Effects of lime and fertilizer on soil properties and maize yields in acid soils of Western Kenya

Abstract

Many soils in Western Kenya are acidic and deficient in nitrogen and phosphorus. Acidity hinders crop responses to fertilizers applied to remedy nutrient deficiencies. The common liming materials used to ameliorate acidity are Calcium Oxide (CaO) and Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) in powdery formulations. Broadcasting these materials by hand followed by incorporation is recommended on smallholder farms to enhance their effectiveness but this is laborious. Granular lime which is easier to handle was recently introduced but there is little information on its effectiveness. This study therefore tested the effects of CaCO3, CaO and granulated lime, applied alone or in combination with fertilizer (Diammonium phosphate (DAP)+ calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN)), on maize yield for three seasons, 2015 long rains (LR), 2015 short rains (SR) and 2016 LR at four sites: Butere, Emuhaya, Mumias and Kakamega North in …