|
Little River, TX | The highly touted Base Saturation Theory was discovered and postulated in soils much like you see every day. To be a proven Universal truth Base Saturation would have to be duplicated at research facilities where soil calcium is in excess. For soils with a measured reasonably high CEC value, compared to soils with estimated CEC values based on the level of Ca, Mg, K, & Na, adjusted for pH.
Base Saturation is an interesting consept that was heavily discussed on these pages and on Successful Farming's site.
What is important is for the crop to take in a reasonable amount of each of the essential elements for optimum yield.
Something not mentioned is the idea that as yield increases the percentage of an essential element increases, reaches a plateau and then yield decreases with a further increase in that element.
I have not looked at corn or taters but for forages, as yield increases N% decreases. That phosphate has a rather steep yield change and a narrow optimum yield plateau. Phosphate is a nice clean bell curve.
Potassium also has a bell curve but it also has a very broad plateau. Possibly 2.20% K might be considered the point of optimum yield but other data might have 1.75% K or 2.85% K with optimum yields.
Calcium from what I can find has a bell shape but unlike nitrogen Ca % appears to increase with yield. Any point of optimum yield will be difficult to determine. HERE with this calcareous soil the grass calcium tissue levels are thee times the recommended, and for alfalfa the calcium levels are double the recommended.
Irrigardlessly it is interesting. | |
|
Soil question - Base saturation
