Lime requirement of selected acid soils of Lesotho and response of field beans to lime application
Abstract
191 words
A greenhouse experiment was undertaken to evaluate the
effects of lime application (at different rates) on soil pH,
exchangeable aluminium (Al3+) and plant response to lime
application across four of the strongly acidic soils series of
Lesotho. The objective of this study was to develop lime
recommendations for management of acid soils in Lesotho by
determining the lime requirement of selected soils, determining
the effect of lime on biomass and height of beans (Phaseolus
vulgaris) plants and the effect of liming on available
phosphorus. This experiment was a 4 x 6 randomized complete
block design with three replications and was a two factor
experiment involving only soil and lime. The results of this study
indicated that soil pH across all the soils increased with increasing
lime addition. However Al3+ decreased with more addition of
lime on all the soils. Both plants parameters (height and biomass)
increased with increase in lime rates but the response was
negative as more lime was added, i.e., there was no linear
relationship between lime rates and both plant parameters’
response (P > 0.05). There was no significant effect of lime on
phosphorus across all the soils
Subjects
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