Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-b6zl4 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-13T07:34:03.091Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Correction of Acid Infertility in Rwandan Oxisols with Lime from an Indigenous Source for Sustainable Cropping

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 October 2008

Charles F. Yamoah ,
J. R. Burleigh  and
V. J. Eylands
Charles F. Yamoah
Affiliation:
International Agricultural Programs, University of Arkansas, AR 72701, USA
V. J. Eylands
Affiliation:
International Agricultural Programs, University of Arkansas, AR 72701, USA
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Sustainable crop production on Rwandan oxisols is limited by widespread soil acidity caused by high levels of exchangeable aluminium. This study was designed to test the effectiveness of an indigenous lime material in counteracting the acidity and enhancing crop yields. Lime application significantly raised pH, exchangeable calcium and effective cation exchange capacity, and reduced exchangeable aluminium and total acidity. Calcium was directly proportional to effective cation exchange capacity (r = 0.962**) and was inversely related to aluminium (r = −0.955**). Consequently, yields of wheat, beans and potatoes, which served as test crops, were significantly increased by liming. Lime at high rates (4–8 t ha−1) had a longer residual effect than at low rates (less than 2 t ha−1), suggesting frequent applications are needed when low lime rates are used. Simple regression analysis showed an increase in pH of 0.154 units and a decrease in exchangeable aluminium of 0.385 meq 100 g−1 for a tonne of lime applied.

Type
Research Article
Information
Experimental Agriculture , Volume 28 , Issue 4 , October 1992 , pp. 417 - 424
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Ahmad, F. & Tan, K. H. (1986). Effect of lime and organic matter on soybean seedlings grown in aluminium-toxic soil. Soil Science Society of America journal 50:6561.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burleigh, J. R., Yamoah, C. F., Regas, R. L. & Eylands, V. J. (1991). Analysis of factors related to wheat yield on farm fields in the Buberuka Highlands of Rwanda. Agronomy journal 83:625–631.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Couto, W., Leite, G. G. & Kornelius, E. (1985). The residual effect of P and lime on the performance of four tropical grasses in a high P-fixing Oxisol. Agronomy journal 77:539–542.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Evans, C. E. & Krampath, E. J. (1970). Lime response as related to percent aluminium saturation, soil solution aluminium and organic matter. content. Soil Science Society of America Proceedings 113:363–372.Google Scholar
Folscher, W. J., Barnard, R. O., Bornman, J. J. & Van Vuuren, J. A. J. (1986). Growth of wheat with heavy lime application. Tropical Agriculture (Trinidad) 63:133–136.Google Scholar
Fox, R. L., Detta, De & Sherman, G. D. (1962). Phosphorus solubility and availability to plants and the aluminum status of Hawaiian soils as influenced by liming. Seventh International Congress of Soil Science 2:574–583.Google Scholar
Fox, R. L. & Whitney, A. S. (1981). Response of Leucaena leucocephala to lime application in Hawaii. Leucaena Research Reports 2:69–70.Google Scholar
Franzel, S., Paul, K. B., Yates, B. & Voth, D. E. (1985). Preliminary diagnostic survey of five communes of Ruhengeri Prefecture, Rwanda. Staff Paper, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA.Google Scholar
Gillman, G. P. (1983). Nutrient availability in acid soils of the tropics following clearing and cultivation. In Proceedings of the International Workshop on Soils 12–16 September 1983, 39–46. Townsville, Queens-land, Australia: ACIAR.Google Scholar
Krampath, E. J. (1970). Exchangeable Al as a criterion for liming leached mineral soils. Soil Science Society of America Proceedings 34:252–254.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Munns, D. N. & Fox, R. L. (1977). Comparative lime requirements of tropical and temperate legumes. Plant and Soil 46:533–548.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Noble, A. D. & Lea, J. D. (1985). Genotypic tolerance of selected dry bean cultivars to soluble aluminium and to acid, low P soil conditions. South Africa journal of Plant and Soil 2:115–119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pavan, M. A., Bingham, F. T. & Prah, P. F. (1984). Redistribution of exchangeable calcium, magnesium and aluminium following lime or gypsum applications to a Brazilian oxisol. Soil Science Society of America Proceedings 48:33–38.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Potts, M. J., Biranguza, E. & Bweyo, C. (1989). Evaluation of alternative legumes for green manure and grain under African highland conditions. Experimental Agriculture 25:109–118.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sanchez, P. A. (1976). Properties and Management of Soil in the Tropics. New York: WileyGoogle Scholar
Sivasupiramanian, S., Akkasoeng, R. & Shelton, H. M. (1986). Effects of N and lime on growth of Leucaena leucocephala cv. Cunningham on a red-yellow podzolic soil in south-eastern Queensland. Australia Journal of Experimental Agriculture 26:23–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sposito, G. (1989). The Chemistry of Soils. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Vander Zaag, P., Yorst, R. S., Tangmar, B. B., Yayashi, K. & Fox, R. L. (1984). An assessment of chemical properties for soils of Rwanda with the use of geostatistical techniques. Geoderma 34:239–314.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yamoah, C. F., Grosz, R. & Nizeyimana, E. (1989). Early growth of alley shrubs in the highland region of Rwanda. Agroforesty Systems 9:171–184.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yamoah, C. F., Burleigh, J. R. & Malcolm, M. R. (1990). Application of expert systems to study of acid soils in Rwanda. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 30:203–218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yamoah, C. F., Eylands, V. J. & Burleigh, J. R. (1991). Green manuring with vetch on acid soil in the Highland region of Rwanda. Biological Agriculture and Horticulture 7:303–316.CrossRefGoogle Scholar