Evaluation of oat extracts on the efficiency of lime in soil

The low mobility of the soluble components of surface-applied lime, limits their ability to reduce subsoil acidity in variable charge soils. Laboratory experiments were conducted with brazilian Oxisol to evaluate the effect of oat extracts on the mobility of surface applied calcium in form of CaCO3. The following oat cultivars were evaluated: Argentina 5VL3, UPF 90H400-2, IAPAR 61, IA96101 -b, SI 83400, EMBRAPA 29, LD 9102, FAPA 1, ER 93247 ER 90148, ER 89144, ER 93152, Alpha 94124, Alpha 94206 and Preta comum. Oat extracts and lime were applied at rates of 10 and 5 Mg ha(-1), respectively. Effect of lime without plant extracts on soil acidity was limited in the upper 10 cm of the profile. Lime in the presence of oat extracts increased pH and Ca-ex and decreased Al-ex about 20cm deep. The SI83400 and UPF90H400-2 were the best oat extracts as Ca-carrier into the acid soil profile. The results suggested that soluble organic compounds from oat extracts are mobile and capable of detoxifying acid subsoil, by increasing liming efficiency.