Interactive effect of goat manure, phosphate fertilizer and lime on soil fertility in Embu County, Kenya
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Date
2018
Authors
Verde, B.S.
Danga, B. O.
Mugwe, J. N.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Discovery Publication.
Abstract
Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) is one of the most important legume crops being introduced into the smallholder farming systems
of the Central Highlands of Kenya (CHK) to improve income and household nutrition of farmers. However, nutrient mining resulting
from crop uptake and erosion; and soil acidity which affects plant nutrients less available through different means such as
phosphorus fixation and impairment of biological mediated processes in the soil. The objective of the study was to evaluate the
interactive effects of manure, lime and phosphorus fertilizer on soil chemical properties in an acid soil. The study consisted of 5
treatments: manure (0 and 5 ton.ha-1), lime (0 and 2 ton.ha-1) and P fertilizer (0 and 30 kg P2O5 ha-1). The experiment was laid out in
a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 4 replicates in plots of 4.0 m x 4.5 m. Integrated application of manure, lime and
phosphate fertilizer proved to affect positively soil chemical properties by increasing the most soil pH, exchangeable Ca, Mg and K;
and reduced exchangeable acidity. The same combination
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Citation
Benvindo Verde, Benjamin Danga, Jayne Mugwe. Interactive effect of goat manure, phosphate fertilizer and lime on soil fertility in Embu County, Kenya. Discovery Agriculture, 2018, 4, 1-8