ChileanJAR

This research was carried out in an andisol soil (Dystrandept)ofthe Chiloé Island in order to analyse the adaptability ofthree legume and four grass species under high acidity soil conditions as well as their productive response to lime incorporation. The experiment was carried out between March 1994 and March 1997, using a split-plot design with four replications. Lime doses (O and 2,6 ton CaCO₃/ha) were the main plot with the species factor being the sub-plot. The species included were: Lolium perenne cv. Nui, Lolium multiflorum cv. Tetrone, Holcus lanatus from local and New Zealand provenance, Trifolium repens cv. Huia, certificate seed oi Trifolium pratense and Lotus uliginosus cv. Maku. Lime incorporation reduced exchange Aluminium levels by 29% and increased the available calcium content by 40%. Furthermore, the Aluminium saturation index was reduced by 60% (36 to 15%) from the inception to the end ofthe experimento The effect oflime upon the net yield of legume species was not significant, although a 56% of increase (P <0.01) was achieved with thegrass species. The most productive species were Trifolium pratense and Lollium multiflorum with 8.4 t DM/ha/yr each, averaging a contribution dry matter basis of 69% and 65% across the three seasons respectively. Lime applications also altered the mineral composition of the plants after the first year, reducing the aluminium content by 35% and 61 %, and increasing the inner availability of Calcium by 50% and 58% for legume and grass species respectively.