Growing crops has now become a much more complicated task. No longer looking at the sky or the earth or the rain like in the past, farmers today face many problems. The land issue is probably the top priority. This determines the growth status of the plant. In particular, pH plays a large role. If there is an imbalance in pH, it makes the soil acidic and harmful to plants. From there, the plant will not have enough nutrients, yield will decrease and lead to crop failure. Let’s go togetherMicrobial product Duc BinhSee article detailsWhat is agricultural lime powder? How to use lime powder to fertilize plants effectively! okay
What is agricultural lime powder?
Luckily, coh a cyoke to monitor and correct acidic soil conditions. When soil becomes acidic, it is best to apply agricultural lime to the acidic soil where crops are grown as a way to increase pH and reduce acidity.Applying lime to acidic soil where plants are grown is a way to increase pH and reduce soil acidity.
1. Problems with acidic soil in agriculture
PH plays an important role in plant growth and development. This means that productivity will also improve if there is a suitable pH. pH is measured according to the pH scale. If it is at 7, it is neutral pH. When soil has a pH below 7, it is acidic soil. The lower the pH, the more acidic the soil and the more harmful it is to plants.
Soil acidity will vary between regions. Sandy soil and clay soil, for example, will have different acidity levels. Climate or geographical location also greatly affects soil pH.
However, the soil will mainly be washed away by rainwater and become acidic. Water will lose alkaline substances such as Calcium, magnesium, potassium,… and wash them away with the water source. Plants also absorb these substances, especially high-yield plants.
One of the other reasons why soil is acidic may be due to the decomposition of organic matter to create acid (Carbonic acid (H2CO3), Sulfuric acid (H2SO4), Nitric acid (HNO3)) to dissolve Ca and Mg. Sulfate fertilizers, Potassium Chloride, etc. also make the soil acidic in this way.When soil becomes acidic, it will have many consequences for plants. Some harmful effects that we can see are:
- When soil is acidic, crops will be affected. But specifically what will that impact be like? There are clay minerals in the soil. These clay minerals will release Al3+ Ions when the soil becomes acidic.
- Al3+ ions are toxic to plant roots. Plant roots will clump and stop growing when there are too many of these ions. That’s why you should treat acidic soil before farming.
2. What is agricultural lime powder?
When talking about types of lime used in agriculture, the first thing we need to understand is their nature. Next is to classify the types of lime to use them for the right purpose. The information below is what you need to master:
2.1 Concept of agricultural lime powder
Agricultural lime powderis the most commonly used soil acidity improvement product. They work by increasing the pH in the soil. Agricultural lime powder is Calcium hydroxide with the chemical formula Ca(OH)2. Lime is created from Calcium oxide and water. The reaction will produce colorless crystals or white powder.
Another way to create agricultural lime powder is to mix Calcium Chloride solution with Sodium Hydroxide solution. Heating this solution will decompose Calcium Hydroxide and Calcium Oxide.
2.2 Types of agricultural lime powder
On the market today there are many different types of agricultural lime powder. However, the most popular are still the following types:
- Slaked lime Ca(OH)2 (milk lime) and calcined lime CaO are types of lime that react very strongly when added to water, release heat, and have high antiseptic properties. Note, when dissolving CaO in water, Ca(OH)2 is produced (lime reaction).
- Limestone powder (CaCO3) is intended to provide calcium for the soil.
- Dolomite lime (CaMg(CO3)2) increases pH moderately, adding nutrients to the soil.
Types of lime used in agriculture
3. Why should agricultural lime be applied to plants?
As mentioned above, using lime powder in agriculture is necessary to improve soil. So specifically, what is their impact? We will find the answer in the next part of the article!
3.1 How does agricultural lime powder affect acidic soil?
- Agricultural lime helps reduce the acidity level of the soil by making it more neutral in pH. This is why it is important to test the pH of your soil to determine the right remediation when needed. Soil testing can help you determine where and when lime is needed, as well as how much.
- To overcome the problem of acidic soil, lime can be applied to plants to increase pH by adding calcium and magnesium. Lime acts as a natural acid neutralizer for the soil, helping to reduce acidity and assist in returning the soil to a neutral pH state.
3.2 Effects of lime on plants
Improving the soil also means that plants will have more or less improved nutrients.Below are the effects of lime on plants:
Reduce manganese and iron in soil.
Lime fertilizer for agricultural crops helps reduce manganese and iron in the soil. Calcium hydroxide will neutralize and dissolve these substances. Thereby reducing the acidity of the soil. Plants will be less susceptible to poisoning and grow well
Enhances microbial activity
Microorganisms are very good agents that create nutrients and resistance for plants. Acidic soil limits the growth and development of these organisms. That makes it harder for plant roots to absorb nutrients. Agricultural lime powder will reduce acidity, thereby creating an ideal environment for beneficial microorganisms to grow.
Improves nutrition to plant roots
The seedling period is a very important period. If the root system is still weak, if exposed to acidic soil, it will not develop well, leading to other parts being affected. Improving acidic soil will solve this problem. With mature tree roots, the root system can reach farther instead of shrinking because of acidic soil.
Provides Calcium and Magnesium
Agricultural lime actively replenishes calcium and/or magnesium levels in the soil. These are essential nutrients to ensure healthy plant growth. Agricultural lime powder provides a stable amount of nutrients over a guaranteed period of time. Thus, the soil is properly conditioned for the best growing environment for plants.
Agricultural lime powder helps reduce costs
Agricultural lime powder is quite cheap. They also have very long lasting effects. You will save costs. Furthermore, improving the soil means crop productivity also increases, thereby bringing even greater profits.
Strengthens the root system
When plant roots are no longer shrinking due to acidic soil, they will grow strongly in all directions. The tree’s stability when clinging to the soil will be better. This is useful against adverse weather such as rain, wind, and drought.
Improves nitrogen fixation in legumes
For legumes such as soybeans, agricultural lime can help improve nitrogen fixation. This is the process by which bacteria living in the roots of legumes can convert atmospheric nitrogen into nutrients that the plant can use.
Improve fertilizer/herbicide efficiency
Acidic soil also reduces the effectiveness of pesticides or fertilizers. By restoring soil to a more neutral pH level, it can help improve the effectiveness of fertilizers and herbicides. Your plants will be less susceptible to pests and grow well.
Reduces toxicity from acidic soil
Finally, applying lime to agricultural crops will eliminate the toxicity that the crops are experiencing. The plant will be poisoned if it lives for a long time in acidic soil. Over time, acidic soil can kill plants. By neutralizing soil acidity while at the same time providing adequate nutrients, agricultural lime can detoxify and help plants grow better.
4. Steps to produce agricultural lime powder.
In fact, the production of agricultural lime powder goes through many different stages. Specifically, the default production steps are as follows:
1.1 Limestone exploitation.
- The first step is to select natural limestone from quarries with high calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) content and they must be low in impurities.
- Then, when mining is completed, it must be subjected to rough processing and cleaning.
4.2 Limestone calcination.
- After cleaning, the limestone is put into the kiln and fired at very high temperatures. Usually the temperature fluctuates above 900°C.
- The calcination process decomposes limestone into calcium oxide (CaO) and removes CO₂ gas. The resulting product is also called quicklime.
- Reaction occurs: CaCO₃ → CaO + CO₂.
4.3 Grinding and screening
- After firing, the quicklime will be cooled in lump form.
- Next, the lump lime will be processed through a grinding system to become powdered lime.
- Immediately after that, the lime powder will be screened to remove impurities and divided into many types of different sizes.
4.4 Packaging and storage.
- Each type of finished lime powder will be packaged into two types of packaging: PE-coated PP bags or jumbo bags.
- The principle of packaging is that the packaging must be tight and moisture-proof to ensure that the lime powder is not affected by the environment.
- The product must then be stored in a dry place and away from sunlight and high humidity.
The way to apply agricultural lime to plants must follow the 4 correct principles
5. How to effectively lime plants
For each land area and different crops, there are different ways to grow lime powder in terms of dosage and application method… However, basically when applying agricultural lime to crops, you must follow the following 4 correct principles:
5.1 Apply the right type of lime
Depending on the type of soil, farming conditions, and climate, we will have different ways of applying lime. Slaked lime Ca(OH)2 is suitable for perennial, uncultivated acidic soils. Dolomite lime (CaMg(CO3)2) is suitable for soils that already have plants, need to supplement nutrients for plants,…
5.2 How to apply agricultural lime powder
Make sure the lime has good smoothness. Then spread it on the soil, use a hoe to mix the lime and soil mixture evenly. The final step is to water in enough quantity so that the agricultural lime dissolves completely in the soil.
Applying lime powder to plant plants properly ensures that the soil will be well improved and from there the plants will grow well and have higher yields.
5.3 Apply the correct dosage
However, we should determine the acidity of the soil before applying agricultural lime. If the soil has a pH that is too high, microorganisms can also die. This also leads to degradation of uncultivable land.
Apply the formula: S x h x D x 103 x 10 x H x 20 (mg) to determine the amount of lime needed
In which: S is the area, h is the soil thickness, D is the soil density, H is the mercury acidity.
With soils rich in organic matterThe dosage used will fluctuate in the following range:
- pH from 3.5 – 4.5 requires about 2 tons of lime/ha.
- pH from 4.5 – 5.5 requires about 1 ton of lime/ha.
- pH from 5.5 – 6.5 apply about 0.5 tons of lime/ha.
However, with soils poor in organic matter, the dose of lime will be reduced by half at the same pH level.This is something that people need to pay attention to to ensure that the land is improved according to proper techniques. Only then will crop productivity be guaranteed.
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5.4 Fertilize at the right time
If you have a newly planted garden, you can fertilize it at any time of the year.
For gardens that are being harvested, agricultural lime powder should be applied during the rainy season. Or you can also apply lime during post-harvest and garden cleaning.
Above is the information about the article What is agricultural lime, What is agricultural lime powder? How to fertilize plants with lime?. If you have any needs, please contact us immediately.
6. Question about agricultural lime powder
6.1 Can quicklime be used to fertilize plants?
You can use it, but quicklime should be allowed to release heat after 2 months of use as a fertilizer
6.2 Where to buy agricultural lime powder?
Please go to stores that sell agricultural tools and fertilizers to buy and use specialized lime for agriculture.
6.3 How much does agricultural lime powder cost?
The selling price of agricultural lime ranges from 8 – 15k/kg, depending on the manufacturer and the quality of each type.
6.4 What effect does applying lime to soil have?
Apply lime to create soil, acidify it, and reduce soil alkalinity.
Above is the information about the articleWhat is agricultural lime powder? How to fertilize plants with lime?… If you have any needs, please contact us immediately.
