Integrated Use of Soil Ameliorants and Fertilizers to Increase Crop Yield on Acidic Soils of Ethiopian Highlands

Agriculture has been contributed great share for Ethiopian economy. Ethiopian highlands endowed suitable climatic conditions for crop production, however land degradation in terms of soil acidity and nutrient depletion is becoming the major limiting factor to improve crop yield. Most farmers of Ethiopian highlands are resource poor, small-scale holder, in contrary most crop land characterized by severely eroded and nutrient depleted by interaction effect of environmental conditions and human activities. Around 130 tons/ha soil has been removed from cultivated land, annually besides 40% of the arable land of the country are characterized by acidic soils. To improve crop yield combining use of soil amelioration and fertilization management is critical in such problematic area. Thus, integrated use of 2-3 t/ha lime and NP mineral or organic fertilizers significantly increased crop yield in acidic soils of the country. However, high application rate (11-12 t/ha) of biochar or wood ash on acidic soils has showed equivalent crop yield response to lime rate, hence therefore poor resource farmers can able to ameliorate acidic soils by cheaper and local available materials.