Effect of Liming on Potato Yields as Related to Soil pH, Al, Mn, and Ca¹

Abstract

The objective of this study was to select the most dependable soiltest criterion for determining whether potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) yields might be increased by liming soils. To achieve this end, the crop was grown in unlimed and limed treatments of eight coarsetextured soils (Spodosols), with initial pH values ranging from 4.62 to 5.02 (H2O) and 4.32 to 4.76 (0.01 M CaCl2), in a greenhouse experiment. Liming at 8 g CaCO3/8 liter soil (≃ 2,000 kg/ha) increased the average tuber yield of three soils by 40%. No yield increases were, however, produced by liming soils which had pH values higher than 4.6 (0.01 M CaCl2) or 4.9 (H2O). Extractable soil Al (I N KCl) was as good an indicator as soil pH for predicting crop response to liming. Yields were generally not increased by liming when the concentration of extractable soil Al was < 0.90 meq/100 g. Manganese concentrations in soil or plants were not reliable indicators for predicting the response of this crop to liming. A relationship was found between the concentration of soil Mn extracted with either 1 N NH4OAc or 1 N KCl and the concentration of this element in plant tops (r ≃ 0.75**, significant at the 0.01 level); furthermore, the concentrations of Mn extracted by these solutions were related (r = 0.92**. The Mn content in plant tops also tended to decrease exponentially as soil pH increased (R2 = 47%). Finally, no Ca‐deficiencies were observed on these soils; apparently this crop can absorb sufficient Ca when soils contain as little as about 0.7 meq Ca/100 g (140 µg/g).

Effect of current-season application of calcitic lime on soil pH, yield and cadmium concentration in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers

“…In our study, pHw values for the control plots were in the range 4.3-5.6 (Table 2) yet the growth of tops (data not presented) and tuber yields (Table 3) were not depressed. The application of calcitic or dolomitic lime can affect the availability and uptake of nutrients by potatoes, for example, nitrate-N (Jackson et al, 1982); P, Ca, Mg and K (Hossner and Doll, 1970;Bolton, 1977;Lee and MAcDonald, 1977);and A1 and Mn (Lee and MAcDonald, 1977;van Lierop et al, 1982). Depending on nutrient supply, liming may induce deficiencies of some elements in potato crops (Bolton, 1977).…”

“…In both experiments raising soil pH from 4.6 to 5.3 or 4.6 to 4.9 significantly increased tuber yield. Raising the pH to 5.7 or 5.2 did not result in a further increase in yield, van Lierop et al (1982) reported on a pot experiment which studied the effects of liming on tuber (cv. Kennebec) yields.…”

The Importance of Nutrient Management for Potato Production Part I: Plant Nutrition and Yield

“…The potato crop is known to tolerate low soil pH values and is often grown under very acidic soil conditions, for example at pH values of 4.6 (van Lierop et al 1982;Lazarević et al 2014). Although liming can usually increase potato yields, people often refrain from liming these soils as soils with higher pH values could favour the development of common scab (Streptomyces spp.)…”

Effect of current-season application of calcitic lime and phosphorus fertilization on potato tuber phosphorus concentration and leaf chemical composition

“…Consistent with our results, Lee and MacDonald [7] reported that in greenhouse pot experiments application of dolomitic lime significantly decreased Mn concentrations in the 3 rd leaf from the apex (sampled at 10% bloom) from 1,764 to 320 mg kg 21 . van Lierop et al [9] reported that for the cultivar Kennebec, the application of calcitic lime decreased Mn concentrations in potato tops from 170-1,930 mg g 21 to 140-500 mg g 21 , depending on soil type. White et al [38] for the cultivars Norland and Sebago, showed that the application of dolomite or calcitic hydrate significantly decreased Mn levels in tops sampled 68 and 90 days after planting.…”