Lime Rates Research Articles

Effects of Lime and Phosphorus Rates on Growth of Hybrid Arabica Coffee Seedlings at Jimma, Southwest Ethiopia

Coffee growing soil of southwestern region parts of Ethiopia are classified as Nitisols with having a low pH and highly deficient in phosphorus. A nursery experiment was conducted at Jimma Agricultural Research Center, southwestern Ethiopia to evaluate the effects of lime and phosphorus rates on coffee seedling growth under nursery conditions. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. The treatments were arranged in factorial combinations of five levels of lime (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 g) and four levels of phosphorus (0, 400, 600 and 800 mg) 2.5 kg -1 top soil. The statical data was analyzed through SAS software and treatment means were compared at 5% probability using Duncan Multiple Range Test. The results revealed that th e interactions of lime and P rates significantly increased the growth of both non-destructive parameters (plant height, girth, number of nods, interned length, leaf number and leaf area) and Root growth parameters (taproot length, lateral root length, lateral root number, root volume, leaf stem and root fresh weight, of coffee seedlings. The maximum shoot and root extensions were obtained from the interaction of 10 g lime and 800 mg P rates 2.5 kg -1 top soil. On the other hand, applications of P significantly ( P≤ 0.01) affected soil and plant growth parameters. As P rate increased availability P boosted and plant growth were enhanced. Similarly, an application of lime significantly affected ( P≤ 0.01) plant growth and enhance nutrient availability up to 10 g, though further applications adversely affect seedling growth and nutrient availability. Hence , combined application of 10 g lime and 800 mg P rate 2.5 kg -1 top enhances the optimum growth of coffee seedlings under nursery conditions. Keywords: Coffee nursery, Coffee seedlings, Exchangeable acidity, Lime rates DOI : 10.7176/JBAH/9-15-04 Publication date : August 31 st 2019

Performance assessment of nanoparticulate lime to accelerate the downward movement of calcium in acid soil

AbstractCalcium in conventional lime (CL) moves downward extremely slowly into the soil in the short term. To monitor the effects of using nanoparticulate lime (NL) in low affordable doses and in large doses on accelerating the downward movement of Ca in a simulated plough layer profile (0–25 cm), we ran a column leaching experiment with an acid soil with NL applied into the top 5 cm. The experiment evaluated a reference treatment (0 NL), three low doses of NL (8, 40 and 80 kg ha−1 = 0.02×, 0.1×, and 0.2× the NL needed to raise soil pH to 6.0 in the top 5 cm: NLRpH‐6), and two large doses (400 and 800 kg ha−1 = 1× and 2× NLRpH‐6). Over the short term (70 days), NL accelerated the downward movement of Ca, likely by mass flow of nanoparticles down soil micro‐ and macropores. Applying NL to the top 5 cm at 40 and 80 kg ha−1 was effective at increasing the downward movement of Ca and the neutralization of soil acidity (in terms of pH) to 20 cm depth, as well as rectifying Al toxicity (in terms of exchangeable Al) to ≤ the critical limit to 10 cm. NL at 80 kg ha−1 was most economically justified in terms of rectifying Al toxicity throughout the profile. Therefore, NL may introduce new and alternative application strategy that allowing lower rates of lime to be used and thereby offset economic constraints posed by high application rates.

Short-term effects of liming on chemical attributes of tropical sandy soil and soybean (Glycine max L.) yield

Lime application is the most appropriate technique to raise soil pH, decrease Al3+ toxicity and increase Ca2+ and Mg2+ contents in acidic tropical and subtropical moist soils. The objective of this research is to evaluate changes in chemical attributes and soybean yield in sandy soil after lime incorporation. The soil was classified as a typical Quartzipsamments cultivated with (Brachiaria decumbens Stapf) pasture, and its degradation state was classified as strong. The experimental design was a randomized block with six replicates and four lime doses (0, 2, 4 and 8 Mg ha-1). The soil in the area was prepared with one plowing and two harrowings, followed by lime application and two more harrowings to incorporate the lime up to 0.2 m depth. The dependent variables analyzed were soybean yield; numbers of pods filled, pods not filled, and total pods and soil pH in water, CaCl2 and KCl. All parameters were measured at depth of 0.0-0.1, 0.1-0.2 and 0.2-0.3 m. The increase of soil pH by the different lime rates were observed just in 0.0-0.1 and 0.1-0.2 m layers. After 6 months no changes in soil pH were observed in subsoil (0.2-0.3 m). With lower H+ and Al3+ activity and higher basic cation availability, soybean yield was also changed. The maximum soybean yield of 2,929 kg ha-1 was observed with 4.6 Mg ha-1 lime application, although pod number per plant remained constant, independent of limestone dose.

The profitability of variable rate lime in wheat

Grid sampling allows a variable rate of lime to be applied and has been marketed as a cost saver to producers. However, there is little research that shows if this precision application is profitable or not. Previous research on variable-rate lime has considered only a small number of fields. This paper uses soil sampling data from 111 fields provided by producers in Oklahoma and Kansas. The 5-year average net present values are compared between variable-rate and uniform-rate lime for grain-only wheat production, dual-purpose wheat grain and forage production, and a wheat–soybean rotation. Sensitivity analysis was done for varying grain prices as well as grain yield potential. When using historical average yields and recent prices for Oklahoma, variable rate was not profitable on average for these 111 fields for either a grain-only, dual-purpose, or wheat–soybean production. However, when yield or prices were above average, variable rate was profitable. Thus, variable rate liming can be profitable for these fields, but it requires either above average yields, a high value crop, or above average prices.

Effect of gypsum rates and lime with different reactivity on soil acidity and crop grain yields in a subtropical Oxisol under no-tillage

The low solubility of lime (CaCO3) and the absence of soil disturbance in fields under no-tillage (NT) may diminish the effectiveness of surface liming to reduce exchangeable Al3+ (toxic to plants) and increase the base saturation in deep soil layers. However, the effects of subsurface soil acidity can be attenuated by applying agricultural gypsum (CaSO4⋅2H2O), which is more soluble than lime, and thus, can leached bases (exchangeable Ca2+, Mg2+ and K+) and S-SO42− to deeper soil layers as well as decrease Al3+ toxicity to plants. Therefore, gypsum can be applied individually or in combination with lime. Herein, we conducted a field experiment aiming to evaluate short- (1 year) and long-term (11 years) effects of surface liming and gypsum application on the chemical properties of the 0.00–0.10, 0.10–0.20, 0.20–0.40 and 0.40–0.60 m soil layers and also on crop yield of 22 crop seasons (i.e., 10 soybean, 3 maize, 4 white oat, 3 wheat and 2 barley crops). The study was performed in a clayey Typic Hapludox of moderate acidity managed under NT for more than 25 years in Guarapuava, Paraná State, southern Brazil. Three soil surface-applied lime strategies were tested in order to raise base saturation to 70%, namely: (a) 4.62 Mg ha–1 rate of lime of low effective calcium carbonate equivalent (ECCE = 75%); (b) 3.47 Mg ha–1 rate of lime with a high ECCE value (101%); and (c) the same rate of high-ECCE lime split in three applications (i.e., 1/3 at the start of experiment; 1/3 after 1 year and 1/3 after 2 years). A control treatment without liming was also conducted. The liming strategies were combined with four rates of agricultural gypsum (i.e., 0, 3, 6 and 9 Mg ha–1) applied at the start of the experiment. Our findings did not reveal synergistic effect of lime and gypsum on soil chemical properties nor on crop yield. Gypsum resulted in very slight gains in grain yield (4% on average) and limited to just 25% of cereal (corn and winter cereals) crop seasons. On the other hand, liming increased soybean yields by 14% in 40% of crop seasons. Gypsum was more efficient than lime in raising exchangeable Ca2+ levels up to −0.60 m in the short term; however, lime promoted greater reduction of soil acidity and had a more marked residual effect on exchangeable Ca2+ contents than gypsum. The liming strategies did no promote substantial differences in crop yield, but low-ECCE lime sustained better soil chemical condition to plant growth for a longer period. Surface liming efficiently reduced subsurface acidity in a moderately acidic Oxisol managed under NT even in the short-term, promoting increments on soybean crop yields. In this case, the application of gypsum rates did not bring additional benefits to soil or plant yield.

English

Field studies were carried out in the Teaching and Research farm of Cross River University of Technology, Obubra, Nigeria in 2016 and 2017 cropping seasons to determine the effects of lime and phosphorus on the nodulation of Mucuna flagellipes. The experimental design was a 3 × 4 factorial of three lime rates: 0, 1 and 2 t CaCO3/ha and four P rates: 0, 20, 40 and 60 kg P/ha laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Lime at 2 t/ha significantly reduced soil acidity, improved growth and yield of M. flagllipes. The highest number of leaves and nodule per plant were obtained at phosphorus rate of 60 kg/ha. The combined used of 2 t/ha lime and 60 kg/ha P resulted in the highest leaf area index, dry matter of plant fractions (leaf, stem and nodule) per plant. A combination of 40 kg/ha and 1.0 t/ha lime produced the highest seed yield (3.768 and 3.567 t/ha) per hectare in 2016 and 2017. Results indicated improvement in soil nutrients after harvest. Farmers can use 2 t/ha lime, 40 kg/ha P or 1 t/ha lime combined with 40 kg/ha P to cultivate M. flagellipes an indigenous legume readily available in Nigeria in place of expensive nitrogenous commercial fertilizers for improved biological nitrogen fixation seed yield and sustainable soil fertility management. Key words: Mucuna flagellipes, nodulation, lime, P-fertilizer, nodulation, yield.

The need for lime in dependence on clay content in arable crop production in Germany

Liming is a well-established practice to ameliorate acidic soils worldwide. However, the role of liming in soil structure formation and its relation to the nitrogen cycling is only little explored. We hypothesized that improved physical and mechanical soil properties, which are directly linked to soil structure, lead to lower nitrogen losses in an agricultural system. Water holding capacity, total pore volume, bulk density, hydraulic conductivity, shear stress and pre-compression stress were quantified in the topsoil of three surveys located in Germany on different soil types: Eutric Gleyic Cambisol (Loamic) (Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt), Haplic Luvisol (Neubrandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania) and Eutric Cambisol (Loamic) (Puch, Bavaria). The field experiments were arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design and treated with two different rates of lime (calcium carbonate). Furthermore, three rates of nitrogen in form of urea or calcium ammonium nitrate were applied every year. Liming significantly increased the pH, plant available water capacity, total pore volume and decreased bulk density in the soils six months after application, but twelve months after lime application the soil structure collapsed again causes by ploughing and chiseling. We, therefore, assume a positive influence of lime application on soil physical parameters, if tillage is excluded at least initially. On the other hand, our results from the shear stress parameters and the pre-compression stress values indicate that their changes need time and we assume that it may take several years to develop a sustainable structure system.

Lime and foliar application of molybdenum affects nodulation, nutrient uptake and pod production in soybean grown in acid soils

Soil acidity is commonly ameliorated with lime while little attention is given to the application of molybdenum which is deficient in acid soils. Molybdenum is an important component of the nitrogenase enzyme essential for the symbiotic nitrogen fixing bacteria. An experiment was conducted in a controlled environment at the University of KwaZulu-Natal to evaluate the effect of lime and molybdenum on nodulation, growth and shoot nutrient content of soybean. The experiment was a randomised complete block design with three rates of lime applied at 0, 2650 and 4280 kg ha-1 and molybdenum as ammonium molybdate at 0 and 0.5 g L-1. Lime significantly (p<0.01) increased the uptake of Ca and P but decreased that of Mn. Also, increasing lime levels positively influenced most of the important plant growth parameters measured in the study. Molybdenum application significantly increased nodule formation but did not influence the concentration and uptake of the nutrients measured. Lime application also improved soil Ca and Mg but reduced Mn and exchangeable acidity levels at the end of the study. The treatment combination of lime at 4280 kg ha-1 and ammonium molybdate at 0.5 g L-1 gave the best result in nearly all parameters tested and it can hence be concluded that this combination improves both the nutrient uptake and nodulation of soybean grown in soil with very high acid saturation.

Yield responses of arable crops to liming - An evaluation of relationships between yields and soil pH from a long-term liming experiment.

The management of optimal soil pH is fundamental to sustainable crop production. Understanding the lime requirement for arable crops has developed gradually over the last several decades. The aim of this study was to examine the yield-pH relationship for a range of arable crops to understand their response to liming, based on the Long-Term Liming experiments established in 1962 at Rothamsted Research, UK. The main treatments of four different rates of lime and, therefore, four distinctly different soil pH levels were maintained for 35 years at two sites (Rothamsted and Woburn). The pH ranged from 4.4 to 8.0. The lime response was tested on the following crops: spring barley, spring oats, spring beans, spring lupins, winter lupins, potatoes, linseed, winter oilseed rape, winter triticale and winter wheat. Relative yield (RY) was used for non-linear regression analysis to detect site, year and phosphorus (P) fertiliser effects on the relationship with pH. Liming had a highly significant positive effect on soil pH, but overall there was no consistent increase or decrease in soil extractable P (Olsen) or exchangeable K. There were significant site effects detected for RY for most crops which reflect differences in the two soil types. Spring oats and potatoes had very weak responses to lime within the pH range tested. For spring barley, winter triticale, winter wheat and winter oilseed rape significant effects of P fertiliser on the yield-pH relationship were found, although the nature of effects differed between crops and sites. Findings from the Long-Term Liming experiment are invaluable in improving the fundamental understanding on the yield-pH relationship for important arable crops and this has significant implications on selecting crops for rotations. The pH at 90% RY was calculated for selected crops and the beneficial effect of fertiliser P was detected in significantly reducing the critical pH value.

Response of alley cropping-grown sesame to lime and sulphur on yield and available nutrient status in an acidic soil of Eastern India

Applications of lime (CaCO3) and elemental sulphur (S0–S) may be important to obtain high yield of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) in an acidic soil. Thus, the overall goal of the present study was to assess the impact of lime and S application on sesame yield under acidic soils in the Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India. Sesame was grown in an alley cropping system, which integrated trees with grain crops. The impacts on sesame yields were assessed for different rates of lime (0, 100, 250 and 350 kg/ha) and S (0, 15, 30 and 45 kg/ha). The field experiment was laid out in a factorial randomized block design with three replications of 16 treatment combinations. Application of lime at 250 kg/ha produced the best results in terms of the sesame yield (286.1 kg/ha) and improvements in soil chemical properties. Liming at 250 kg/ha increased available nutrients reserves (NPKS: 206, 21.9, 26.9, 16.2 kg/ha, respectively), soil pH (4.95), electrical conductivity (0.039 dS/m) and organic carbon (0.32%) over those in plots without liming (control). Similarly, significant effects of S application were observed in terms of the sesame yield (282.8 kg/ha) and improvements in soil chemical properties, e.g. available nutrient reserves of NPKS (205.6, 21.5, 262.8, 16.0 kg/ha, respectively), soil pH (4.35), electrical conductivity (0.036 dS/m) and organic carbon (0.314%) over those under control, while the minimum soil pH (4.35) was recorded with the application of 45 kg S than that under control (4.89). The interaction effects were significant between the lime and S levels on seed (361 kg/ha), stalk (426 kg/ha) and biological yield (887 kg/ha) for the application of 350 kg lime and 45 kg S/ha. Considering S as an important component of oil and lime for neutralizing soil acidity, their conjoint application is beneficial for farmers to sustain crop productivity in acidic soil of Eastern India.

Responses of Phaseolus calcaltus to lime and biochar application in an acid soil.

IntroductionRice bean (Phaseolus calcaltus), as an annual summer legume, is always subjected to acid soils in tropical to subtropical regions, limiting its growth and nodulation. However, little is known about its responses to lime and biochar addition, the two in improving soil fertility in acid soils.Materials and MethodsIn the current study, a pot experiment was conducted using rice bean on a sandy yellow soil (Orthic Acrisol) with a pH of 5.5. The experiment included three lime rates (0, 0.75 and 1.5 g kg−1) and three biochar rates (0, 5 and 10 g kg−1). The biochar was produced from aboveground parts of Solanum tuberosum using a home-made device with temperature of pyrolysis about 500 °C.Results and DiscussionThe results indicated that both lime and biochar could reduce soil exchange Al concentration, increase soil pH and the contents of soil microbial biomass carbon and microbial biomass nitrogen, and enhance urease and dehydrogenase activities, benefiting P. calcaltus growth and nodulation in acid soils. Lime application did decrease the concentrations of soil available phosphorus (AP) and alkali dispelled nitrogen (AN), whereas biochar application increased the concentrations of soil AP, AN and available potassium (AK). However, sole biochar application could not achieve as much yield increase as lime application did. High lime rate (1.5 g lime kg−1) incorporated with low biochar rate (5 g biochar kg−1) could obtain higher shoot biomass, nutrient uptake, and nodule number when compared with high lime rate and high biochar rate.ConclusionLime incorporated with biochar application could achieve optimum improvement for P. calcaltus growing in acid soils when compared with sole lime or biochar addition.

Effect of liming and applied phosphorus on growth and P uptake of maize (Zea mays subsp.) plant grown in acid soils of West Wollega, Ethiopia

The study aimed at investigating effects of lime and mineral P fertilizers on P uptake and growth of maize (Zea mays subsp.) in greenhouse pot experiment. Combination of four P rates and four lime rates were applied to four highly acidic soil samples and the soils were incubated for a total of 112 days after which maize (Zea mays subsp.) was planted. The maize plants were harvested for analysis after 42 days of growth. Control experiments were also included. Available P (Bray I) and pH were significantly increased after incubation. Maximum available P was obtained in the soils that received the highest P rate and optimum lime rate. Levels of exchangeable acidity were significantly decreased in the P and lime treated soils compared to the control experiments. Plant biomasses and P uptake of maize increased significantly (p ≤ 0.001) with application of P and lime compared to the control experiments.

Digital soil mapping based site-specific nutrient management in a sugarcane field in Burdekin

In the highly productive Burdekin valley, the soil is heterogeneous. To optimise productivity, for irrigated crops such as sugarcane, essential nutrients such as calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) need to be applied. To assist sugarcane farmers, nutrient management guidelines for these mineral elements have been recommended (i.e. Six-Easy-Steps) based on the exchangeable (Exch.) Ca and Mg. However, these are applied using ‘one size fits all’ approach, which lead to fertiliser use inefficiencies, given the alluvial nature of the landscape; where sandy soil characterises the ephemeral creeks (Chromosols) and clay soil types (Sodosols and Vertosols) of the plains. Herein we used and compared regression kriging (RK) and linear mixed models (LMM) to create digital soil maps (DSM). We also compared the efficacy of various proximal sensed γ-ray spectrometry and EM data. Using measures of bias (mean error - ME) and precision (root mean squared error - RMSE) of predictions, as well as the Lin's concordance, we determine which model and data was most useful using a leave-one-out cross-validation. The results for Exch. Ca showed that while RK approach had a strong concordance (0.81), unbiased (0.01) and precise (0.06), the LMM outperformed RK, given the better concordance (0.87) and bias (0.00). The MSPE of the final LMM DSM (0.01) was also smaller compared to the RK DSM (0.0123). Moreover, both DSM was superior to the traditional Soil Order map (0.0171). The results for Exch. Mg were equivalent. We also conclude, that while good concordance was achieved using either γ-ray (Lin's = 0.79) or EM (0.83) for Exch. Ca, using both proximal sensors was optimal. The results showed that pedometric approach can be used to generate a DSM of Exch. Ca and Mg in a sugarcane field. In terms of soil use and management, the infertile sandy textured soil associated with the prior stream channels and characterised by small Exch. Ca (<0.2 cmol(+)/kg) and Mg (<0.5 cmol(+)/kg), require large fertiliser rates of lime (3 t/ha) and magnesium sulphate (150 kg/ha), respectively. Conversely, variable amounts of fertiliser rates of lime (2.5 and 2 t/ha) and magnesium sulphate (125, 100 and 75 kg/ha), were required for the clayier soil types associated with the Sodosols (2Dyb) and Vertosols (2Uge).

Water retention curve to analyze soil structure changes due to liming.

Liming can influence crop growth by altering pore geometry, pore size distribution and water retention characteristics in acid soils. The aim of this work is to determine liming effects on the soil structure based on analysis of water retention data using a cubic spline adjustment function. For that, the authors investigated the effect of three lime rates (0, 15 and 20 t ha-1) on soil water retention characteristics and pore size distribution of a silty-clay "Cambissolo Háplico Alumínico" (Dystrudept) located in the SE region of the Paraná State, Brazil. Soil cores were collected after 31 months of the experiment at 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm soil layers. Eleven matric potentials (from 0 to -7000 cm H2O) were employed to calculate soil water retention and pore size distribution curves. The pore size distribution curves revealed trimodal soil porosity with three distinct peaks. Equivalent pore diameters ranging from 9.18 µm to 13.18 µm separated structural and matrix domains. Small differences exist in the pore size distribution curves due to liming and between layers for all peaks. With no-till plus surface liming, the volume of large pores diminished at the two layers and the volume of small pores increased at the surface layer.

Korelaciona zavisnost prinosa zrna i komponenti prinosa prolećnog ječma gajenog na kiselom zemljištu

A field trial was conducted in 2016-2017 to determine the effect of different rates of mineral fertilisers, especially phosphorus, and lime on grain yield, yield components and their correlation in the spring barley cultivars 'Dunavac' and 'Novosadski 456' under dryland farming conditions at the experimental field of the Secondary School of Agriculture, Kraljevo. The experiment was performed on a very acidic soil (pHH2O 4.5), in a randomised block design with three replications. Grain yield, stem length, number of spikes m-2, spike length, number of grains per spike and grain weight per spike increased in response to mineral fertilisers and lime. Both cultivars performed better under mineral fertilisation and liming treatment than under increased phosphorus fertilisation, as the availability of macro- and micronutrients increased with increasing soil pH i.e. due to phosphorus immobilisation in the highly acidic environment. In general, significant positive correlations were observed among yield components, and between grain yield and its components. Grain yield was significantly positively correlated with number of spikes m-2, spike length, number of grains per spike and stem length. Correlations between grain yield and its components under diverse agroenvironmental conditions can guide the selection of cultural practices as well as the choice of cultivars for unfavourable growing conditions.

Assessment of compressive strength of peat soil with sawdust and Rice Husk Ash (RHA) with hydrated lime as additive

Construction activities on peat soils are found to be extremely difficult as the soil is profound as soft soil and has low shear strength and high moisture content. Due to alternating swelling and shrinkage nature, it causes serious damage to the structure above it. This happens due to repetition of drying and wetting of soil. Stabilization of soil is commonly applied to improve the mechanical properties of soil prior to soil engineering works. This soil improvement method is advantageous and effective one by using waste materials. Waste in our country is divided in various types and it includes domestic wastes, industrial wasters, agricultural wastes etc. Because of difficulties to diminish these wastes without affect to environment and surroundings, it can be used as a stabilizing agent in the soil. Therefore, this experimental study carried out to evaluate the effect of Rice Husk Ash (RHA) and sawdust on engineering properties of the peat soil. The properties such as compaction and unconfined compressive strength are determined separately with sawdust and added of RHA in peat soil at a variety of percentages (2.5%, 5% etc.) in addition small amount of constant rate of lime with 2% of the dry soil weight. By obtaining the results, it can deduce a promising and improving result in stabilizing the soil with sawdust and Rice Husk Ash in both economic and strength capacity. This will not only solve the waste disposal problem but also enhance the strength characteristics of soil significantly.

The anatomy of uncertainty for soil pH measurements and predictions: Implications for modellers and practitioners

SummaryStatistical validation of spatial predictions of soil properties requires assessment of errors against measured values. The objective of this study was to assess the size of errors in the measurement of soil pH from different sources in the United States of America national databases and implications of the size of errors for prediction, validation and management decision making under uncertain conditions. Error sources included measurement methods, laboratory conditions, pedotransfer functions, database manipulations, location accuracy, and spatial and polygon methods of interpolation. The databases consisted of measured soil pH values from the US National Cooperative Soil Survey Characterization Database (NCSS–SCDB) and estimated values from US Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) and State Soil Geographic (STATSGO2) databases. The degree of agreement between measurement methods ranged from poor to substantial, with Lin's concordance correlation coefficients (ρc) varying from 0.83 (pH 1:1W against 1:5CaCl2) to 0.95 (pH 1:1W against pH 1:5W) and root mean square error (RMSE) varying from 0.27 to 0.43. The degree of agreement between pH 1:1W, 1:2CaCl2 and mid‐infrared spectroscopy (MIR) ranged from poor to moderate. The RMSE for MIR was 0.40 for pH 1:1W and 0.32 for soil pH 1:2CaCl2. The RMSE for between‐laboratory reproducibility varied from 0.50 (pH 1:1W) to 0.68 (pH 1:2CaCl2) and was greater than within‐laboratory reproducibility (pH 1:1W, 0.34; pH 1:2 CaCl2, 0.22) and repeatability (pH 1:1W, 0.19; pH 1:2CaCl2, 0.04). The RMSE for the relations for profile depth slicing (weighted mean against equal‐area spline) was 0.36. The RMSE for the relation between soil pH 1:1W for the Global Positioning System and Public Land Survey System was 0.57. Predictions based on polygon or spatial interpolation had the largest RMSEs, 0.78 and 0.62, respectively. Soil liming recommendations based on 0.1 pH increments do not reflect error measurements or the uncertainty of spatial prediction. Although it was not possible to establish consistent trends in the size of error (progressively increasing from measurement to aggregation), its assessment can improve modelling and management at various scales.Highlights We assessed sources of errors and uncertainty for measured and spatial predictions of soil pH. The smallest error was reported for measured pH (0.06). Polygon or spatial interpolation resulted in the largest error (0.68). Differences in error size influenced rates of liming and cost.

Soil Chemical Property Changes in Response to Long‐Term Pineapple Cultivation in Costa Rica

Core Ideas Soil organic C was lower under pineapple cultivation than in an adjacent pasture and secondary forest. Soil organic C did not differ between 7‐ and 20‐yr‐old pineapple fields. Soil pH and base cations were lower in a 20‐ than in a 7‐yr‐old pineapple field, pasture, and forest. Anion exchange capacities were larger in soils under pineapple cultivation than in pasture soils. Pineapple cultivation may require increased liming rates to help maintain long‐term soil quality. Pineapple [Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.] has been cultivated in Costa Rica for decades on land previously under forest and pasture vegetation. A pineapple plantation in Costa Rica was chosen to investigate the impact of long‐term pineapple cultivation on soil chemical properties. Soil samples were collected at pineapple sites under cultivation for 7 and 20 yr, as well as in an adjacent pasture and secondary forest. Samples were analyzed for extractable nutrients, total C and N, and cation and anion exchange capacities (CEC and AEC, respectively). Soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil N concentrations did not differ (P &gt; 0.05) between the 7‐ and 20‐yr‐old pineapple sites nor between the pasture and forest sites in the top 20 cm. However, the average SOC concentration in the pasture and forest sites was 1.5 times greater (P &lt; 0.05) than that in the pineapple sites. Soil AEC was 3.5 times greater (P &lt; 0.05) in the top 10 cm of both pineapple sites than in the pasture. The 20‐yr‐old pineapple site, which had a soil pH of 4.1, had 2 to 13 times greater (P &lt; 0.05) exchangeable acidity and 2 to 5 times lower base cation concentrations in the top 20 cm than the 7‐yr‐old pineapple, pasture, and forest sites. The greater acidity and lower base cation concentrations in the older pineapple site suggest that agronomic management practices may need to be adjusted to minimize negative changes in soil chemical properties and help maintain future soil productivity.

Enhancing rice yield in acidic soil through liming and fertilizer management

The effect of lime and fertilizer application, as the management of soil acidity, on the growth and yield of rice cv. BRRI dhan50 was investigated during Aman rice season at the Agronomy Field Laboratory of Sylhet Agricultural University, Bangladesh. The experiment was consisted of two factors namely lime and fertilizer. There were four levels of lime (0, 0.50, 1.00, and 1.50 t ha–1 of CaCO3.MgCO3) and three levels of fertilizers (control, FYM @ 10 t ha–1, and chemical fertilizer @ 100-30-42-4-3-0.4 kg ha–1 of N-P-K-Ca-S-Zn). The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications where the unit plot size was 4.0 m x 2.5 m. Growth parameters, yield components and yield of BRRIdhan 50 rice increased with increasing lime rate in association of fertilizer in acidic soil. The highest grain yield (2.90 t ha–1) was recorded from the application of 1.50 t ha–1 lime and the lowest (2.06 t ha–1) was from control (0t ha–1), irrespective of fertilizer. On the other hand, the best effect of fertilizers on grain yield (3.08 t ha–1) was found with the application of FYM @ 10 t ha–1 and the lowest yield (1.59 t ha–1) was in control. The treatment combination of lime 1.50 t ha–1 and FYM (@ 10 t ha–1 produced the highest grain yield (3.60 t ha–1), which was followed by treatment combination of lime 1.50 t ha–1 and chemical fertilizer @ 100-30-42-4-3-0.4 kg ha–1 of N-P-K-Ca-S-Zn (3.28 t ha–1). Additionally, application of lime and FYM improved the soil fertility and properties of acidic soil for crop production by increasing the pH, organic matter and availability of some essential nutrients. From the study, it was indicated that both FYM and lime could affect to enhance the grain yield of rice in acidic soil.&#x0D; J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 16(3): 357–365, December 2018

Dry matter Yield and Nodulation of Common Bean as Influenced by Phosphorus, Lime and Compost Application at Southern Ethiopia

Abstract Soil acidity is among the major limiting factors for common bean nodulation and productivity. Therefore, field experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of the application of phosphorus (P), lime, and compost on nodulation and dry-matter accumulation of common bean under field conditions at Areka during the long rainy season (belg) and short rainy season (meher). Three rates of compost (0, 5 and 10 t ha-1), three rates of lime (0, 0.64 and 1.28 t ha-1) and three rates of phosphorus (0, 23 and 46 kg P2O5 ha-1) were laid out as a randomized complete block design in a factorial arrangement and replicated three times. All data on nodulation and aboveground drymatter were collected. Results showed that the combined application of P at rates of 46 kg P2O5 ha-1 and lime at rates of 1.28 t ha-1 resulted in the maximum number of total and effective nodules during the long rainy season. Similarly, application of the highest rates of compost along with the highest rates of lime increased the aboveground dry biomass yield significantly over the control during both seasons. Finally, it can be concluded that the application of compost, lime and phosphorus can boost biomass accumulation and nodulation of common bean in acid soils.