The British Survey of Fertiliser Practice* suggests that the steady decline in agricultural land area receiving lime in Britain appears to be reversing.
However, the survey also concludes that this area is still considerably less than that calculated to require liming. In addition, it states the principle causes of acidification have not lessened, and it is reasonable to believe that significant areas of arable land, and more particularly grassland, are at a pH level which could limit productivity.
*Organised and jointly funded by the Fertiliser Manufacturers' Association (FMA), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Scottish Executive Rural Affairs.
Proven over more than 70 years, LimeX is an easily spreadable, high-quality liming material ideal for the correction of soil acidity and general conditioning. It is suitable for agriculture, brownfield restoration and the built environment.
These detrimental effects of clubroot can be managed by active husbandry to modify the environmental factors that favours the pathogen, principally soil acidity, calcium deficiency and poor drainage.
A unique advantage of LimeX70, and an important one regarding overall farm costs, is the value of the nutrients integral in the product.
The information below shows the minimum levels for three important nutrients and their value to your enterprise using the Fertiliser Manual (RB209 8th Edition 2010) as a guide.
| Nutrient | LimeX70 (kg/tonne) |
|---|---|
| Total P2O5 | 10 |
| Total MgO | 7 |
| Total SO3 | 9 |
At a minimum application rate of 10 tonne/ hectare (4t/acre) of LimeX70 the combined value of these integral nutrients is over £145 per hectare (inclusive of the savings in applying individual nutrients).
Geoff Dixon, Research Professor in Horticulture, University of Strathclyde, reports:
'Field studies on heavier silt soils around Boston, Lincolnshire since 1998 have demonstrated that applications of LimeX diminish the impact of clubroot. The big advantage of LimeX is its rapid action. Applications can be made in early spring and can raise soil alkalinity from pH 6.8 to pH 7.5 very quickly.'
