Scholarly record
SUSTAINABLE SOIL MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS: ECONOMIC RETURNS AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF LIMING IN LATVIA
Abstract
Soil liming is an essential component of sustainable soil management, affecting both crop yields, nutrient uptake efficiency, and environmental quality. Therefore, the research aims to assess the economic and environmental efficiency of soil liming in Latvia. This research compared the economic and environmental efficiency of crushed lime and limestone flour in Latvia, analysing the costs, benefits, and impacts of a six-year liming cycle on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and phosphorus leaching. The research results showed that liming the soil in Latvia was economically advantageous in both cases; however, crushed lime yielded a significantly greater financial benefit (on average +43.69 EUR ha-1 per year) than limestone flour (+20.11 EUR ha-1 per year). In both cases, liming increased the yield of winter wheat and reduced phosphorus leaching; however, the increase in GHG emissions was significantly less for crushed lime, which makes it a more environmentally friendly choice. It could be concluded that liming is economically and environmentally justified; however, targeted policy instruments are needed to support the initial costs and promote sustainable soil fertility management not only in Latvia but also in other countries.
Publication details
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