Studies on the Effects of Liming Acidic Soil on Improving Soil Physicochemical Properties and Yield of Crops: A Review

Abstract

Soil acidity is a major constraint to crop production globally by potentially limiting agricultural productivity and causing environmental challenges, especially in temperate and tropical regions of the world where there is high precipitation. The review article summarizes the works of literature and gathers information on the effects of liming on soil's physicochemical properties and the yield of crops. Soil acidity is caused by natural ways, such as the high amount of precipitation that exceeds evapotranspiration that leaches appreciable amounts of exchangeable bases from the soil surface, weathering, and decomposition of organic matter and by human interference (by the use of nitrogen fertilizer mainly ammonia and urea fertilizers). Application of lime improved soil pH and neutralize the effect of toxic elements. Liming directly improves some physicochemical properties of the soil, such as aggregates, density, and porosity as physical properties and reduction of exchangeable acidity, Al saturation, micronutrients (Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn) in the soil solutions, from exchange complex to the levels required and increasing soil pH, exchangeable cations (Na+, K+, Ca+2, and Mg+2) as chemical properties. Soil aggregation, density, and porosity of soil undergo changes with the application of lime. The long-term lime application resulted in increased soil chemical properties. Lime application contributed to increased crop productivity and crop quality. The effects of liming can be explained by the flocculation and cementing action of Calcium ions in the short term. In the long term, increases in productivity induced by liming, result in increasing soil pH, available phosphorus, cation exchange capacity, basic cations, microbial activity, organic carbon, total nitrogen, and decreasing leaching of nutrients, exchangeable aluminum, and acidity, all favoring the physical and chemical properties of the soil.