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

Summary

This long-term field experiment quantified the yield responses of arable crops to soil liming and established relationships between soil pH and crop productivity. The research demonstrates that phosphate fertiliser application significantly reduces the critical soil pH value required for optimal yield responses, suggesting an interaction between soil acidity management and phosphate nutrition in determining arable crop performance.

UK applicability

Findings are directly applicable to UK arable farming, as the study was conducted under UK conditions and addresses a fundamental soil management practice. The results inform lime application decisions for UK cereal and arable producers, particularly regarding optimisation of liming rates in relation to phosphate availability.

Key measures

Crop yield; soil pH; critical pH value; phosphate fertiliser application effects on pH-yield relationships

Outcomes reported

The study evaluated relationships between soil pH and arable crop yields from a long-term liming experiment, calculating critical pH values for selected crops. It identified how phosphate fertiliser application influences the critical soil pH threshold at which crop yield responses to liming are optimised.

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