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A S C P:: Cidifying Oil For Rop Roduction
A S C P:: Cidifying Oil For Rop Roduction
edu/pnw599
PNW 599-E • September 2007
Soil for
economic returns.
Fruit trees, alfalfa, grass seed, corn, onions, and
potatoes are a few crops that may benefit from
soil pH reduction to maximize crop production.
Crop
Both commercial producers and homeowners may
need to acidify soil for optimum production and/or
appearance of maple trees, azaleas, rhododendrons,
or blueberries. Some plants, such as blueberries,
Production:
cannot survive in neutral to high pH soil. Table 1
(page 2) lists soil pH requirements for selected
crops.
Soil acidification usually is a long-term and
expensive process. The long- and short-term eco-
Inland Pacific nomics of soil acidification can be difficult to assess
and should be considered on a site-specific basis.
Northwest Unfortunately, where soil acidification is necessary,
no single soil test is adequate to determine what
type of soil amendment is needed or how much to
apply.
This publication is a technical and practical
guide for soil acidification in commercial fields.
Donald Horneck, Extension agronomist,
It explains the soil chemistry involved, how to
Oregon State University; Donald Wysocki,
Extension soil scientist, Oregon State determine whether pH adjustment is feasible, and
University; Bryan Hopkins, Brigham Young methods for acidifying soil. This guide is divided
University; John Hart, Extension soil into five sections:
scientist, Oregon State University; and • Understanding soil pH
Robert Stevens, Extension soil scientist, • The problem—iron chlorosis
Washington State University.
• Causes of iron chlorosis
This publication replaces Oregon State • Solutions to iron chlorosis
University Extension publication
EM 8917-E. • Methods for acidifying soil in the inland Pacific
Northwest
In precipitation-limited climates, a cemented a djacent soils, are lighter in color, lower in soil
layer rich in carbonates, known as caliche, is organic matter, and more difficult to manage.
common below the soil surface (Figure 1). These carbonate-rich layers commonly cause
A caliche layer or other calcium-rich horizon pH-related problems.
develops when rainfall is not sufficient to leach Farming practices contribute to soil acidi-
calcium and magnesium carbonates from the fication. The addition of acidifying fertilizers
soil surface into groundwater. Depth to cali- and pure irrigation water acidifies soil. For
che depends on depth of leaching, which is example, urea and ammonium nitrogen fertiliz-
regulated by annual rainfall, season of rainfall, ers are acidifying (Table 2). Proteins and other
and soil texture. As rainfall and sand content nitrogen-containing compounds in organic fer-
increase, the depth to caliche increases. tilizers convert to ammonia, then to ammonium,
Land leveling or erosion commonly exposes and finally to nitrate. When ammonium nitro-
caliche or other calcium-rich horizons. These gen changes to nitrate, it releases four acidify-
areas have alkaline pH and, compared to ing hydrogen ions into the soil.
Irrigation water that is low in dissolved min-
erals can have an effect similar to that of rain; it
leaches exchangeable bases, acidifying the soil.
Surface waters in the Pacific Northwest contain
few dissolved minerals. Conversely, irrigation
water from wells is commonly high in calcium
and magnesium carbonates, which replace the
leached exchangeable bases and keep soil pH
alkaline.
Solution Fe (mg/l)
pH is near or above 7. Low iron availability is a
result of decreased iron solubility when soil pH 0.03
is above 7.0 (Figure 3). Zinc availability is also 0.02
affected by soil pH, but less so than iron avail-
ability (Figure 4). Lowering the soil pH will 0.01
make iron more available to plants. 0.00
You might ask, “If iron is lacking, why not 4 5 6 7
apply iron to the soil?” Soil already contains Soil pH
tens of thousands of pounds of iron per acre, Figure 3.—The relationship of soil pH and iron
but most of it is not in a plant-available form (Fe) in solution extracted from a Woodburn soil.
when soil pH is high. When iron is added to
an alkaline soil, it is rendered insoluble and
unavailable to plants in a relatively short time,
usually before the plants can use it. Soil acidifi- 0.12
cation programs dissolve enough existing plant- 0.10
Solution Zn (mg/l)
4
• High soil pH 3
• Lime applications 2
• Use of urea fertilizer 1
• Irrigation water high in carbonate or 0
bicarbonate
4 5 6 7
• Wet, cool soil conditions leading to poor root Soil pH
growth Figure 5.—The relationship of soil pH and
• Plastic mulches or other soil conditions that manganese (Mn) in solution extracted from a
limit gaseous exchange Bashaw soil.
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For example, potatoes have a very high Nitrogen fertilizers such as urea (46-0-0)
nutrient requirement. Phosphorus, zinc, and can cause lime-induced chlorosis because they
manganese can be deficient without high raise the bicarbonate level in the soil solution.
fertilizer rates. Research from Idaho shows that The conversion of urea [(NH2)2CO] to ammo-
the amount of phosphorus and other nutrients nia releases carbon dioxide (CO2) into the soil
needed to adequately fertilize a potato crop solution, thus increasing carbonate concentra-
increases as soil pH increases. tions (see “Conversion of urea to bicarbonate,”
below).
Lime-induced chlorosis
Lime-induced chlorosis is most often
from fertilizer
observed in the Vaccinium species, such as
Chlorosis can be caused by lime and fertil-
blueberries, and in rhododendrons and azaleas.
izers that increase bicarbonate (HCO3-) con-
For these plants, apply nitrogen as ammonium
centration in soil solution. Carbonate (lime) or
phosphate, ammonium sulfate, or some similar
bicarbonate raises pH, inhibiting plants’ ability
form; avoid urea if possible. When urea is used,
to obtain iron from the soil solution (Figure 3,
make several small applications rather than a
page 5). Bicarbonate can also reduce a plant’s
single large application.
capability to use iron already within the plant
(Marschner, 1986). Lime-induced chlorosis has Lime-induced chlorosis
been observed in blueberries. from irrigation water
Lime-induced chlorosis is temporary and Irrigating with water high in carbonate (rare)
may last a few months or a few years. It will be and/or bicarbonate (common) can cause excess
corrected when soil pH is reduced. The short- bicarbonate in the soil solution and high soil
term effect of lime-induced chlorosis usually is pH. Some crops irrigated with high-bicarbonate
not detrimental for homeowners with perennial water exhibit lime-induced chlorosis. The
plants such as maple trees, but it may be a sig- expression of lime-induced chlorosis depends
nificant problem in the nursery industry, where on factors such as drainage, climate, soil pH,
appearance is critical. Lime-induced chlorosis and plant variety.
in blueberries will not correct itself quickly; The best way to predict potential iron chloro-
therefore, acidification may be necessary. sis problems from irrigation water is to monitor
To avoid lime-induced chlorosis when apply- water chemistry, soil pH, and crop performance.
ing lime to correct low (below 4.5) soil pH, add (See “Calculating calcium carbonate in
small annual applications. Lime applications irrigation water,” page 7.) Chlorosis is most
should be based on soil testing. Test soil after likely to occur when soils with pH greater
6 to 8 months and add more lime if pH is still than 8.0 are irrigated with high-pH and high-
low. bicarbonate water.
A common way to reduce carbonates in irri- by a combination of soil and climatic factors.
gation water is to inject an acid. (See “Acidify- Wet, cool soil conditions, either from win-
ing irrigation water with sulfuric acid,” below). ter rains or irrigation during the spring, limit
Irrigation water commonly is acidified to pH root growth and root function. Impaired root
6.5 or below. Acidification of high-pH irriga- function decreases grapes’ ability to extract
tion water usually is the most cost-effective iron from the soil, increasing the risk of iron
treatment. chlorosis.
Where poor-quality irrigation water is used,
soil acidification requires continual applications Solutions to iron chlorosis
of acidifying materials and monitoring of plant The best way to avoid iron chlorosis in high-
health and soil pH. pH soil is to choose species or varieties known
to be resistant to iron deficiency. If this is not
Soil and climatic feasible, iron fertilization and soil acidification
lime-induced chlorosis are possible solutions to the problem. This sec-
Recent research with Concord grapes indi-
tion discusses these topics. Ensuring adequate
cates that lime-induced chlorosis can be caused
drainage also helps with iron availability.
Acidify irrigation water by adjusting water pH. Add acid until water pH is between 6.0 and 7.0.
Water pH below 6.0 will dissolve metal in irrigation systems, while water pH above 7.0 will leave
too much bicarbonate in the water. Water pH can be easily checked using paper pH sticks. The accu-
racy is adequate.
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diameter of the tree’s drip line. Apply 1 gal of difficult to acidify. In these soils, high water
prepared solution for every foot of drip line tables limit root growth, reducing a plant’s abil-
diameter, with a minimum of 1 gal per plant. ity to take up iron. Consider artificial drainage
To apply the drench, dig a 3- to 6-inch-deep before attempting soil acidification. Without
trench around the leaf drip line and pour solu- adequate soil drainage, lowering pH is not
tion into the trench. If the drip line is too large economical.
to conveniently excavate a trench, dig evenly The following section discusses materials
spaced holes around the drip line, making each used for soil acidification. See “Methods for
hole large enough to accommodate a gallon of acidifying soil in the inland Pacific Northwest”
liquid. After the solution has soaked into the (page 11) for specific recommendations and
soil, replace the soil in the holes or trench. methods.
Sulfur as an acidifying material. The pri-
Acidification
mary material used to acidify soil is elemental
Lowering soil pH of alkaline soils is more
sulfur (S). Sulfur in the form of sulfate (SO4-2),
difficult and expensive than raising the pH of
including gypsum, is not an acidifying material.
acid soils with lime. Soil with pH greater than
Sulfate-containing materials are added to the
8.4 requires the addition of elemental sulfur
soil for a variety of reasons, including acidifica-
to lower pH and the addition of gypsum (cal-
tion (see “Fertilizers as acidifying materials,”
cium sulfate) to lower soil sodium content. Soil
page 11), but the sulfate in these materials does
with pH less than 8.4 generally requires only
not acidify soil. For example, gypsum (CaSO4)
elemental sulfur to lower pH.
is added to soils that have both high pH and
Soil with high pH and carbonates is
high levels of sodium. It is an important mate-
extremely difficult to acidify and solve iron
rial used in reducing soil sodium (see “Elemen-
deficiency problems. Poorly drained soils or
tal S Reactions in Soil,” below). The soil pH is
areas that are continually wet also are extremely
lowered as a result of decreasing sodium.
Gypsum reacts with sodic soil, producing sodium sulfate, which is removed by leaching.
CaSO4 + NaHCO3 ⇒ CaCO3 + Na2SO4
Na2SO4 ⇒ 2Na+ + SO4-2
(gypsum + sodic soil ⇒ calcium soil + sodium sulfate)
(sodium sulfate ⇒ sodium + sulfate)
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10
Sulfate is also present in ammonium sulfate the plant, it will not be enough to acidify the
[(NH4)2SO4] fertilizer, a common nitrogen fer- soil. If you apply enough elemental S or gyp-
tilizer that acidifies soil. However, the ammo- sum for soil acidification, additional S for plant
nium in fertilizers—not sulfate—is responsible nutrition will not be needed.
for acidification. Elemental S reactions add soluble salt (sul-
Only elemental S or reduced sulfur materials fate) to the soil (Figure 6). This salt will need
such as ammonium thiosulfate produce acidity. to be leached. A large single elemental S appli-
Acidification from elemental S occurs when cation, or multiple applications in 1 year, can
elemental S is oxidized by bacteria to form sul- increase soluble salts to a level detrimental to
furic acid (see “Elemental S reactions in soil,” plant growth. Monitor soluble salts after adding
page 9). This reaction is temperature-dependent, elemental S.
and the process requires several years to com- Usually, elemental S and gypsum rates are
plete. Incorporation of elemental S will increase determined by economics rather than by the
the rate of conversion to sulfuric acid. amount needed for full pH reduction. These
Reducing soil pH may take many years and materials can cost as much as $240 per ton.
several elemental S additions. Check soil pH Generally, a minimum broadcast rate is 500 lb
periodically to confirm the need for additional per acre. A single broadcast rate can easily
elemental S. For most agronomic crops, contin- exceed several tons per acre. Elemental S and
ual elemental S additions generally are econom- gypsum rates depend on pH, soil texture, crop,
ical only as sulfur fertilizer. Some high-value and a grower’s desire to correct pH. For exam-
horticultural crops can warrant high elemental S ple, 6 inches of soil with 1 percent calcium
additions to acidify soil. carbonate contains 10 tons lime per acre and
Note that OSU fertilizer guides recom- requires 6.5 tons elemental S (100 percent) to
mend a maximum of 100 lb of elemental S for neutralize.
S nutrition. Although this rate will supply S to
Figure 6.—Reaction of elemental S with calcium bicarbonate produced salts that were not leached
from the root zone of these blueberry plants. The soluble salt concentration stunted or killed plants
(left). Surviving plants continue to exhibit iron deficiency (right).
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11
12
v igorous fizz usually means the soil has more amount of sulfur needed to treat a soil that has a
than 3 percent calcium carbonate. A mild fizz calcium carbonate level of 5 percent. Assuming
means the soil has approximately 1 to 2 per- we treat the top foot of soil, 5 percent calcium
cent carbonate. A fizz that can only be heard carbonate represents 100 tons of lime per acre.
means the soil probably has less than 1 percent One ton of elemental S will neutralize 3 tons of
carbonate. calcium carbonate. Therefore, 33 tons of ele-
Consult a local soil expert if you are unsure mental S would be needed to neutralize the cal-
whether you are dealing with calcareous or cium carbonate present in the top foot of soil.
sodic soil. This assumes no additional carbonate is added
by irrigation water.
Acidification of calcareous soils
This calculation is for demonstration pur-
To acidify soils that contain calcium car-
poses only. The addition of 33 ton/acre of
bonate as determined by the fizz test, apply
elemental S is impractical and is not recom-
1 ton/acre elemental S per year for at least
mended. Success can be achieved, however,
2 consecutive years (see Table 3). Monitor soil
with smaller additions. Instead of acidifying an
pH and continue applying the same amount of
entire foot of soil, treat a portion of the rooting
material annually until the desired soil pH is
environment so that plants can grow without
reached. Wait a year for the soil to equilibrate,
pH-induced chlorosis. Localized acidification
check the soil pH, and add more S if pH is too
can be accomplished by banding or creating
high.
acidifying holes depending on the crop grown
Soils containing calcium carbonate are dif-
and individual circumstances.
ficult to acidify. For example, let’s calculate the
Reclamation of sodic soil
Sodic, or sodium-affected, soils usually have
Recommendations— a pH between 8.4 and 10.0. Soil pH greater than
Calcareous soils 8.4 is caused by the presence of sodium bicar-
bonate (alkali) in the soil profile.
• Soil test. Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) accumulates
• Try banding acid fertilizers. where soil is poorly drained and where the
• Broadcast elemental S based on Table 3. water table allows evaporation to concentrate
sodium salts at or near the soil surface. This
13
14
15
Lime-induced chlorosis can be increased by Horneck, D.A. et al. 2004. Acidifying Soil for Crop
the addition of a poor choice of amendment, Production West of the Cascade Mountains.
lime, or urea fertilizers. See pages 6–7 for addi- EM 8857-E. Oregon State University.
tional explanation and solutions. Marschner, Horst. 1986. Mineral Nutrition of
Higher Plants. Academic Press, Inc., London,
England. pp. 514–517.
References
Peterson, P.W. 1972. Liming Requirement of
Agricultural Research Service. 1976. Iron Defi-
Selected Willamette Valley Soils. Master’s thesis,
ciency in Plants: How to Control It in Yards and
Oregon State University.
Gardens. Home and Garden Bulletin Number
102. Petrie, S.E. 1982. N Fertilizer Effects on Soil Solu-
tion Mn and Mn Response of Barley and Oats.
Doerge, T.A. and E.H. Gardner. 1985. Reacidifica-
Ph.D. thesis, Oregon State University.
tion of Two Lime Amended Soils in Western
Oregon. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Journal, 49(3):680– Rasmussen, P.E. and R.P. Dick. 1995. Long-Term
685 (May–June 1985). Management Effects on Soil Characteristics
and Productivity. In Proceedings of the Western
Hemphill, D.D., Jr. and T.L. Jackson. 1982. Effect of
Nutrient Management Conference, Salt Lake City,
Soil Acidity and Nitrogen on Yield and Elemental
UT, March 9–10, 1995. Potash and Phosphate
Concentration of Bush Bean, Carrot, and Lettuce.
Institute.
J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 107(5):740–744.
Rasmussen, P.E. and C.R. Rohde. 1989. Soil Acidi-
Hopkins, B.G. et al. 2007. Irrigation Water Qual-
fication from Ammonium-Nitrogen Fertilization
ity for Crop Production in the Pacific Northwest.
in Moldboard Plow and Stubble-Mulch Wheat-
PNW 597-E. Oregon State University.
Fallow Tillage. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 53(1)119–
Horneck, D.A. 1994. Nutrient Management and 122 (January–February 1989).
Cycling in Grass Seed Crops. Ph.D. thesis,
Tisdale, S.L., W. Nelson, and J. Beaton. 1985. Soil
Oregon State University. Chapter 5 and appendix.
Fertility and Fertilizers, 4th ed. Macmillan Pub-
lishers, New York.
Summary
Acidification of soil sometimes is neces- • Proceed cautiously, as soil pH can be low-
sary for optimum plant growth. Plants with ered beyond the desired level, especially
yellow leaves—similar to the symptoms for in sandy soils.
nitrogen and sulfur deficiency—may be suf- • Monitor the change through annual soil
fering from iron deficiency. Iron deficiency testing. Sample soil at the same time each
occurs when soil pH is higher than a plant year.
can tolerate. Adding iron fertilizer to the • Keep complete records of the amount of
soil rarely is successful in correcting an iron material added, the amount of mixing, and
deficiency. The most common solution is to the time of year the acidifying material
acidify the soil with elemental sulfur. If you was added.
attempt to acidify your soil, keep in mind the
• Do not treat sodium-affected soils without
following.
correcting drainage problems.
© 2007 Oregon State University. This publication may be photocopied or reprinted in its entirety for noncommercial purposes. Published and
distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914, by the Oregon State University Extension Service, Washington
State University Extension, University of Idaho Cooperative Extension System, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating.The three
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Extension Service, Washington State University Extension, and University of Idaho Extension are Equal Opportunity Employers.
Published September 2007.