Abstract
Soil acidity is a major global challenge that diminishes agricultural productivity by limiting nutrient availability and degrading agroecosystems. In Ethiopia, particularly in the mid and highlands, a large proportion of arable land is affected by soil acidity, severely restricting crop yields. Sustainable and effective soil amendment options are urgently needed to rehabilitate these acid-affected soils. This study investigated the individual and combined effects of lime, coffee husk vermicompost (CHVC), and chemical phosphorus (P) fertilizer on soil chemical properties and maize productivity in acidic Cambisols and Nitisols of Sayo District, western Ethiopia. Field experiments were conducted during the 2023/24 and 2024/25 cropping seasons using a randomized complete block design. Treatments included factorial combinations of three lime rates (0, 50, and 100% lime requirement), three CHVC rates (0, 3, and 6 t/ha), and three P fertilizer rates (0, 23, and 46 kg P₂O₅/ha), replicated three times. Soil samples were collected before planting and after harvest to evaluate changes in soil chemical properties, while agronomic data were recorded to assess maize yield and yield components. Both sole and integrated applications of lime, CHVC, and P fertilizer significantly (p < 0.05) improved soil chemical properties. The most effective treatment (100% LR + 6 t/ha CHVC + 46 kg P₂O₅/ha) raised soil pH from 5.07 (control) to 5.95 in Cambisols and from 4.71 (control) to 5.99 in Nitisols, while reducing exchangeable acidity from 2.13 to 0.16 and 2.83 to 0.20 cmol₊/kg, respectively. Available phosphorus increased to 7.05 mg/kg in Cambisols (28.4% increase) and 4.42 mg/kg in Nitisols (20.39% increase). Integrated amendments also enhanced soil organic matter from medium to high, total nitrogen from low to high, and increased exchangeable bases, while reducing micronutrient (Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu) levels. Maize grain yield peaked under the full treatment, increased from 2.95 t/ha (control) to 9.15 t/ha in Cambisols (210% increase) and from 2.50 t/ha (control) to 7.03 t/ha in Nitisols (181% increase). Economic analysis confirmed the profitability of the integrated approach. The combined use of lime, CHVC, and P fertilizer is an effective, economically viable strategy for mitigating soil acidity and sustainably increasing maize productivity in western Ethiopia’s acidic soils and similar agro-ecologies.
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Claims 15
Claim · model-written summary
Sole and integrated applications of lime, CHVC and P fertilizer significantly improved soil chemical properties in acidic soils of Ethiopia.
- Treatment
- sole and integrated applications of lime, CHVC, and P fertilizere0
- Outcome
- soil chemical propertiese0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Qualifier
- p < 0.05e0
Zea maysNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“enhance maize productivity and soil quality in acidic soils of Ethiopia”
e0“Both sole and integrated applications of lime, CHVC, and P fertilizer significantly (p < 0.05) improved soil chemical properties”
Claim · model-written summary
The most effective treatment raised soil pH from 5.07 to 5.95 in Cambisols.
- Treatment
- 100% LR + 6 t/ha CHVC + 46 kg P₂O₅/hae0
- Outcome
- soil pHe0
- Direction
- raisede0
- Value
- 5.95e0
- Qualifier
- from 5.07e0
- Comparator
- controle0
- Setting
- Cambisolse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“enhance maize productivity and soil quality in acidic soils of Ethiopia”
e0“The most effective treatment (100% LR + 6 t/ha CHVC + 46 kg P₂O₅/ha) raised soil pH from 5.07 (control) to 5.95 in Cambisols and from 4.71 (control) to 5.99 in Nitisols”
Claim · model-written summary
The most effective treatment raised soil pH from 4.71 to 5.99 in Nitisols.
- Treatment
- 100% LR + 6 t/ha CHVC + 46 kg P₂O₅/hae0
- Outcome
- soil pHe0
- Direction
- raisede0
- Value
- 5.99e0
- Qualifier
- from 4.71e0
- Comparator
- controle0
- Setting
- Nitisolse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“enhance maize productivity and soil quality in acidic soils of Ethiopia”
e0“The most effective treatment (100% LR + 6 t/ha CHVC + 46 kg P₂O₅/ha) raised soil pH from 5.07 (control) to 5.95 in Cambisols and from 4.71 (control) to 5.99 in Nitisols”
Claim · model-written summary
The most effective treatment reduced exchangeable acidity from 2.13 to 0.16 cmol/kg in Cambisols.
- Treatment
- 100% LR + 6 t/ha CHVC + 46 kg P₂O₅/hae0
- Outcome
- exchangeable aciditye1
- Direction
- reducinge1
- Value
- 2.13 to 0.16e1
- Comparator
- controle0
- Setting
- Cambisolse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“enhance maize productivity and soil quality in acidic soils of Ethiopia”
e0“The most effective treatment (100% LR + 6 t/ha CHVC + 46 kg P₂O₅/ha) raised soil pH from 5.07 (control) to 5.95 in Cambisols and from 4.71 (control) to 5.99 in Nitisols”
e1“reducing exchangeable acidity from 2.13 to 0.16 and 2.83 to 0.20 cmol₊/kg”
Claim · model-written summary
The most effective treatment reduced exchangeable acidity from 2.83 to 0.20 cmol/kg in Nitisols.
- Treatment
- 100% LR + 6 t/ha CHVC + 46 kg P₂O₅/hae0
- Outcome
- exchangeable aciditye1
- Direction
- reducinge1
- Value
- 2.83 to 0.20e1
- Comparator
- controle0
- Setting
- Nitisolse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“enhance maize productivity and soil quality in acidic soils of Ethiopia”
e0“The most effective treatment (100% LR + 6 t/ha CHVC + 46 kg P₂O₅/ha) raised soil pH from 5.07 (control) to 5.95 in Cambisols and from 4.71 (control) to 5.99 in Nitisols”
e1“reducing exchangeable acidity from 2.13 to 0.16 and 2.83 to 0.20 cmol₊/kg”
Claim · model-written summary
Lime, CHVC and P fertilizer increased available phosphorus to 7.05 mg/kg in Cambisols.
- Treatment
- lime, CHVC, and P fertilizere0
- Outcome
- Available phosphoruse1
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 7.05 mg/kge1
- Qualifier
- 28.4% increasee1
- Setting
- Cambisolse1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“enhance maize productivity and soil quality in acidic soils of Ethiopia”
e0“Both sole and integrated applications of lime, CHVC, and P fertilizer significantly (p < 0.05) improved soil chemical properties”
e1“Available phosphorus increased to 7.05 mg/kg in Cambisols (28.4% increase) and 4.42 mg/kg in Nitisols (20.39% increase)”
Claim · model-written summary
Lime, CHVC and P fertilizer increased available phosphorus to 4.42 mg/kg in Nitisols.
- Treatment
- lime, CHVC, and P fertilizere0
- Outcome
- Available phosphoruse1
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 4.42 mg/kge1
- Qualifier
- 20.39% increasee1
- Setting
- Nitisolse1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“enhance maize productivity and soil quality in acidic soils of Ethiopia”
e0“Both sole and integrated applications of lime, CHVC, and P fertilizer significantly (p < 0.05) improved soil chemical properties”
e1“Available phosphorus increased to 7.05 mg/kg in Cambisols (28.4% increase) and 4.42 mg/kg in Nitisols (20.39% increase)”
Claim · model-written summary
Integrated amendments enhanced soil organic matter from medium to high.
- Treatment
- Integrated amendmentse0
- Outcome
- soil organic mattere0
- Direction
- enhancede0
- Qualifier
- from medium to highe0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“enhance maize productivity and soil quality in acidic soils of Ethiopia”
e0“Integrated amendments also enhanced soil organic matter from medium to high, total nitrogen from low to high, and increased exchangeable bases, while reducing micronutrient (Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu) levels”
Claim · model-written summary
Integrated amendments enhanced total nitrogen from low to high.
- Treatment
- Integrated amendmentse0
- Outcome
- total nitrogene0
- Direction
- enhancede0
- Qualifier
- from low to highe0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“enhance maize productivity and soil quality in acidic soils of Ethiopia”
e0“Integrated amendments also enhanced soil organic matter from medium to high, total nitrogen from low to high, and increased exchangeable bases, while reducing micronutrient (Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu) levels”
Claim · model-written summary
Integrated amendments increased exchangeable bases.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“enhance maize productivity and soil quality in acidic soils of Ethiopia”
e0“Integrated amendments also enhanced soil organic matter from medium to high, total nitrogen from low to high, and increased exchangeable bases, while reducing micronutrient (Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu) levels”
Claim · model-written summary
Integrated amendments reduced micronutrient (Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu) levels in the soil.
- Treatment
- Integrated amendmentse0
- Outcome
- micronutrient (Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu) levelse0
- Direction
- reducinge0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“enhance maize productivity and soil quality in acidic soils of Ethiopia”
e0“Integrated amendments also enhanced soil organic matter from medium to high, total nitrogen from low to high, and increased exchangeable bases, while reducing micronutrient (Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu) levels”
Claim · model-written summary
The full treatment raised maize grain yield from 2.95 to 9.15 t/ha in Cambisols.
- Treatment
- full treatmente0
- Outcome
- grain yielde0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 9.15 t/hae0
- Qualifier
- from 2.95 t/hae0
- Comparator
- controle0
- Setting
- Cambisolse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“enhance maize productivity and soil quality in acidic soils of Ethiopia”
e0“Maize grain yield peaked under the full treatment, increased from 2.95 t/ha (control) to 9.15 t/ha in Cambisols (210% increase) and from 2.50 t/ha (control) to 7.03 t/ha in Nitisols (181% increase)”
Claim · model-written summary
The full treatment raised maize grain yield from 2.50 to 7.03 t/ha in Nitisols.
- Treatment
- full treatmente0
- Outcome
- grain yielde0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 7.03 t/hae0
- Qualifier
- from 2.50 t/hae0
- Comparator
- controle0
- Setting
- Nitisolse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“enhance maize productivity and soil quality in acidic soils of Ethiopia”
e0“Maize grain yield peaked under the full treatment, increased from 2.95 t/ha (control) to 9.15 t/ha in Cambisols (210% increase) and from 2.50 t/ha (control) to 7.03 t/ha in Nitisols (181% increase)”
Claim · model-written summary
Economic analysis confirmed the profitability of the integrated approach for maize.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“enhance maize productivity and soil quality in acidic soils of Ethiopia”
e0“Economic analysis confirmed the profitability of the integrated approach”
Claim · model-written summary
The combined use of lime, CHVC and P fertilizer is an effective and economically viable strategy for mitigating soil acidity and increasing maize productivity.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“enhance maize productivity and soil quality in acidic soils of Ethiopia”
e0“The combined use of lime, CHVC, and P fertilizer is an effective, economically viable strategy for mitigating soil acidity and sustainably increasing maize productivity”
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