Saranya Dam-ampai, Jumpen Onthong, and Chairatna Nilnond

pp. 727 - 737

Abstract

One of the major plant growth limiting factors has been associated with soil acidity. In general, lime
is used for pH raising in acid soils. However, it is also well known that manure can be used for acid soil
reclamation for a better cultivation. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to study the effect of lime
(dolomite) and cattle manure on soil properties and plant growth in Kho Hong soil series (coarse loamy,
siliceous; Typic Paleudults) which was considered to be a low fertility acid upland soil (pH 5.07, OM 1.04%,
avai.P 4.12 mg kg^-1, exch.K 0.02 cmol(+)kg^-1, exch.Al 0.48 cmol(+)kg^-1). The experiment design was a randomized complete block design with 4 replications and 8 treatments as follows: unamended (control), application
of dolomite at the half rate of lime requirement at pH 5.5 (1/2L), application of cattle manure at the rate to
raise soil organic matter to be 2.0%, 2.5%, 3.0% by volume, application of dolomite at the half rate of lime
requirement at pH 5.5 together with cattle manure to make soil organic matter to be 2.0%, 2.5%, 3.0% by volume, respectively. It was found that shoot and root dry weights of corn were increased in all amended
treatments, but no significant difference (P<0.01) was observed among them. Dry matter weight of corn was
increased according to the increasing rate of manure application either with or without addition of dolomite.
The maximum yield (7.96 g bag^-1) was obtained in treatment of 3% soil organic matter plus dolomite and
the yield was significantly (P<0.01) higher than that of control (1.14 g bag^-1) and dolomite applied alone (3.13
g bag^-1). It was also found that application of manure in all treatments increased the amount of N, P, K, Ca,
Mg and S in corn. Higher uptake of N, P, K at the amount of 231.40, 38.68 and 487.11 mg bag^-1, respectively
were obtained in the treatment of 3% organic matter plus dolomite when compared to low uptake of N, P, K
at the amount of 42.08, 3.01 and 50.77 mg bag^-1, respectively in the unamended treatment. Application of
manure could increase soil pH, organic matter, P, K, Ca, Mg and S but significantly (p<0.01) decreased
exchangeable acidity and aluminum of soil. Application of manure at th e rate to elevate soil organic matter
up to 3% could decrease exchangeable aluminum to the amount of less than 0.01 cmol(+) kg^-1.