Application of Lime for Acid Soil Amelioration and Better Soybean Performance in SouthWestern Ethiopia

Abstract

Soil acidity is one of the major soil chemical constraints which limit agricultural productivity in the mid and highlands of Ethiopia. The study was conducted to evaluate the influence of lime on yield and yield attributes of soybean in acid soil at Metu south western Ethiopia during  2010 to 2013 cropping season. The crop was evaluated in terms of yield and yield components. In this line, splitting into two and applying in two consecutive years as well as splitting of lime into three and applying in three consecutive years gave similar yield with full rate application of lime for soybean. Splitting into four was even gave similar grain yield with splitting lime into two and three.. Result of this experiment revealed that splitting the required amount of lime into 25%, 33%and 50% is possible if  to be grown on this soil. Split application and full rate application gave almost similar soybean yield. However, resource of poor farmer who cannot afford the price of full dose lime can split in to two, three and four and apply every year without significant yield loss for both  compared to one time application of full dose. Soybean grain yield was significantly (P<0.05) affected by the interaction of lime and year at Metu (Hurumu) . The highest grain yield observed on first and third year (2010&2012)  at full dose application of lime.Even though lime level at 1.5* E.A (5.652t) and phosphorus at 46% shows good yield and had consistency across the year, Saied to be the best combination of Lime and P. Maintaining soil healthy is possible for the area because simultaneous and minimum use of lime and Phosphorus fertilizer give similar seed yield with maximum use of lime and Phosphorus on the study area. Phosphorus fixation, which is responsible for low availability of P, is one of the major problems of crop growth in acidic soils such as Nitsols of Metu area.

Keywords: Nitosols, Soybean, Lime, soil pH, exchangeable acidity