Lime requirement for agricultural soils: A review of the current and potential methods for routine use

Abstract

Liming is one of the key agronomic practices to improve crop yields in acid soils because, among other things, it reduces aluminum toxicity and creates favorable conditions for crop growth. For an effective liming program, the methods to determine lime requirement should be as precise as possible. This paper reviews the existing lime requirement methods and discusses the potential of a new one suitable for routine use in the laboratory to test most agricultural soils. The most widely used lime requirement methods can be categorized into four groups: titration, incubation, buffer, and field methods. Other methods such as spectroscopy method or the use of empirical equations have also been adopted. Although some methods are highly reliable, they are not optimal for routine use because they are inconvenient during the laboratory procedures or cannot be validated for all conditions. Based on the linearity between soil pH and the added base in the pH range from 4.5–6.5 in most agricultural soils, a titration‐based method on 1:1 soil:0.01 M CaCl2 slurry of a single sample appears to be a promising candidate for routine use. In further studies, this generally applicable method should be evaluated to provide a better comparison to established methods for lime requirement determination.

Examining the Effect of Combined Biochar and Lime Rates on Selected Soil Physicochemical Properties of Acid Soils in Gimbi District, Western Ethiopia

“…Availability of phosphorous might be as a result of applying biochar and lime that reducing the activity of toxic ions, e.g., Fe and Al in soil reactions. Biochar can increase soil P sorption and help to increase the supply of mineralized phosphorous [36] and lime infuences the soluble Al, H, and Fe to nontoxic levels and indirectly increases microbial activity to promote the use of remaining nutrients by plants [22]. Te positive correlation between accessible p and pH (0.62%) showed that soil pH has a signifcant role in controlling the amount of P that is available to plants.…”

“…In addition, lime enhances soil physical qualities and can be used for more than three years [7,[18][19][20]. In general, lime is valuable, but it has some drawbacks, including high transport costs, potential restrictions on practical applications, and negative efects on trace element shortages [21,22]. Additionally, in the western region of Ethiopia, there is a gap in the lime recommendations based on the particular crop kinds and soil conditions [18].…”

Investigating the accuracy and comparability of various lime prediction methods for Irish grassland mineral soils

“…Various methods for determining LR have been developed including soil–buffer methods, titrations, incubations and equations based on soil characteristics (Nguyen, 2022). Most commonly, estimates for LR are derived through the utilization of buffer methods, owing to their ease of use, swift analysis and cost‐effectiveness (McFarland et al., 2020).…”

A comparison of soil liming requirement methodologies in temperate, Northern European pedo‐climates

“…An equation can be applied to a 30‐min measurement to estimate a longer buffering reaction and a predictive equation was created by UGA calibrated from US soils (Kissel et al., 2012; Sikora & Moore, 2012; Thompson et al., 2010). This method is a promising alternative method for routine lab use with some further evaluation required (Nguyen, 2023). Established charts (FAS, 2019) and proven models (Rothamsted Research, 2022) are widely adopted for rapid value estimates.…”