Strategies for Controlling Acidity of Arable Soils—Sustainable Liming Systems

Stabilizing soil pH is not only a production effect, but mainly an environmental effect that requires a holistic approach and action. Current liming practices in arable soils are limited solely to mitigating and potentially eliminating the negative effects of acidification. An effective strategy for controlling arable soil acidification must address not only crop-related challenges but also environmental issues, with atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations being a key factor. The effects of acidification resulting from proton imbalance in soil require a two-pronged approach. As presented and supported by available data, the first is prevention, which involves increasing soil resilience to the accumulation of protons in the soil solution. Increasing the buffering capacity of the soil against acidification (pH-BC) involves primarily increasing the resources of organic matter, introducing some environmentally neutral substances into the soil, such as gypsum, and even remineralizing highly weathered soils. The second area is the need for a systemic change in the approach to liming. The prevailing system, which can be called regenerative–cyclic, requires a transition to a soil pH stabilization system. This approach to liming should both meet production objectives and limit the spread of nitrogen into the environment. Production objectives stem from the sensitivity of crops plants, regardless of the world region, to acidification. Environmental challenges arise from increasing N efficiency, i.e., reducing the share of nitrous N in the pool of N denitrification products. Maintaining soil pH within a range that meets both these goals also increases the role of carbonates in carbon dioxide sequestration. Equally important in controlling soil acidity is the ability to determine the dose of lime fertilizer based on the exchangeable calcium balance in cation exchange complex (CEC). This is crucial for soils that not only suffer from calcium deficiency, but are also susceptible to acidification, both horizontally and vertically.