Predicting the lime requirement of soils under permanent grassland and arable crops

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Abstract
Graphs of soil pH against time were plotted for the Park Grass Experiment at Rothamsted Experimental Station, begun in 1856, and the Long‐term Liming Experiments at Rothamsted and Woburn farms, begun in 1962. These showed that the magnitude and duration of the effect of lime applications varied with soil type, initial pH, fertilizer nitrogen application, and the crop grown. Simple equations for each situation were linked to form an empirical model which, with appropriate input data for soil type, crop, and initial and target pH, predicted the lime needed to reach that pH. Model predictions compared well with estimates from a Woodruff‐type buffer method. The model forms a sound basis for a more comprehensive lime requirement model covering the whole of the United Kingdom.