Organic and inorganic amendments on soil chemical properties at different period of incubation of acidic soil

Abstract

Soil acidity is a critical issue necessitating urgent attention in most highlands of Ethiopiadue to its impact on crop production productivity. Application of organic and inorganicamendments could effectively minimize the problem and improve the fertility level of thesoil. Accordingly, a greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of soleand combined applications of lime, FYM, compost and P on soil chemical propertiesincubated at 20, 40 and 60 days. The treatments were arranged in a completelyrandomized design with three replications. The results indicated that various treatmentcombinations raised the soil pH at the 40 days of incubation. All treatments showedincreased P availability consistently with increasing time of incubation. Maximumavailable P was observed at the 60 days of incubation due to application of 8 t FYM ha-1 +30 kg P ha-1 + 5 t lime ha-1 followed by 8 t compost ha-1 + 30 kg P ha-1 + 5 t lime ha-1.Exchangeable acidity and Al were reduced at the 40 and 60 days of incubation with theapplication of 30 kg P ha-1 + 10 t lime ha-1 followed by 4 t FYM or compost ha-1 + 15 kg Pha-1 + 10 t lime ha-1. Highest exchangeable Ca was obtained at 20 days of incubation withthe application of 30 kg P ha-1 + 10 t lime ha-1 followed by 4 t ha-1 FYM + 15 kg P ha-1 + 10 tlime ha-1. Sole addition of 10 t lime ha-1 elevated ECEC from 19.29 to 22.30 cmolc kg-1 atthe 40 days of incubation. Likewise, combined applications of 30 kg P ha-1 + 10 t lime ha-1improved ECEC of the soil from 19.53 to 24.27 cmolc kg-1 at the 40 days of incubation.Integrated applications of organic and inorganic amendments were found more effectiveto reduce soil acidity and Al3+ concentration with increasing the fertility of the soil.