Liming leads to high bean and maize yield on a strongly acid tea soil
Paper Details
Liming leads to high bean and maize yield on a strongly acid tea soil
Abstract
Acid soils are very common in tea zones. These soils have a pH below 5.0. Below this pH, not only do the soils exhibit toxicity of aluminum and manganese but are deficient of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and molybdenum, hence becoming chemically infertile. Liming is one cheap way of reclaiming these soils. The staple food crops in these tea soils are maize and beans. However the effect of different liming levels on bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and maize (Zea maiys, L.) yield on acid tea-growing ando-humic Nitisol had not before been investigated. A study was therefore conducted to determine the crop response to liming and the appropriate liming level for maize and bean crops in a tea zone soils. The experiment was carried out in Embu County, Kavutiri and Kianjokoma areas, Agro-Ecological Zone (AEZ) UM1. A randomized complete block design with four replications of each lime treatment was used at each site. Lime at rates of 0 (L0), 2.4 (L1), 6 (L2), 8 (L3) t/ha was broadcasted on to 4m x 4m plots and mixed into 0-15cm of soil. There was a significant response to liming for both maize and beans. The maximum maize and beans yield was attained at around liming level L2 (pH 5.5). Above this pH, yields started to decline. The study clearly shows the benefits of soil liming on strongly acid tea soils and also the importance of accurate lime applications.
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