Abstract
Liming is a common practice used to improve acidic soil properties, as is essential for agricultural quality. A long-term field experiment with one lime rate (6000 kg/ha of carbonate calcium equivalent) and three calcium-based liming amendments (gypsum, limestone and sugar foam) was maintained on a Typic Palexerult for 10 years in order to determine changes in soil acidity and to assess the effects on crop (rye) yields. The soil acidity conditions decreased with all the amendments tested, but the sugar foam and limestone was more effective than gypsum over a long-term period. No significant changes in organic soil matter levels between the treatments tested were found. Interestingly, an increase in the leaching of organic soil matter was observed in limed soils. Lime application significantly increased the total rye biomass compared to the control soils during the whole experiment (2002–2011). Yield trends observed in spike and stem biomass were similar to those reported for total rye biomass. In this respect, at the end of the research, gypsum, limestone and sugar foam increased in relation to the total production of rye biomass by 16%, 32% and 38%, respectively, as compared to the control soils. Additionally, a significant and prolonged difference in calcium concentrations in rye stems between unlimed and limed subplots was observed. However, in spite of the results presented here, further investigations are needed to gain a better understanding of the long-term effects of liming on the chemical properties of soil.
Highlights
While it is true that plants can present normal growth in inorganic soil media, and even in liquid cultures containing no organic matter, so long as the essential inorganic nutrients are supplied, there are many benefits derived from the presence of organic matter in soil [1].the presence of soil organic matter (SOM) affects the soil quality and the types of weathering products that form because of the influences of dissolution and aqueous speciation [2]
The results reported in this manuscript show that the liming treatment of an acid soil with calcium-based materials helps to maintain an adequate calcium/aluminum ratio in the soil exchange complex, and improves rye yields
On the basis of our results, it is remarkable that limestone and sugar foam had the most important effects on the soil fertility improvement and the rye biomass production in the long-term
Summary
While it is true that plants can present normal growth in inorganic soil media, and even in liquid cultures containing no organic matter, so long as the essential inorganic nutrients are supplied, there are many benefits derived from the presence of organic matter in soil [1].the presence of soil organic matter (SOM) affects the soil quality and the types of weathering products that form because of the influences of dissolution and aqueous speciation [2]. Despite its often-minor contribution to the total mass of mineral soils, SOM can have an influence on a wide variety of soil properties, ecosystem functioning, and the magnitude of various obligatory ecosystem processes In this way, amongst others, the following factors can be mentioned: (i) biological properties (reservoir of metabolic energy, source of macronutrients and ecosystem resilience), (ii) physical properties (stabilization of soil structure, water retention and thermal properties) and (iii) chemical properties (cation exchange capacity (CEC), buffering capacity and pH effects, chelation of metals and interactions with xenobiotics) [3]. The role of soil organic matter in sustainable nutrient cycling, and in the sustainability of agronomic environments, is undoubtedly important
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