Many thanks to the organizations and educational institutions that have allowed us to share their research findings on our website.

Precision Soil Management started to create Detailed Soil Zone Maps in 2005 for variable rate fertilizer application. It quickly became noticeable that certain soil types in the field had a much lower soil pH than anticipated. The majority of these acres were small in size and no corrected measures were applied.

By 2012, over twenty percent of the soil samples submitted to the lab have a surface pH value of less than 6.0. We had to take corrective measures to raise the soil pH and improve the soil productivity.

header_img.jpg

Precision Soil Management started to study the benefit of applying commercial ag lime in 2013, to areas in the field that had a low surface pH value. Different rates of lime were applied in strips thru a field to measure not only the benefit of the lime, but the impact of the lime on the soil pH.

The first study with Water Treatment Lime was initiated in the Fall of 2014. The benefits were very noticeable and three additional fields had lime applied in 2015. In the Fall of 2018 twenty-four fields scattered thru Spink, Brown, Faulk, Hand, and Beadle County had Water Treatment Lime applied by Horning’s thru the Variable-Rate Spreader. The applied rates varied from no lime applied, to a minimum of 1000 pounds of lime applied to a maximum of 12,000 pounds of lime applied. Application of Water Treatment Lime will continue to grow in popularity, as the soil pH continues to decline. As Nitrogen and Sulfur fertilizer is applied, which we need to grow a profitable crop, the soil pH will continue to decline.

Article by Jim Millar, soil scientist with precision soil management. Additional information on Precision Soil Management can be viewed at https://www.precisionsoil.com/

“Soil pH: Soil pH often does not get the attention it deserves. I really like to see soil pH levels between 6.3 and 6.8. If you have large areas under 6.0 you need to lime them to keep your applied and natural nutrients available and to maximize soil biological health. Soil pH under 5.5 can really start to cause problems.” Quoted from Mid-West Labs, Omaha Nebraska

Agronomy Handbook by Mid-West Labs

https://midwestlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/agronomy_handbook1.pdf

From SDSU Extension: Field research suggests that corn yields can be increased by lime in soils with pH values <5.8 (Bly and Gelderman, 2015). Relatively low pH values are attributed to acidity produced during nitrification of applied N. Lime effectiveness is determined by CaCO3 content and fineness of the material. Pelletized and water-treatment lime appear to be equally effective in changing soil pH. Soil pH changes from lime application was less effective at subsurface depths with no-till compared with conventional-tillage, however, grain yields were comparable. Corn grain yield improvement can be expected from lime applications if buffer pH is ≤6.4 and when the soil pH is ≤5.8. Examples for determining lime requirements are available in Clay et al. (2011) and US USDA-NRCS (1999) 

https://extension.sdstate.edu/sites/default/files/2019-09/S-0003-25-Corn.pdf

2014-Brian-and-Darren-Stylin-legfade.png

Below is  an article written on January 6th 2012 by Brian Hefty in the Ag PhD Newsletter explaining the importance of balancing the ph level in your soils and how spreading lime can play an important role in doing so. 

http://www.agphd.com/ag-phd-newsletter/2012/01/06/why-is-lime-important-in-agriculture/

Below are links to videos from Brian and Darren Hefty explaining the benefits of spreading lime to help balance your ph levels of your soils.

Please check out Brain and Darren Hefty’s website for more great agriculture information.

These are the links to the research that we have done. There are many from universities throughout the Midwest of the studies they have done through the years. We hope you find this information helpful.

Cart (0)