Portland Cement for Liming a Strongly Acid Soil
1982
Ernst, F. F. | Stivers, R. K.
Studies have shown that Portland cement will neutralize soil acidity and increase crop yields on slightly acid soils. However, the cement has not been compared with lime for this purpose on strongly acid soils. A pot experiment was conducted in a controlled-climate chamber to determine crop response to two levels (0.5 and 1.0% by weight) of commercial portland cement and lime (reagent grade calcium carbonate added to soil). Ockley clay loam (tine-loamy, mixed, mesic Typic Hapludalf) subsoil with a pH of 4.8 was used. Corn (Zea mays L.) was grown 29 days followed by soybeans (Glycine max L. Merr.) grown for 31 days. Soil pH was raised about the same with equal rates of either lime or portland cement. Dry weight of corn plant top growth was greatest with the 0.5% cement treatment. Total uptake of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Zn, Cu, Fe, and B by corn grown on this 0.5% cement treatment was also high. For soybeans, all cement and lime treatments produced more plant dry weight than the check treatment (no cement or lime added). Concentration and uptake of Mn in both corn and soybeans were greatest in the check treatment. Only the soybeans had Mn toxicity symptoms.
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