September 20, 2022
Dickinson Research Extension Center Updates

2021 Acid Soil Management with Hard Red Spring Wheat


 

Ryan Buetow
Extension Cropping Systems Specialist
Dickinson Research Extension Center
North Dakota State University
1041 State Avenue
701 456-1106
No-till practices paired with heavy nitrogen (N) fertilizer use have lowered the soil pH on many acres in the Northern Great Plains. Acid soil where the pH drops below 5.5 has impacts nutrient availability, soil microbial activity, herbicide efficacy, stunted roots from aluminum (Al) toxicity and other plant/soil interactions. These areas can be improved from surface liming or lime incorporation; however, liming can be costly. For many producers facing this issue, especially those farming rented land, there is a search for alternative options to reduce yield loss on acid ground. Research has been conducted in western North Dakota on adaptive management strategies for mitigating the symptoms of aluminum toxicity and soil acidity including variety selection, in-furrow fertilizer application, and seed treatments. Variety selection showed a significant difference in yield (Table 1). Calcium in-furrow did not have an impact on yield (Table 2). Across HRSW varieties a yield bump of 1.5 bushel in 2021 and 9.3 bushels in 2022 was shown from seed placed phosphorus (P) (0-45-0) applied at high rates (60 lbs P2O5/ac) (Table 3). This mechanism doesn’t appear to be as strong for HRSW as shown in similar durum trials. The data suggests use of tolerant HRSW varieties along with in-furrow P fertilizer can be used to reduce symptoms of an acid soil. Ideally, producers should apply tons of lime to increase the soil pH above 5.5 because varieties and fertilizer may limit yield loss; but do not fix soil issues with pesticide breakdown and carryover, soil microbiological activity, and nutrient tie-up. All the aforementioned issues are caused by acid soil.
 

 
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