EFFECTS OF LIME, VERMICOMPOST, AND BLENDED FERTILIZER ON MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.) POSTHARVEST SELECTED SOIL CHEMICAL PROPERTIES IN ASSOSA DISTRICT, NORTH WESTERN ETHIOPIA
2024
Abdisa Abebe | Markku Yli-Halla | Lemma Wogi | Abdissa Bekele
Integrated application of lime, vermicompost, and blended fertilizers are conducive to higher crop yields but its impacts on the nitisols of the study area have not been investigated. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the response of selected soil chemical properties to lime, blended fertilizer, and vermicompost after harvest. The experiment consisted of three vermicompost levels (0, 2.5, and 5 t ha-1), and three blended NPSZnB fertilizer levels (0, 100, and 200 kg ha-1) with and without lime that are arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The study showed that integrated application of 5 t ha-1 vermicompost with lime increased the pH from 5.27 to 6.03, organic carbon, and total nitrogen from 1.56% and 0.15% to 2.95% and 0.22%, respectively. Integrated applications of vermicompost and lime increased exchangeable calcium, magnesium, and potassium by 19%, 34%, and 50% respectively while exchangeable acidity and exchangeable Al significantly decreased. Similarly, the combined application of 200 kg ha-1 NPSZnB fertilizer and 5 t ha-1 vermicompost with lime significantly increased available phosphorus, sulfur, and extractable micronutrients. From this result, it can be concluded that integrated soil fertility management of vermicompost and blended fertilizer with lime is a feasible approach to overcome soil acidity problems and fertility constraints of study area.
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