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Table: The effect of low soil pH on fertiliser utilisation

On many beef and sheep farms, specifically the place floor is rented, farmers might be reluctant to spend cash on soil pH and nutrient assessments and consequently fail to behave accordingly with the soil-test outcomes.

With rising enter prices a sizzling matter at the moment, some farmers will attempt to minimize corners on soil fertility to get grass rising as low-cost as potential, however in lots of circumstances, this determination proves extra pricey in the long term.

A sequence of farm walks hosted by the School of Agriculture, Meals and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) in Northern Eire final month, highlighted the affect of soil pH on nutrient utilisation.

Impact of soil pH on fertiliser utilisation:

Soil pH Nitrogen (N) utilisation Phosphorus (P) utilisation Potassium (Okay) utilisation % of fertiliser wasted
5.0-5.5 77% 48% 77% 32%
5.5-6.0 85% 52% 100% 21%
6.0-6.5 100% 100% 100% 0%

Because the desk above signifies, satisfactory soil pH is important to make sure the total worth is being obtained from fertiliser.

The optimum soil pH is between 6.3-6.5 for grassland on most soils, and barely decrease than this for peat soils.

At satisfactory soil pH, 100% effectivity is achieved on the fertiliser utilized, however on the low pH of 5.0-5.5, as much as 32% of the fertiliser utilized is wasted.

This yr greater than ever, it’s in each farmer’s curiosity to seek the advice of their most up-to-date soil take a look at outcomes and establish the fields that want lime.

When spreading lime, the most suitable choice to right soil pH is floor limestone or quarry lime.

Some farmers want to use granulated lime by means of their very own fertiliser spreader, nonetheless this feature has little profit over quarry lime and is considerably dearer.

Presently, many farmers are taking out fields for bales or slicing meadows for silage. Submit-cutting is a main alternative to get lime out on floor in want of it.

If a scenario arises the place land wants slurry and lime, farmers are suggested to apply slurry first and provides 4 to seven days – climate allowing – between the slurry software and lime software. It’s because when slurry is unfold on high of lime, plenty of the nitrogen worth is misplaced resulting from volatilisation.

When spreading lime, it is suggested to not unfold greater than 2t/ac/yr.

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