CEN/TS 15084:2006

Liming materials - Guide to the determination of the lime requirement

This Technical Specification gives guidance on the parameters that should be taken into account in order to determine the lime requirement of agricultural soils..

Calcium-/Magnesium-Bodenverbesserungsmittel - Leitlinie für die Bestimmung des Kalkbedarfs

Diese Technische Spezifikation gibt Leitlinien bezüglich der Parameter vor, die bei der Bestimmung des Kalkbedarfs von landwirtschaftlich genutzten Böden berücksichtigt werden sollten.

Amendements minéraux basiques - Guide pour la détermination du besoin en bases

Ce présent Fascicule de Documentation spécifie les principes et paramètres à appliquer pour déterminer le besoin en bases des sols agricoles.

Sredstva za apnjenje – Vodilo za ugotavljanje potreb po apnjenju

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 26-Sep-2006
• ICS: 65.080 - Fertilizers
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 260 - Fertilizers and liming materials
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 260/WG 3 - Liming materials
• Current Stage: 9093 - Decision to confirm - Review Enquiry
• Start Date: 31-Mar-2009
• Completion Date: 31-Mar-2009
• Ref Project: SIST-TS CEN/TS 15084:2006 - Liming materials - Guide to the determination of the lime requirement

Overview

CEN/TS 15084:2006 - Liming materials: Guide to the determination of the lime requirement is a CEN Technical Specification that provides guidance on the parameters and practical principles to calculate the lime requirement of agricultural soils. It explains how to assess soil state, set a target pH and compute the amount of liming material required (expressed as NV - Neutralizing Value). The document supports informed liming decisions to maintain soil fertility, structure and nutrient availability.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Soil classification: Uses clay fraction (<2 µm), organic matter and texture to group soils (e.g., sand, loamy sand, silty loam, clayey loam, peat).
• pH classes (A–E): Defines soil status from very low (class A - basal liming required) to very high (class E - no liming). Target pH is set according to crop needs and soil state.
• Types of liming:
  • Basal liming - raise very low pH to target (high NV requirement).
  • Improvement liming - recover soils with low pH within crop rotations.
  • Preservation liming - compensate annual acidification to maintain optimum pH.
• Parameters for lime requirement: initial/target pH, clay content, organic matter, rainfall, crop rotation, cation saturation rate, buffering capacity, aluminum toxicity and acidifying fertilizers.
• Calculation: Lime requirement R is expressed as NV/ha (kg CaO-equivalent). Product quantity Q (kg/ha) is calculated using NV:
  • Q = R × 100 / NV
• Practical limits: Recommended maximum annual NV applications by soil type - light (3 000 NV/ha), medium (6 000 NV/ha), heavy (9 000 NV/ha).
• Preservation rates and losses: Annual lime loss estimates (neutralisation + leaching) vary by soil and rainfall. Example (arable land): light sandy soils ~300–500 NV/ha·yr; medium loamy ~400–600 NV/ha·yr; heavy clay ~500–700 NV/ha·yr.

Applications and practical value

• Provides a framework for agronomists, soil scientists, fertilizer producers and farm advisors to:
  • Develop liming programmes (basal, improvement, preservation).
  • Translate laboratory NV results into field application rates.
  • Balance liming with crop rotation, soil type and climate.
• Useful in regional advisory services and fertilizer labelling where NV and lime recommendation must be harmonised.

Who would use this standard

• Soil testing laboratories and agronomy consultants
• Farmers and farm managers planning liming schedules
• Fertilizer and liming materials manufacturers (product NV assessment)
• Agricultural policy makers and extension services

Related standards (normative references)

• EN 12944-3:2001 - Vocabulary: terms relating to liming materials
• ISO 10390 - Soil pH determination
• ISO 11259 - Simplified soil description
• ISO 11277 - Particle size distribution in mineral soils
• ISO 14235 - Organic carbon determination

Keywords: CEN/TS 15084:2006, liming materials, lime requirement, soil pH, Neutralizing Value, preservation liming, basal liming, buffer capacity, agricultural soils.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-december-2006
Sredstva za apnjenje – Vodilo za ugotavljanje potreb po apnjenju
Liming materials - Guide to the determination of the lime requirement
Calcium-/Magnesium-Bodenverbesserungsmittel - Leitlinie für die Bestimmung des
Kalkbedarfs
Amendements minéraux basiques - Guide pour la détermination du besoin en bases
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: CEN/TS 15084:2006
ICS:
65.080 Gnojila Fertilizers
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
CEN/TS 15084
SPÉCIFICATION TECHNIQUE
TECHNISCHE SPEZIFIKATION
September 2006
ICS 65.080
English Version
Liming materials - Guide to the determination of the lime
requirement
Amendements minéraux basiques - Guide pour la Calcium-/Magnesium-Bodenverbesserungsmittel - Leitlinie
détermination de la besoin en chaux für die Bestimmung des Kalkbedarfs
This Technical Specification (CEN/TS) was approved by CEN on 27 May 2006 for provisional application.
The period of validity of this CEN/TS is limited initially to three years. After two years the members of CEN will be requested to submit their
comments, particularly on the question whether the CEN/TS can be converted into a European Standard.
CEN members are required to announce the existence of this CEN/TS in the same way as for an EN and to make the CEN/TS available
promptly at national level in an appropriate form. It is permissible to keep conflicting national standards in force (in parallel to the CEN/TS)
until the final decision about the possible conversion of the CEN/TS into an EN is reached.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
Management Centre: rue de Stassart, 36  B-1050 Brussels
© 2006 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. CEN/TS 15084:2006: E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
Foreword.3
Introduction .4
1 Scope .5
2 Normative references .5
3 Terms and definitions .5
4 Classification of soils.6
5 General principles.7
6 Preservation liming.9
7 Basal and improvement liming.10
8 Determination and calculation .11
9 Additional conditions to be considered .12
Bibliography .13

Foreword
This document (CEN/TS 15084:2006) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 260 “Fertilizers
and liming materials”, the secretariat of which is held by DIN.
According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the following
countries are bound to announce this CEN Technical Specification: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Introduction
Regular liming for regulation of the pH value of the soil has a long tradition in agriculture. Liming has a
neutralizing effect on the natural acidification of the soil and thus serves the maintenance of soil fertility.
The desired effects of liming are mainly:
 physical: Increased structure stability of the flocculation and porosity of mineral soils, leading to better
drainage, structure stability of the soil and improved aeration of the soil.
 chemical: Positive influence on solubility of macro- and some micro-nutrients, a reduction in the
availability of aluminium and other toxic elements in the soil and avoid aluminium toxicity.
 biological: general support of active soil organisms.
Existing European Standards specify methods for assessing the value of liming materials. It is also necessary
to establish the principles to be used when calculating the amount of liming material required.
Throughout Europe, wide national and regional variations in soil type, climate and types of farming prohibit the
general use of detailed and specific recommendations. The principles set out in this standard should be used
by experts at a local level to establish lime requirement.
1 Scope
This Technical Specification gives guidance on the parameters that should be taken into account in order to
determine the lime requirement of agricultural soils.
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 12944-3:2001, Fertilizers and liming materials — Vocabulary — Part 3: Terms relating to liming materials
ISO 10390, Soil quality — Determination of pH
ISO 11259, Soil quality — Simplified soil description
ISO 11277, Soil quality — Determination of particle size distribution in mineral soil material — Method by
sieving and sedimentation
ISO 14235, Soil quality — Determination of organic carbon by sulfochromic oxidation
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in EN 12944-3:2001 and the following
apply.
3.1
soil group
texture and organic matter to describe the cultivation characteristic of the soils (light, medium or heavy soils)
3.2
rainfall
water reaching the ground in the form of rain, snow and dew
3.3
pH class
defined pH range as determined by ISO 10390
3.4
target pH
soil pH to be achieved
3.5
basal liming
increase of soil pH from very low pH value to the target pH value with liming materials
3.6
improvement liming
recovery of soils from low pH value to a target pH value with liming materials
3.7
preservation liming
maintaining soil pH to the defined optimum pH value with liming materials
3.8
base saturation rate
proportion of calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium of the total cation exchange capacity of the soil
+
NOTE The ratio expressed as a percentage: (Ca+Mg+K+Na expressed as cmol /kg) × 100/cation exchange capacity
+
(expressed as cmol /kg).
3.9
crop rotation
sequence of agricultural crops on a field
3.10
soil cultivation
management of mechanical/physical soil treatment
3.11
lime loss
annual loss and consumption of neutralizing materials from the soil
4 Classification of soils
4.1 Basic scheme
Many chemical and most of the physical properties of agricultural soils depend on the clay fraction, organic
matter content and pH. Therefore the clay content (fraction < 2 µm), the organic matter content and the actual
and target pH are very important when establishing the lime requirement. A basic scheme for the classification
of soils is given in Table 1.
Table 1 — Basic scheme for the classification of soils as specified in ISO 11259
a
Number Typical group of soil clay content
general description % (mass fraction)
1 sand ≤ 5
2 slightly loamy sand > 5 to 12
3 heavy loamy sand > 12 to 17
4 sandy silty loam > 17 to 25
5 clayey loam, clay > 25
6 peat organic matter > 30 %
a
a grain size < 0,002 mm in % mineral dry matter according to ISO 11277
4.2 pH classes A to E
The pH classes A to E define the actual state of lime in the soil. This classification is the basis of
determination of lime requirement within the specific system of national or regional standard. In this definition
particular consideration is given to the aspects of soil fertility, soil structure, nutrients and the availability of
other elements as well as general practical advice on liming (see Table 2).
Table 2 — Definition of pH classes for the supply of lime as well as liming recommendations
pH class Description of status and target Requirement of
liming materials
soil state of
and fertilizers
lime
A Status: Basal liming
Extreme restriction of soil structure and nutrient availability, very high
very low
lime requirement, significant losses of yield of almost all crops up to
total loss of yield, extreme increase in plant availability of elements
which become increasingly harmful as their plant availability
increases at low pH
Target:
Achievement of targeted, optimal soil reaction; Liming has the
highest priority above all other fertilizing and cultivating measures
B Status: Improvement liming
Optimal conditions for soil structure and nutrient availability are not
low
yet achieved, high lime requirement, still significant losses of yield
with crops with a high lime demand, still high plant availability
...