Lime to Win: Failing to understand the importance of pH now may be detrimental to your corn yields for years to come

摘要

Trying to maximize corn profits without understanding acidity is like building a skyscraper without pouring a foundation first— the entire structure will probably come crashing down. Managing pH levels becomes even more important if you're growing continuous corn. "I've looked at many yield comparisons trying to figure out why one farmer raises 220-bu. corn and another, with similar soils, gets only 180 bu.," says Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie. "There could be many reasons, but pH is right up there. High-yielding growers hold soil pH constant, and don't let it swing up and down. Yield losses because of acid soil occur gradually. But, when you add lime, it takes two to three years to bring yields back up."