Effect of applying low rates of lime and manure on bean growth and yield on Ferralsols of Lake Victoria crescent agro-ecological Zone-Central Uganda

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of applying low rates of lime and chicken manure on bean (var. NABE 15) growth and yield on Ferralsols. Using split plot factorial randomized complete block design, lime (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 t ha-1) as the main plot and chicken manure (0.0, 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 t ha-1) as sub plot, were replicated three times. The experiment was conducted for three rainy seasons, two seasons’ on-station and one season on-farm using promising combinations from the on-station experiments. In Mukono, increased grain yield of 117% over the control was observed at 2.0 t ha-1 lime with 1.0 t ha-1 manure. Applying 1.5 t ha-1 lime with 2.0 or 3.0 t ha-1 manure resulted in a yield increase of 81.1 and 103.6% over the control respectively. Applying 0.5 t ha-1 lime or 1.0 and 2.0 t ha-1 manure alone caused minimal yields. In Masaka 0.5 t ha-1 lime with 3.0 t ha-1 manure, resulted in 95% yield increase over the control. The control and 0.5 t ha-1 lime yielded the least. All the BCRs were less than one; there was net gain in nutrients (N . P . K) for the subsequent crop.This article is published as Kabango, F., Byalebeka, J., Semalulu, O., Lenssen, A. W., Majaliwa, M. J. G., & Kyebogola, S. (2022). Effect of applying low rates of lime and manure on bean growth and yield on Ferralsols of Lake Victoria crescent agro-ecological Zone-Central Uganda. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 18(12), 1110-1120. doi:10.5897/AJAR2022.16176. Posted with permission.Author(s) agree that this article remain permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 International License</a

Effect of Applying Low Rates of Agricultural Lime and Chicken Manure on Selected Soil Properties on Ferralsols of Lake Victoria Agro-Ecological Zone, Uganda

Ferralsols form a dominant type of soil on which most crops are grown in the Lake Victoria agro-ecological zone. Soil acidity has been recognized among the most important agricultural problems in such soils, which adversely affect crop production and productivity. A study was conducted with the objective of determining the effect of applying low rates of lime and chicken manure on selected soil chemical properties. Using a Split Plot Factorial Randomized Complete Block Design, agricultural lime (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 & 2.0 t·ha-1) as the main plot and chicken manure (0.0, 1.0, 2.0 & 3.0 t·ha-1) as sub-plot were applied, replicated three times. The test crop was common bean var. NABE 15. The experiment was conducted for three rainy seasons, two seasons on-station and one season on-farm on Ferralsol soil in the Lake Victoria crescent of central Uganda. The results showed that applying low rates of lime with chicken manure significantly (p This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY 4.0). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Comparing Uganda's indigenous soil classification system with World Reference Base and USDA Soil Taxonomy to predict soil productivity

This study examines three soil classification systems - Buganda, World Reference Base, and US Soil Taxonomy - in order to evaluate their relative strengths and feasibility for making linkages between them. Nine field sites and 16 pedons were considered across the soil landscapes of the Buganda catena. Each identified field pedon diagnostic horizons and characteristics were described and their soils analyzed using standard pedological techniques and measurements. To document the indigenous use of the Buganda classification system, interviews and discussions were held with farmer groups and local extension specialists. Using this local expertise, five local soil units were identified. We also identified two landscape toposequences with pedons that classified into six WRB Reference Soil Groups and five US Soil Taxonomic Suborders. While four local soil classes each mismatched with international systems' groups, Liddugavu (black) soil corresponded to Phaeozem (WRB) and Udolls (US Soil Taxonomy) and is consistently viewed as the most productive soil due to faster weed growth, diversity of crops it supports and its stable landscape location. Statistical comparisons indicated that the Buganda classes were more homogeneous and effective at separating variability of different soil properties than those of either the WRB Reference Soil Groups or US Soil Taxonomy Suborders. Integrating soil texture, pH and bases information in indigenous system methods could locally complement international classifications and linking the best of both systems would be ideal for the generation of a hybrid system. Our findings show that using the toposequence framework assists in comparing these systems in a way that is useful for scientists and local farmers.This article is published as Kyebogola, Stewart, Lee C. Burras, Bradley A. Miller, Onesimus Semalulu, Russell S. Yost, Moses M. Tenywa, Andrew W. Lenssen et al. "Comparing Uganda's indigenous soil classification system with world Reference Base and soil taxonomy." Geoderma Regional 22 (2020): e00296. doi: 10.1016/j.geodrs.2020.e00296.</p