Effects of adding moraine soil or shell sand into peat soil on physical properties and grass yield in western Norway

Abstract

In terms of agricultural use, peat soils have weak structure, high water content, insufficient soil aeration and poor thermal properties resulting in suboptimal physical properties and yields of grass. During the period 1978–1995, a long-term field trial was conducted on highly decomposed peat soil in order to investigate the impact of adding mineral materials to improve soil characteristics and increase grass yield. Shell sand or moraine soil (200, 400 or 800 m3 ha−1) was incorporated into peat soil. Generally, addition of both shell sand and moraine soil improved the physical properties of the soil and grass production. During the first nine years, shell sand (400 m3 ha−1) was the most efficient. Thereafter, moraine soil (400 and 800 m3 ha−1) seemed most beneficial. This study indicates that additions of shell sand or moraine soil to peat are appropriate methods to improve and conserve the physical properties and cropping potential of these vulnerable soils.