Agricultural soil is characterised by very complex physical and chemical balances that make it seem like a living matter.
Soils may be neutral, acidic or basic, depending on the pH value.
Only a few plants prefer acid soil, the vast majority prefer neutral or slightly alkaline soils.
There are many causes that can lead to acidic conditions (pH <7): soil type, erroneous agronomic practices, excessive use of chemical fertilisers, lack of organic matter, leaching. Lime is the choice corrective for soil acidity. The liming treatment, i.e. the distribution of calcium oxide and magnesium oxide on arable land, is one of the oldest and best known agronomic operations. In fact, for centuries farmers have used lime, a simple and natural product, essential for innovative and rational agriculture.
A periodic soil liming brings agronomic and, as a consequence, economic benefits: it improves the soil structure which becomes more workable and more suitable to host crops, the soil’s reserves are optimised, the efficiency of fertilisers increases, microbial life and biological activity are encouraged, organic substances are transformed faster, and the soil’s chemical quality improves.