Australia: It’s never too early to think about lime

Summer lime applications may seem a long way off, but South Australian growers are being urged to plan their lime programs now. A large number of orders is already placing pressure on some suppliers’ ability to meet demand and delivery schedules over the liming season, which traditionally runs from October to May. Growers are also reminded that acid-sensitive crops such as lentils and faba beans can be very good indicators of areas that should be tested for subsurface acid stratification. Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) Principal Consultant Brian Hughes says most crops will perform poorly if they encounter acid soil, however pulses are especially sensitive and the symptoms are easier to see compared to cereals. “Symptoms in the crop look similar to drought stress or nitrogen deficiency, however, those often occur across the whole paddock, whereas soil acidification is typically patchy and only affects the non-calcareous soils in the paddock,” he says. Around ...