Control of Soil pH, Its Ecological and Agronomic Assessment in an Agroecosystem

Abstract

Lithuania is located in the humid zone, where mean annual precipitation exceeds mean evapotranspiration and soil acidification is an ongoing natural process encouraged by anthropogenic activities. Traditionally, the process may be controlled by different intensity liming. The chapter summarizes the data on long-term liming and fertilization experiments made in Western Lithuania. The object of the investigation is the naturally acid soil, Bathygleyic Dystric Glossic Retisol (texture: moraine loam with clay-sized particles content of 12-14%), and the same soil exposed for more than half a century to different liming and fertilization intensity. Our systematic analysis shows that it is impossible to reach appropriate moraine loam soil conditions for organic matter decomposition, carbon sequestration, soil aggregation, nitrogen fixation, nutrient accumulation, and plant growth by using intensive liming only. It is necessary to coordinate proper liming and organic fertilizing. The soil acidity was neutralized (pH KCl 5.9 ± 0.1) and mobile aluminum abolished in the topsoil and subsoil to a 60 cm depth; moreover, the highest amount of soil organic carbon (1.91%), water stable aggregates (59%), intense nitrogen fixation, and highest grain yield was established in the periodically limed (with 1.0 rate CaCO 3 every 7 years) soil with 60 t ha −1 farmyard manure (FYM) application.

Identification of Land Fertility on the Productivity of Lowland Rice and Vegetable Crops in Mudung Laut Village, Pelayangan District, Jambi City

“…Soil pH regulates the availability of nutrients by controlling the chemical form of nutrients that will affect their chemical reactions. Added by [12] that soil pH plays a role in biological activities that occur in the soil, such as CO emissions, nitrogen fixation, mineralization of organic matter, and distribution of beneficial microbes [18] also stated that fertility and low soil pH were limiting factors for growth and yields.…”

“…The limiting factors for increasing crop production are acid pH, Al toxicity, low organic C, low N, and low CEC [16]. Therefore, the addition of lime is the most efficient method to increase the pH of acidic soils and can reduce the toxic effects of Al [12]. Furthermore, [16] stated that to increase crop yields in a sustainable manner it is necessary to add lime to acid dry land.…”

“…The results of [13] showed that the application of plant waste (litter) can increase C-organic and soil microbial populations. This result is reinforced by [12] that the application of organic fertilizers can significantly increase the amount of humic acid and soil macropores. Soil organic matter can be a major indicator of soil quality because it plays a role in soil ecological stability.…”

Assessment of a single application of sewage sludge on the biomass yield of Silphium perfoliatum and changes in naturally acid soil properties

“…Naturally acid and less productive soils -Retisol and Fluvisolare prevalent in Western Lithuania. Intensive agricultural practices in these soils have significant effects on soil degradation through loss of soil organic matter, decline of soil structure, resulting in soil compaction and root growth retardation (Karcauskiene et al, 2018). As an alternative, some of these acid soils might be designated for non-food crop species cultivation, while paying special attention to the species, which tolerate high soil acidity.…”

A complex assessment of mineral fertilizers with humic substances in an agroecosystem of acid soil

“…Various chemical and biological measures are used for improvement the vital functions of these soils. It is well known that lime fertilizers are an effective means for improvement of soil chemical status whereas the organic fertilizers target to increase soil-buffering capacity and promote its better aggregation (Karcauskiene et al, 2018).…”