and root growth and function. Just because an agricultural product contains calcium does not mean that it will change soil pH. The effectiveness of three calcium products in raising soil pH was compared to an untreated check in acid soils. A field trial was conducted at 16 locations across Kentucky and a laboratory incubation study was conducted at the University of Kentucky Research and Education Center. The same application rates were used for the three products, whether in field trials or laboratory incubations. The rates were 46.8 L ha-1 for the liquid calcium and 4.5 Mg ha-1 for the pelletized and ag limes. The field studies exhibited higher soil pH at 3-month and 12-month sample dates with ag lime and pelletized lime treatments than with the check and liquid calcium treatments. The lab study exhibited higher soil pH values at each sample date (1, 3, 6 and 12 month) with ag lime and pelletized lime than with check and liquid calcium. The soil pH was not improved with the addition of liquid calcium (chloride) and results of this study are supported by the chemical foundations of soil acidity neutralization reactions - calcium chloride does not neutralize acidity and calcium carbonates do.
