| Arable
Don’t risk grassland yield and quality!
Reliable evidence from the British Survey of Fertiliser Practice illustrates the continued and unsustainable decline in
arable and grassland liming.
he data
emphasises a
maintained
reduction in
liming, with the five
year grassland
average showing just 3% limed
annually!
Further robust data reported via
the 2016 ‘PAAG’ survey show that
more than 50% of 160,000
grassland soil samples were at or
below pH 6.0! - this level of low
pH will significantly impact on the
utilisation of N, P and then K:
Indications are that grasslands
are becoming more acidic, and
this will adversely affect sward
composition, leading to decline in
grassland yield and quality.
Furthermore, nitrogen applications
increase the natural rate of soil
acidification, and cut herbage
removes significantly larger
quantities of calcium when
compared to other crops.
Managing soil pH closer to neutral
will often improve forage
magnesium content and support
better K:Mg ratios that will in turn
reduce the risk of
hypomagnesaemia.
Therefore, regular pH testing
and corrective liming to > pH 6.5
will avoid consequential loss of
yield and forage quality by
maintaining soil pH at an
appropriate level, such that other
macro and micro nutrients are
available to the growing crop.
But, before buying lime, always
T
check the quality - preferably at
least 45 NV and 40% or more
passing the 150 micron sieve test
are essential parameters. The Ag-
lime Quality Standard was
introduced in 2017 to give farmers
greater confidence in the quality of
lime – look for the standard!
Beware! - hard stone greater
than 1.3mm is rarely of any liming
value, and ideally particles less
than 0.6mm are the most reactive!
LimeX is at least 85% passing
150 microns, and is at least 95%
reactive, making it the ideal
product for fast acting, but lasting
14 | Farming Monthly | March 2018
correction of pH and increases soil
available calcium, and can be
used in organic farming systems.
The integral nutrient package
within LimeX contributes to
maintaining soil fertility by
supplying valuable quantities of
P2O5, MgO and SO3.
LimeX is available via a network
of local distributors for spring and
summer applications. For more
information on grassland liming
advice please contact 0870
2402314, or visit: limex.co.uk
Table 1: The effect of soil pH
and fertiliser efficiency on
mineral soil.
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