Split Application of Lime for Acid Soil Amelioration and Better Maize Yield at Yubdo Districts West Wollega Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

Soil acidity is one of the major yield limiting factors for crop production in the western of Oromia Region, Ethiopia. A study experiment was done on acid soils to assess the ameliorating ability of lime when applied in split application and its effects on maize yield and selected soil properties in the study area. The experiment comprised six treatments namely [T₁]:Control  (without any input), [T₂]:Only blanket fertilizer recommendation, [T₃]:Full dose of lime applied at one time, [T₄]:50% of the dose applied in the first year and the rest 50% in the second year, [T₅]:33% of the dose applied in the first year, 33% in the second year and the rest 33% in the third year and [T₆]:25% of the dose applied in the first year, 25% in the second year, 25% in the third year and the rest 25% in the fourth year and laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Lime requirement was determined based on exchangeable acidity of the soil. Soil analysis revealed that split lime application at different year raised soil pH from 5.01 to 5.30 and reduced the exchangeable acidity from 1.90 - 0.85 cmolc/kg of soil. Likewise yield of maize was significantly affected by the treatments. In order to reduce the large amounts of lime at once, split application of lime also gave similar higher yield of maize as that of at once lime application. Therefore,  application of lime at once is un-affordable due to large amounts required per hectare of land and split application of lime could be considered as an alternative option for poor resource farmers for sustainable soil health and crop productivity.

Keywords: Soil acidity, Split application of Lime, Maize yield, Soil properties

DOI: 10.7176/JAAS/77-04

Publication date: January 31^st 2022