C2-Lancatt«r Farming,’Saturday, June 24, 1995
NORCROSS, Ga. Liming is
the process by which farmers con
trol soil acidity. Agricultural lim
ing materials contain calcium and
magnesium compounds in various
combinations which react in the
soil to neutralize unwanted soil
acidity.
Agricultural limestone (aglime)
is the major liming material used
today. Aglime is composed pri
marily of calcite (Calcium carbon
ate) or dolomite (calcium-mag
nesium carbonate) or a mixture of
the two. It reacts with soil acidity,
neutralizing that acidity and in
creasing soil pH. As acidity de
clines, soil* pH increases. The
soil’s pH value alone does not de
termine the amount of aglime
needed. The amount of aglime re
quired to neutralize soil acidity is
determined by measuring its pH
and its resistance to change; that
is. its buffering capacity. Buffer
ing capacity is directly related to
the amount and kind of clay and
organic matter in the soil.
Quality and value of aglime
sources are dependent upon three
factors:
• Particle size
• Chemical reactivity
• Moisture content.
The speed of the reaction be
tween aglime and soil acidity is
dependent upon contact of the
liming material with the soil. The
smaller the particle size, the faster
the rate of reaction. It is generally
best to use an aglime that will re
act completely with the soil acidi
ty within two to three years. Since
the rate of reaction is related to
fineness of grind, the finer the
lime is pulverized, the more con
tact it has with the soil, and the
more rapid the rate of reaction or
neutralization of soil acidity.
Aglimcs have a range of reac
tive particle sizes ranging from
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PH (717) SS9-999S
What Makes Good Liming Material?
very fine, passing a 100 mesh
sieve (100 mesh to the inch) to lar
ger particles which pass a 60 mesh
sieve. Particles of these sizes pro
duce a rapid and an extended reac
tion with soil acidity.
The chemical effectiveness of a
liming material is measured by its
calcium carbonate equivalent.
This is defined as the acid neutra
lizing capacity of the material ex
pressed as weight percent of cal
cium carbonate or calcium car
bonate equivalent (CCE). Aglimes
ST. LOUIS, Mo. Com may
have been planted late this year in
most growing areas due to con
stant wet weather, but the National
Corn Growers Association
(NCGA) encourages fanners not
to let that stop them from entering
the National Com Yield Contest
(NCYC).
“Due to later planting, potential
for lower yields exists, but that
puis most U.S. com fanners on a
level playing field,** said Richard
Peterson, NCYC chairman and a
farmer from Mountain Lake,
Minn. “The opportunities to learn
from using new or different pro
duction methods and earn rewards
remain the same in this year’s con
test as in a year of record yields
like 1994. In addition, the contest
helps farmers compare their own
proven com production capabili
ties with other farmers in their
state and across the country.”
containing primarily calcium car
bonate usually have a CCE of 80
to 90 percent. Pure dolomite (cal
cium-magnesium carbonate) has a
CCE of 108 percent Aglime con
taining a mixture of calcium car
bonate and calcium-magnesium
carbonate (dolomitic lime) usually
has a CCE greater than that con
taining only calcium carbonate
(calcitic).
Moisture content is important
because water replaces an equiva
lent weight of liming material.
Even
With Late Planting, There Are Awards
In National Corn Yield Contest
Though yield remains the focal
point of the contest, the major role
of the contest has always been to
educate farmers on alternative
methods of production that in
crease profitability and address
environmental concerns.
‘The NCYC encourages farm
ers to try new resourceful produc
tion methods, such as no-till or
new techniques of nutrient man
agement, on a contest plot before
adopting them on a large scale,”
said Peterson.
Not only will entrants gain
knowledge on which production
techniques that work best on their
farm, but they will also be reward-
The more water in the aglime, the
lower the content of reactive ma
terials per ton of product '
Combining the CCE with reac
tivity factors based on particle size
determines the effective calcium
carbonate equivalent (ECCE) of
aglime sources.
Be sure the aglime that you pur
chase meets specifications spelled
out in state or provincial law that
governs aglime quality. This en
sures that the liming material you
purchase has a high ECCE.
ed for their efforts. Entrants can
look forward to winning trophies
and recognition from the NCGA,
along with up to $lO,OOO in cash, a
new car, free trips, or free seed
from participating seed and crop
protection companies.
Although all entries postmark
ed by the final deadline of August
IS, 1995 will be included in the
contest, a reduced entry fee is
available for those entering by
July 1, 1995. Entry and harvest
forms can be obtained by contact
ing the NCGA at (314) 275-9915
or your local seed company repre
sentatives.
Winners in the contest will be
announced January 15, 1996 and
Remember, control of soil acid
ity through liming is the founda
tion of profitable crop production.
Remember, too, that soil testing is
the only means of determining the
need for liming and the capital im
provement investment it repre
sents.
For more information, contact
Dr. W.R. Thompson, Midsouth
Director, Potash and Phosphate
Institute, 621 Sherwood Road,
Starkville, MS 39759, (601)
323-8543.
recognized at the Commodity
Classic, the first combined con
vention and trade show of NCGA
and American Soybean Associa
tion, on February 25-27, 1996 in
Phoenix, Ariz. Trophies will be
awarded to the top three winners
in each class by state and on the
national level.
Last year, 471 trophies were
awarded in nine contest classes,
including dryland and irrigated
acres in conventional or mulch
till, no-till and ridge-till produc
tion programs. Because farmers
only compete with those in similar
growing regions, the prospect of
winning is just an entry form
away.