A review of research on the effect of lime on New Zealand soils and pastures. Issue 2 (2nd April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Morton, Jeffrey Donald
• Is Part Of: New Zealand journal of agricultural research. Volume 63:Issue 2(2020)
• Page Start: 189
• Page End: 201
• Publication Date: 2020-04-02
• Subjects: Acidity -- acidification -- lime -- pasture production response -- soil pH; Agriculture -- Periodicals; Agriculture -- New Zealand -- Periodicals; Animal culture -- Periodicals; Animal culture -- New Zealand -- Periodicals; 630.99305
• DOI: 10.1080/00288233.2018.1537293
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0028-8233

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Lime application to New Zealand pastures is required to correct inherent soil acidity and also remedy soil acidification caused by plant growth and farming practices. Combining the results of many individual trials carried out under mown pasture showed that the optimum soil pH for plant growth in the top 75 mm for mineral soils is 5.8–6.1 and 5.0 for organic soils. A smaller number of grazing trials showed similar results. Liming affects pasture production through several processes that are described in the text. On mineral soils, 0.7 t lime per hectare was calculated as the requirement to increase soil pH in the top 75 mm by 0.1 units. The requirements for lime can also be determined through modelling economic factors and the rate of soil acidification.