Forage yield of a grass-clover mixture on an acid soil in the third year after soil liming

Abstract

Soil acidity is one of the most common reasons for low yields of forage crops. This paper analyzes the long-term effect of liming (control-without CaO; 3 t*ha-1 CaO; 6 t*ha-1 CaO) applied to an acid soil (pHH2O 4.8) before stand establishment on the productivity of a mixture of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and tall oat grass (Arrhenatherum elatius L.) during the third year of production. Soil liming significantly increased hay yields in the first and second cuts by 17-25% and 46%, respectively, which resulted from an increase in the total yield and dry matter content of forage. In the third cut, soil liming had no effect on forage and hay yields due to the lower amount of precipitation in the second part of the growing season. Both lime application rates led to a significant reduction in the percentage of red clover in the first and second cuts, thus favoring the percentage of tall oat grass. In the third cut, only the percentage of weeds was lower in both lime treatments, as it decreased by more than 55% compared to the control.