article · Sustainability
Soil acidity poses a major challenge to crop yields in high-rainfall regions of Ethiopia. Field trials were carried out across two ecological locations in central Ethiopia, specifically Jaldu and Cheha districts, during the 2024 main cropping season. The research evaluated how varying rates of agricultural lime, vermicompost, and inorganic NPS fertiliser alter soil chemical conditions and wheat productivity. Initial soil assessments revealed low pH, low nutrient levels, and high exchangeable acidity. Following harvest, agricultural lime delivered the most substantial improvements in counteracting soil acidity, increasing pH, available phosphorus, organic carbon, and exchangeable bases while reducing acidity levels. Vermicompost particularly boosted total nitrogen and organic carbon in Jaldu. All inputs raised wheat yields, but applying six tonnes per hectare of agricultural lime yielded the highest grain outputs, reaching 5.71 tonnes per hectare in Cheha and 4.62 tonnes per hectare in Jaldu.
Acidic soils severely restrict crop yields and threaten food security in high-rainfall agricultural zones. Demonstrating how practical combinations of lime, organic compost, and chemical fertiliser restore soil health helps local farming communities boost wheat harvests. Identifying effective treatment rates provides a straightforward approach to managing degraded land and improving farm productivity in vulnerable rural areas.
This research is at an applied and tested stage, conducted directly in farmers' fields. It could enable agricultural extension services, input suppliers, and regional farming cooperatives to formulate specific soil-amendment packages using lime, vermicompost, and inorganic fertilisers. However, broader commercial use and adoption will require further assessments of economic viability and validation across other seasons, soil types, and wheat varieties.
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Soil acidity is one of the most serious constraints limiting crop productivity in regions with high rainfall in Ethiopia. To address this issue, field experiments were conducted during the 2024 main cropping season in farmers’ fields in two distinct ecological locations. This study aimed to explore the response of soil chemical properties and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to organic and inorganic amendments of acidic soils in Jaldu district and Cheha district in central Ethiopia. Application rates of 0, 2.5, 5, and 7.5 t/ha vermicompost; 0, 2, 4, and 6 t/ha agricultural lime; and 0, 50, 100, and 150 kg/ha NPS fertilizer were applied to acidic soils of the study areas. Soil chemical properties related to acidity were determined using standard laboratory procedures, which indicated low pH, available phosphorus (P), organic carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), total exchangeable bases, and cation exchange capacity, along with high exchangeable acid before planting. After harvesting, agricultural lime improved acidity-related soil conditions, including pH, organic C, available P, and total exchangeable bases, while reducing exchangeable acids in both districts. Vermicompost specifically improved soil organic C and total N in the soil of Jaldu district. The improvement in soil acidity due to liming was greater than that achieved by vermicompost or NPS fertilizer. Wheat yield increased in response to all rates of agricultural lime, vermicompost, and NPS-fertilizer applications. The highest yields of 5.71 t/ha and 4.62 t/ha were obtained with the application of 6 t/ha of agricultural lime in Cheha district and Jaldu district, respectively. The study demonstrated that sustainable agricultural practices soil amendment with agricultural inputs decreases soil acidity and improve wheat grain yields. Locational disparities in soil physical–chemical properties and wheat production with limited amendment options can limit the applicability of the findings from the selected study districts to wider regions. Therefore, investigations over diverse locations, seasons, and wheat varieties are needed to examine the effects on soil fertility and crop yield returns, and the economic viability of using diverse agricultural inputs.
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DOI: 10.3390/su18168299
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