RESPONSE OF MAIZE (Zea mays L.) AND SELECTED SOIL PROPERTIES TO INTEGRATED SOIL FERTILITY MANAGEMENT IN ACIDIC SOILS OF ASSOSA, WESTERN ETHIOPIA

Soil acidity, which is associated directly with deficiency of nutrients like phosphorus (P); nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) and is accompanied by toxicity of aluminium (Al), iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) appear to be the major constraint to crop production in western parts of Ethiopia in particular. Therefore, three field experiments were carried out in the acidic soil of Assosa, western Ethiopia, for two years in 2014 and 2015 main growing seasons. Thus, the first experiment was conducted with the objective to assess the effect of integrated application of compost (0, 5 t ha-1), lime (0, 1.5, 3 t ha-1) and P (0, 20, 40 kg P ha-1) on growth, yield components, yield and P use efficiency of maize; and to assess subsequent changes on selected physico-chemical properties of the soil. The second experiment was conducted with the objective to assess the effect of integrated application of compost (0, 5 t ha-1), lime (0, 1.5, 3 t ha-1) and N (0, 69, 138 kg N ha-1) on growth, yield components, yield and agronomic efficiency of maize; and to assess subsequent changes on selected physico-chemical properties of the soil. The third experiment was conducted with the objective to assess the effect of integrated application of inorganic N (0, 69, 138 kg N ha-1), P (0, 20, 40 kg P ha-1) and K (0, 80 kg K ha-1) on growth, yield components, yield, and agronomic efficiency of maize; and to assess subsequent changes on selected physico-chemical properties of the soil. All experiments were laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. The results of the first experiment showed significant (P