Time of Lime Application on Performance of Food Barely in Acidic Soil, Gummer District, Southern Highland Ethiopia

Abstract

Soil acidity is the main bottleneck to crop production, causing reduced yields in highlands areas with heavy rainfall. Lime application is the most common method of restoring soil acidity and can increase soil pH, improve nutrient availability for plants, and alter physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils. However, the lime application time varies greatly along the boundary and deviates from the time recommended by different researchers. The experiment was initiated to determine the appropriate timing of recommended lime application as a function of exchangeable acidity (Al³⁺ and H⁺) on yield and yield attributes of barley on acidic soils during three main growing seasons. The experiment consisted of six treatments (incorporated lime 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 days before planting) and was arranged in a three-replicate randomized complete block design. The result over the years showed that barley yield and yield parameters were influenced in a statistically significant way (P<0.05) by the timing of lime application. The highest yield (5.06 t.ha^-1) was recorded with lime incorporation 30 days before sowing, while the lowest yield (4.05 t.ha^–1) was recorded 15 days before sowing. The current experiment suggests that a reasonable lime reaction time is required to effectively neutralize the exchangeable acid. Therefore, probable practice application of lime beginning from 30 days and above earlier than planting to enhance the productivity of barley in study area and comparable agro-ecologies.