Response of eleven forage species to treatment of acid soil with calcitic and dolomitic lime

Abstract

The cost and difficulty of applying lime on hilly pastures or small forage fields makes it appropriate to devote attention to efficiency of lime utilization. This study evaluated effects of calcitic and dolomitic lime on yield and mineral composition of 11 forage species grown on soil with a low base status of 0.46 cmol_c as Ca and 0.18 cmol_c as Mg kg^‐1. Both lime types increased dry matter production, but only Lolium multiflorum responded more positively to dolomitic lime. The low Mg level in the soil was not a major factor limiting yield. Increase in yield was mainly attributed to the increase in pH with the concurrent decrease in Al level and to an increased Ca availability to plants. The species ranked as follows according to the magnitude of yield increase due to calcitic liming: Trifolium fragiferum > Trifolium pratense > Vicia sativa > Vicia villosa > Trifolium repens > Lolium perenne > Lolium multiflorum > Festuca arundinaceae = Lolium (multiflorum x perenne x perenne) > Trifolium subterraneum > Dactylis glomerata. The most responsive, Trifolium fragiferum, did not grow without lime. The least responsive, Dactylis glomerata, showed a yield increase of 36%. A similar ranking was obtained when all species were evaluated for Al tolerance using a 48 hour root elongation bioassay. In both unlimed soil and soil limed with calcitic lime, Mg concentrations of all species were relatively low. Although they were generally not low enough to have an effect on yield, they barely met the Mg nutritional requirement of cattle. By adding dolomitic lime, Mg content increased in grasses an average of 3.7 fold and in legumes by 2.4 fold. Grasses were similar in Ca, Mg, and K concentrations within a soil treatment. Legumes showed a greater range with the two vetches having the lowest Ca and Mg concentrations and red clover the highest.

Notes

A. L. Pires, Departamento de Geociencias, Universidad de Trasos‐Montes e Alto Douro, 5000 Vila Real, Portugal.

Corresponding author.

C. L. Rhykerd, Agronomy Department, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907. Journal article no. 13068.