LIME‐INDUCED CHLOROSIS

Abstract

SummaryThe following properties were measured on 22 soil samples from seven sites in the south east of England: total CaCO3, active CaCO3 apparent solubility product, particle size distribution of the CaCO3, and pH. Active CaCO3 was between one quarter and one half of the total for all sites except one. Apparent solubility products varied for each parent material, and increased with depth in each profile and ranged from 0.93 to 4.87 × 10−9. Soil pH was directly related to apparent solubility product. Active CaCO3 was closely related to the surface area.pH measured in 0.01 M CaCl2 was the best index of yield of cauliflower, tomato, sweet white lupin and bitter blue lupin, with chlorotic symptoms increasing and yield decreasing as pH increased. The apparent solubility product of the soil carbonates and pH measured in water were also closely correlated with yield. Total and active CaCO3 were only related to yield above limits of 20 and 10 per cent respectively and even then were poor indices of yield.