African Journal of
Biotechnology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Biotechnol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1684-5315
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJB
  • Start Year: 2002
  • Published Articles: 12500

Full Length Research Paper

Liming increases alfalfa yield and crude protein content in an acidic silty loam soil

Goran Dugalić1, Boško Gajić2*, Nikola Bokan1, Miodrag Jelić3, Zorica Tomić2 and Ranko Dragović4  
1Faculty of Agronomy, University of Kragujevac, Cara Dušana 34, 32000 ÄŒačak, Serbia. 2Institute of Soil and Melioration, Faculty of Agriculture, Belgrade University, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia. 3Faculty of Agriculture, University of Prishtina, Kopaonic Street, Lesak, Serbia. 4Faculty of Science, University of Niš, Višegradska 33, 18000 Niš, Serbia.  
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 13 June 2012
  •  Published: 03 July 2012

Abstract

A three year field trial examined the effect of three hydrated lime (HL, Ca(OH)2) rates (0, 1.5 and 3 Mg HL ha-1) on yield and quality characteristics of alfalfa on an acid soil (pHwater 1:2.5 4.7) in Western Serbia. Lime was applied only once. Total dry mass yields of a new planting alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) increased up to 6500% by the treatments of HL, compared with the untreated control. Lime application significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased the crude protein content of alfalfa, in comparison to the no limed control. Liming also significantly increased Ca, K, and P concentrations but decreased Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Al concentrations in alfalfa tissue, compared with the control treatment. Alfalfa yield increase was attributed to the increase of Ca, P and K uptake. Furthermore, the low (1.5 Mg HL ha-1) and high (3 Mg HL ha-1) lime treatments increased soil pH even further by 0.9 and 1.5 pH units, respectively. The results suggest that an initial application of hydrated lime at a rate of 3 Mg HL ha-1may ameliorate soil acidity and increase the yield and quality characteristics of alfalfa at least over a 3-year period.

 

Key words: Alfalfa, soil acidity, liming, herbage yield, elemental composition.

Abbreviation

 HL, Hydrated lime [HL, Ca(OH)2]; CP, crude protein.

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This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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