Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Factors Affecting Crop Response To Liming, Kenneth L. Wells, J. L. Sims

Soil Science News and Views

Soil acidity levels directly affect the rate, kinds, and degree of chemical reactions which take place in soil. Crops respond to varying degrees to these chemical reactions. For the most part, these reactions affect the solubility of mineral elements in soil and the activity of the soil's biological processes. As a result, the availability of many plant nutrient elements is regulated by soil acidity. The level of availability of plant required nutrients can be adequate, deficient, or toxic to the plant, depending on the nutrient, soil acidity, and the crop. That is why measurement of soil acidity is regarded by …

Fall Fertilization And Liming For Tobacco Production, J. L. Sims, Kenneth L. Wells

Soil Science News and Views

Proper nutrition of tobacco is a prerequisite for achieving high yields of cured leaf possessing desirable marketing characteristics. Together with the variety grown, soils, climate, and curing conditions, a desirable nutrient environment greatly influences yield, quality, and usability of the leaf produced. Late summer and early fall is a good time to select fields for future tobacco crops or to sample this year's tobacco fields which will be used for tobacco next year, and to assess their needs for lime, phosphorus, and potassium. Planning fertilization strategies this fall that lead to increased profit is much more effective than waiting until …

Will Liming Acid Soils Now Be Adequate For Spring Needs?, Kenneth L. Wells, J. L. Sims

Soil Science News and Views

Each spring many farmers are faced with seeding forages, corn, and soybeans, and transplanting tobacco into acid soils. The choices are either to go ahead with planting and do nothing, don't plant, or to try some liming practice and hope that it works. The results from planting without doing anything may be disastrous or result in limited crop performance. While not planting is a viable option for some producers, most cannot afford this choice. The question most often faced is, "Will liming now do any good for this year's crop?"

Liming Tobacco Soils, J. L. Sims

Soil Science News and Views

Control of soil acidity by liming is very important in successful tobacco culture. Adding lime to an acid soil increases the availability of nearly all plant nutrient elements, increases the efficiency of added fertilizers, and prevents the toxic effects of high concentrations of soluble aluminum, manganese, and iron. It is a natural tendency for most Kentucky soils to become acid with time due to losses of bases (calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium) from soil by rainfall, However, tobacco soils possess certain unique problems that warrant careful monitoring of soil pH every two to three years.

Liming Needs Of Kentucky Soils, William O. Thom

Soil Science News and Views

A sound liming program is the first step in building and maintaining soil fertility. Lime lowers the acidity (raises pH) of soil and prevents the adverse effects of high concentrations of soluble aluminum, iron, and manganese on crop growth--effects often associated with acid soils. Maintaining a suitable pH assures adequate levels of calcium and magnesium. Liming an acid soil increases the availability of most essential plant nutrients, increases the efficiency of fertilizers, improves the effectiveness of some herbicides, and makes beneficial soil organisms more active.

Field Preparation For Pasture Renovation, Harold B. Rice

Soil Science News and Views

Grassland renovation is the improvement of pasture and hay fields by partial destruction of the sod, plus liming, fertilizing, and seeding as may be required to establish or re-establish desirable forage plants without an intervening crop. In Kentucky, this improvement has been primarily through the seeding of legumes such as clovers and alfalfa into grass sods.

Since liming and fertilizing are essential steps in pasture renovation the FIRST step is to have your soil tested to determine how much lime and plant nutrients to apply. Seedbed preparation will range from none to complete disturbance of the existing sod depending on …