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Short‐Term Soil Chemical and Crop Yield Responses to Limestone Applications 1
Author(s) -
Alley M. M.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1981.00021962007300040029x
Subject(s) - loam , agronomy , ultisol , lime , soil water , chemistry , hordeum vulgare , mollisol , crop , environmental science , poaceae , soil science , biology , paleontology
Limestone applications ranging from 0 to 17.92 metric tons/ha were applied to three acid soils for the purpose of measuring soil chemical and crop yield responses to increased levels of soil pH during the initial growing season following limestone application. Corn ( Zea mays L.), barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.), and alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) were planted in a Goldsboro sandy loam (Aquic Paleudult), Pacolet sandy clay loam (Typic Hapludult), and Frederick silt loam (Typic Paleudult), respectively. Sixteen weeks after treatment, soil pH and exchangeable Ca and Mg increased, while exchangeable Al decreased with increasing lime rate. Initial crop yields increased with lime applications on all soils. Exchangeable Al saturations of 18, 8, and 11% of the effective CEC decreased corn, barley, and alfalfa yields. Regression analysis indicated that reduction in exchangeable Al was responsible for increases in corn yields (R 2 =0.59) and that increases in exchangeable Ca along with decreases in exchangeable Al accounted for increased alfalfa yields (R 2 =0.80).