HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Engelbert, L. E. Articles by Truog, E. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Engelbert, L. E. Articles by Truog, E. Agricola Articles by Engelbert, L. E. Articles by Truog, E.

Crop Response to Deep Tillage with Lime and Fertilizer^{1, 2,}

ABSTRACT

Investigations over a 5-year period on deep plowing, subsoiling, and deep incorporation of lime and fertilizer were conducted on Almena silt loam (strongly acid and tight subsoil). Subsoil treatments included tillage only, tillage with liming, and tillage with liming and fertilizing. The plow-layer of all subsoiled plots was limed to pH 6.5 and fertilized uniformly. Plots not subsoiled received varying amounts of fertilizer, equal in several cases to the total applied to both the plow-layer and subsoil of the subsoiled plots.

Deeper root penetration of alfalfa was promoted by subsoil liming and fertilizing, but not by subsoiling alone. Subsoil liming and fertilizing helped materially in establishing alfalfa during a dry year. Second-year and especially third- and fourth-year hay yields appeared to be increased (up to one-half ton per acre in dry years) by subsoil liming and fertilizing, but were not increased by subsoil treatment where the fertilizer was omitted. The potassium content of the alfalfa from subsoil fertilized plots was as much as 1% higher during dry years.

Corn and oats did not appear to respond to these subsoil treatments even in the dry years, and when they followed the alfalfa-brome grown with subsoil treatments.

In the case of deep plowing with liming and fertilizing, first-year alfalfa-brome gave a consistent but small response to this deep treatment; however, second-year hay yields were increased appreciably when plowing was to a 12-inch depth. Where the depth of plowing was 9 inches, the response was somewhat less, but still greater than where plowing, liming, and fertilizing was to a 6-inch depth only.

In no year were the yields of corn and oats increased by deeper plowing, liming, and fertilizing, although increased vigor was noted in some years.

Contribution from the Department of Soils, University of Wisconsin. Published with permission of the Director, Wisconsin Agr. Exp. Sta., Madison, Wis. This paper represents, in part, portions of a thesis submitted by the senior author to the faculty of the University of Wisconsin in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree. The investigation was supported in part by a fellowship grant from Swift and Co.

² (Associate Editor's Note: One of the reviewers of this paper was Dr. Charles Domby. His review was dated just 5 days before his death from cancer on Dec. 21, 1954. Thus, his final professional act was in the service of his Society.—L. B. Nelson).

³ Assistant Professor and Professor of Soils respectively. The authors are indebted to Associate Professor R. J. Johannes and his assistants at the University of Wisconsin Branch Station, Marshfield, Wis. for their valuable assistance in the field work.

Received for publication October 30, 1954.