Making Basic Mineral Amendment Applications
1. Presentation
Characterization of the technique
Description of the technique:
On soils located on non-calcareous bedrock with a natural tendency to acidification, the application of basic calcium mineral amendments (lime, carbonates…) or magnesium-based (dolomites…) helps to bring back or maintain the soil pH at a level favorable to crops. Acidification indeed has negative consequences on three components of soil fertility: (1) chemical fertility: below a pH of 5.5, the risk of release into the soil solution of aluminum or manganese in forms toxic to crops increases, (2) physical fertility: sensitivity to crusting, soil capping or erosion of certain soils is increased at acidic pH, and (3) biological fertility: at acidic pH, the activity of bacteria responsible for ammonium nitrification is reduced, as well as the activity of earthworms. Conversely, some pathogens such as clubroot are favored. Depending on the average gap between the observed and desired acid-base status (ABS), maintenance applications (ABS above the targeted threshold) are distinguished from corrective applications (ABS below the targeted threshold). ABS can be assessed by pH and/or the saturation rate of the cation exchange capacity (S/CEC). The threshold considered depends on the objectives sought (improving physical fertility on loamy soils sensitive to crusting or eliminating risks related to excess acidity on other soil types). Defining the application modalities (type of product and quantity to apply) then involves defining the base requirement (BEB), which depends on (1) the gap between current and targeted ABS, (2) the soil buffering capacity, and (3) the fine earth weight. This BEB and the neutralizing value (NV) of the chosen product allow defining the quantities to apply.
Example of implementation:
Details on the technique:
Implementation period
On established crop
Spatial scale of implementation
Farm
Application of the technique to...
All crops:
Easily generalizable
Maintaining the acid-base status of soils is particularly justified in cropping systems with a high proportion of crops sensitive to aluminum or manganese toxicity (beet, barley…), to acidity (alfalfa…) or to pathogens favored by acidic pH (oilseed rape...).
All soil types:
Not applicable
The application of basic mineral amendments is only justified on soils located on non-calcareous bedrock. It has no interest on calcareous soils for example.
All climatic contexts:
Easily generalizable
Regulation
2. Services provided by the technique
3. Effects on the sustainability of the cropping system
"Environmental" criteria
Effect on fossil resource consumption:
Increasing
fossil energy consumption: INCREASE
phosphorus consumption: INCREASE
Other:
No effect (neutral)
The application of basic calcium amendments leads to direct fossil energy consumption for spreading, and indirect consumption for manufacturing and transporting the amendments used.
The application of basic calcium amendments causes carbon dioxide emissions during their dissolution in the soil (carbonates) or during their manufacture (lime).
"Agronomic" criteria
Productivity:
Variable
The effect of basic amendments on yield is variable depending on the initial acid-base status of the soil and the crop. When the application aims to maintain a favorable ABS, it helps maintain a stable yield potential. When it aims to correct an unfavorable ABS, it should prevent yield losses related to aluminum or manganese toxicity, unfavorable structural conditions (crusting hindering emergence, soil capping limiting root exploration...) or pathogens favored by acidic pH (clubroot...), especially for crops sensitive to these factors.
Soil fertility:
Increasing
The application of basic mineral amendments helps improve the chemical, physical, and biological fertility of acidic soils.
Water stress:
Decreasing
By its positive effect on soil structure, the application of basic amendments promotes infiltration, thus replenishing the available water reserve, as well as root exploration by crops.
Functional biodiversity:
Increasing
The application of basic amendments has a positive effect on soil microorganisms involved in mineralization, nitrification, or symbiotic nitrogen fixation. These are bacteria disadvantaged by acidic pH. The correction of pH towards neutral values also favors populations of earthworms.
Other agronomic criteria:
Variable
Pathogen pressure: variable
The application of basic mineral amendments can impact pathogen pressure...
"Economic" criteria
Operating costs:
Increasing
The application of basic amendments results in variable costs depending on the quantity and form of amendment applied. The cost per neutralizing value unit ranges between €0.1 and €0.2.
Mechanization costs:
Increasing
The application of basic amendments involves additional mechanization costs related to spreading.
Margin:
Variable
The impact of applying basic amendments on profitability varies depending on the balance between yield gains and costs related to purchase and spreading.
"Social" criteria
Working time:
Increasing
Peak period:
Increasing
The application of basic amendments involves a workload related to the application itself and its planning.
Observation time:
Increasing
Maintaining the acid-base status of soils requires soil analysis to serve as a basis for planning.
4. Favored or disadvantaged organisms
Favored bioagressors
Disadvantaged bioagressors
Favored auxiliaries
Disadvantaged auxiliaries
Favored climatic and physiological accidents
Disadvantaged climatic and physiological accidents
5. To learn more
- Soil acidity - What are the mechanisms involved?
- -Arvalis Agricultural Perspectives No. 215, pp. 50-52, Press article, 1996
- Mineral amendments - Properly reasoning applications
- -Arvalis Agricultural Perspectives No. 215, pp. 53-60, Press article, 1996
- Application of mineral amendments - A strategy to adapt to soil type and cropping system
- -Arvalis Agricultural Perspectives No. 215, pp. 61-64, Press article, 1996
- Clubroot: development of integrated control strategies
- -Allard L.M. (CETIOM) Oléoscope, Press article, 2004
- Liming
- -CRA Bourgogne Technical brochure, 2003 link to brochure
- Liming bases for proper reasoning
- -COMIFER Book, 2009 link
6. Keywords
Bioagressor control method:
Cultural control
Mode of action:
Mitigation
Type of strategy regarding pesticide use:
Redesign
Annexes
Favorise les bioagresseurs suivants
Favorise les auxiliaires
Défavorise les bioagresseurs suivants
