Creating soil texture maps for precision liming using electrical resistivity and gamma ray mapping

Abstract

This paper shows the first results of the EU-funded research project 'pH-BB: Precision liming in Brandenburg'. The project aims to develop innovative solutions to adapt the current practice of pH management to the demands of a modern, resource-efficient and yield-optimized agricultural production. In the project, proximal soil sensors are used to rapidly generate high-resolution and cost-effective spatial datasets of soil parameters (i.e. soil pH, soil texture, soil organic matter) relevant for agricultural liming. Sensors include: (1) the Geophilus proximal soil sensing system to map apparent electrical resistivity (ERa) and natural soil-born gamma (γ) emissions; (2) the Soil pH Manager (Veris Technologies) to measure the active soil acidity. The derivation of soil texture maps based on ERa and γ data and first results that are important for a precise liming application are presented in this paper.