Subsurface acidity is a major constraint to crop and pasture productivity across Western Australia’s grainbelt and is estimated to erode potential crop yields by 9 to 12 per cent, worth $500 million annually.
About 14.25 million hectares of WA grainbelt soils are acidic or at risk of becoming acidic to the point of restricting crop yields, and lime use has increased in recent years to address acidic soils with low pH levels.
Useful information for grain growers about subsurface acidity and liming is available in a Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Soil Acidity in WA Hot Topic, available at www.grdc.com.au/SoilAcidityWA.
It includes information about Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA) soil pH targets, lime incorporation methods, GRDC-supported research and links to helpful resources.
Natalie Lee, Cox Inall Communications
08 9864 2034, 0427 189 827
GRDC Project Code
DAW00236, LIE00006, CSA00016, CSP139, UWA 00081; UWA00259, DAW00014, UWA00131, DAW00146, DAW00222, DAW00204