Wood Ash: a Superior Substitute for Agricultural Lime
Wood ash has the properties to be an effective liming material, and research to compare its effectiveness relative to agricultural lime on acid agricultural soils in northwestern Canada is needed. Wood ash ( WA) at 6. 72 mg · ha-1 was compared with 6. 72 mg · ha-1 of agricultural lime (AG) and an unlimed treatment (check) on a clay loam soil with an initial pH of about 4. 9. The replicated plots were seeded to a barley ( Hordeum vulgare L. ) -canola (Brassica rapa L.) -pea (Pisum sativum L.) rotation, and to timothy grass (Phleum pratense L. ) and creeping red fescue ( Festuca rubra L. ) for 4 years (2002 - 2005). All plots were seeded to wheat in 2006 and to barley in 2007. Crop and hay production decreased in the order; WA > AG > check. Soil pH decreased in the order; WA = AG > check. Available soil P decreased in the order; WA > AG ≥ check. The effect on pH and available P was greatest in the 0 - 5 cm depth, less but still significant in the 5 - 10 cm depth, and not significant below 10 cm. The flush of C mineralization during the first 10 days of incubation was increased in the top S cm of soil by both WA and AG treatments. The effect on soil aggregation, as measured by mean weight diameter, was; WA > AG > check. The increase in crop yield with wood ash compared with agricultural lime is attributed partly to increased P availability in WA plots. It is concluded that wood ash applied at or near rates equivalent to agricultural lime increased crop production and improved some soil chemical, biological and physical properties relative to agricultural lime.
YK Soon MA Arshad R Azooz NZ Lupwayi SX Chang
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Beaverlodge Research Farm, Beaverlodge, AB, T0H 0C0, Canada
国际会议
The 7th International Symposium on Plant-Soil Interactions at Low pH(第七届低pH条件下植物-土壤交互作用国际研讨会)
广州
英文
217-218
2009-05-17（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）