Impacts of Liming on Yields of Field Crops

Abstract

In this study, survey of three field experiment (I, II and III) of liming effects on field crop yields in the western Slavonia province (Croatia) was shown. The experiments with increased rates of carbocalk - waste of sugar factory - (five steps up to 90 t/ha and four steps up to 60 t/ha, for I and II, respectively) and dolomite meal (up to 15 t/ha - III) were conducted in autumn of 2000 (I and II) and spring of 2003 (III). The experiments were conducted in four replicates and basic plots measured 64.3, 87.5 and 92.4 m2, for I, II and III, respectively. As affected by liming soil pH was increased as follows (initial and realized pH in 1nKCl): 3.89 and 7.30 (I), 3.42 and 6.87 (II), 4.20 and 6.87 (III). Liming (I) resulted with considerable increases of field crop yields as follows: up to 50% and 36% (maize for 2001 and 2002, respectively), up to 49% (sunflower 2003) and up to 30% (barley 2004). In general, by application of carbocalk to level of 90 t/ha, yields drastically decreased mainly to level of control as affected by overliming. Liming (II) considerably influenced on maize yields by increases up to 26% (4-year mean from 2001-2005) with variation these effects among the years from 7% to even 50%. Yields of sugar beet (2004) were increased up to 43% (30 and 43 t/ha, for 0 and 30 t/ha of lime, respectively). Liming (III) resulted by maize yield increases for 22% (2003: mean of the trial 10.42 t/ha) and for 9% (2006: mean 12.41 t/ha). Also, winter barley more responded to liming (yield increase in 2007 for 33% (mean 7.70 t/ha) in comparison with winter wheat (yield increase in 2005 for 10%: mean 6.73 t/ha).