Abstract

Soil acidity is one of the factors affecting agricultural productivity worldwide, and it is corrected with materials from carbonates or hydroxides of Ca and Mg of different origins, including products from the cellulose industry such as ash + dregs (AD) and ash + dregs + sludge (ADS). Field experiments in a split plot design were conducted to evaluate the cellulose industry residues on chemical properties associated with soil acidity in three volcanic soils in Chile, cultivated with wheat in the 2019-2020 season. Treatments included a control without amendment, CaCO3 at an adjusted dose to achieve pH 6.0 (dose 1) and AD and ADS at dose 1 and double dose 1 (dose 2). Results indicated that AD and ADS in the three soils increased pH in the first 30 to 120 day after being applied, and achieved the same overall acidity correction effect at dose 1, with values that increased from pH 5.85 of control to 5.99 and 6.10, for dose 1 of AD and ADL respectively, at Santa Rosa location. In Carillanca location, the increase was from 5.52 of control to 6.27 and 6.24 for AD and ADL respectively, and in Remehue location – the soil reaction rose from pH 5.54 of Control to 5.91 and 5.89 for AD and ADL respectively (p<0.05). Using AD at dose 1 in the three soils had less effect on increased exchangeable Ca, but a greater effect on exchangeable Na and K concentrations. Using ADS at dose 1 showed a quantitatively lower effect on exchangeable Ca and higher exchangeable Mg and Na concentrations in soils. Results indicate that AD and ADS are an alternative to CaCO3. © 2023, Polish Society Magnesium Research. All rights reserved.