Joint International Conference on Long-term Experiments ...

THE IMPORTANCE OF CALCIUM AND MAGNESIUM SUPPLY
ON THE ACID BROWN FOREST SOILS IN THE NYIRSÉG REGION 1
Jakab Loch*, János Lazányi**, Péter Tamás Nagy* and Rita Kremper*
* Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, University of Debrecen,
Centre of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Agronomy
** Department of Rural Development and land Use, University of Debrecen, Centre of
Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Agroeconomics and Rural Development
ABSTRACT
According to soil tests made in long-term field experiments and to the yield data of nine
years it can be concluded that on a certain habitat triticale yield can be duplicate with
appropriate NPK and Ca, Mg supply. NPK fertilization and especially N treatments
acidify the soil, and increase the Ca and Mg leaching. For maximum yield it is
necessary to add both Ca and Mg systematically beyond the well balanced NPK
portions. Ca supplement can be well characterised by AL-Ca values.
Keywords: long-term field experiment, brown forest acid sandy sols, fertilization,
liming, AL-Ca and AL-Mg content of soils.
INTRODUCTION
Soils in Nyírség are extremely varied. One characteristic type of sandy soils is the
brown forest soil with thin clay layer, which is usually poor in calcium and magnesium.
The lack of calcium and magnesium depends on the extent of leaching. Calcium and
magnesium can be adsorbed relatively in a greater portion only in clay stripes lying in
deeper zones. Blownsands are poorer in calcium and magnesium even than this.
The fulfilment of ecological aspects and the realization of environmentally friendly
plant cultivation require the study of long-term effects of nutrition supply and the
foundation of sustainable production. A good possibility for this is provided by a longterm
experiment adjusted in 1962 by Láng István. The yield data of the long-term
experiment reported so far (Láng I. 1973, Kádár - Szemes 1994, Kádár – Németh –
Szemes 1999, Márton 2006) unambiguously prove that appropriate yield on brown
forest soil with thin clay layer which is strongly leached in the upper layer can be
achieved only with balancing the pH conditions and with a well balanced nutrient
supply.
Productivity of sandy soils is determined by the low humus content accompanied
with low nutrient content and by the weak water management characteristics. According
to the soil tests and yield analysis of MTA TAKI long-term experiments in Nyírlugos
we already drew attention to the importance of the certain nutrients addition (Loch et al,
2002, Loch 2003, Loch et al 2005), and to the necessity of calcium supplement. Soil
acidity hinders the effectiveness of nutrients, lack of calcium and magnesium formed as
a consequence of leaching can limit the yield.
1 Authors are grateful to co-workers of MTA-TAKI for making soil sampling possible
and for providing the yield data of the experiment.
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