Gary Magadzire School of Agriculture, Engineering and Natural Sciences

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    Lime and Nitrogen Options on Maize (Zea mays L) Production In Sandy Textured Soils Of Masvingo, Zimbabwe
    (Great Zimbabwe University, 2022) Mdewa Steven
    Approximately, more than 70% of arable land in Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe has a surface soil pH of ≤ 5. There has been a linear decline in maize yields in the region over the last four decades, particularly on sandy textured acidic soils. The study explored the net interactive effect of dolomitic lime and ammonium nitrate fertiliser on growth and yield parameters of maize (Zea mays L) as well as their influence on soil pH. A Split plot design was used with 9 different treatment combinations of lime and nitrogen fertiliser coupled with three levels of lime (0, 1.5, and 3.0t ha-1L) against three levels of nitrogen fertiliser (0, 0.2, and 0.4t ha-1N). Yellow or Orange maize genotype of variety SC402 was established on two 612m2 plots, one site was a backup of the experimental plot. The field experimental trial spanned from the summer seasons of 2018/2019 to 2019/2020 on sandy textured soils classified as Fersiallitic Luvisols under irrigated conditions. The study was premised on three scientific theories namely, the Multiple limitation Hypothesis (MLH), the Law of the Minimum (LM) and the Law of Declining Yield Increments (LDYI). Growth and yield of maize is influenced by climatic, economic and soil factors. Soil acidity is largely caused by agronomic practices such as base uptake through crop harvests and application of fertilisers. Data was gathered over two seasons to evaluate and determine maize response to growth, yield and soil pH deviation for optimal lime and nitrogen application rates under irrigation conditions. Optimum lime and nitrogen application rates were realised as 3.0t ha-1and 0.2t ha-1N for growth, yield and soil pH parameter. There was an insignificant interactive effect of lime and nitrogen fertiliser treatment combinations on root depth. For belowground biomass index, there was p< 0.05 portraying a significant interaction at 95% confidence interval thus rejecting H0. Growth parameters of Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Plant Height (PH) were significant at p< 0.05 during the early growth period. The study concluded that maize growth and yield parameters are directly proportional to increase in both lime and nitrogen rates. With successive seasons of both lime and nitrogen application, cumulative residual effects of the two factors causes an average pH decline of ≤ 5 units annually