Lime and Organic Manure Amendment Enhances Crop Productivity of Wheat–Mungbean–T. Aman Cropping Pattern in Acidic Piedmont Soils

Abstract

Soil acidity is a major problem when it comes to improving crop productivity and nutrient uptake. This experiment was therefore conducted at a farmer’s field—Nalitabari Upazila under AEZ 22 (northern and eastern Piedmont plains) to evaluate the effects of lime and organic manure (OM) amendment on crop productivity and nutrient uptake of the wheat–mungbean–T. Aman cropping pattern in acidic soils of northern and eastern Piedmont plains. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. There were nine treatments applied, varying doses of lime (dololime at the rate of 1 and 2 t ha−1), OM (cow dung at the rate of 5 t ha−1, poultry manure at the rate of 3 t ha−1) and a lime–OM combination to the first crop; T. Aman and its residual effects were evaluated in the succeeding second crop, wheat, and the third crop, mungbean. Results demonstrate that application of lime and organic manure to soil had significant effects on the first crop. However, the effects of lime and organic manure were more pronounced in the second and third crops. The increase in grain yield over control ranged from 0.24 to 13.44% in BINA dhan7. However, it varied from 10.14 to 54.38% in BARI Gom30 and 40 to 161.67% in BARI Mung6. The straw yields of the crops also followed a similar trend. The N, P, K, and S uptake by grain and straw of T. Aman, wheat, and mungbean were influenced significantly by the combined application of lime and organic manure. Sole or combined application of lime and manure amendment significantly improved nutrient availability and soil quality. Therefore, application of lime in combination with manure can be practiced for uplifting the crop productivity and improving soil quality in acidic Piedmont soils of northern and eastern Piedmont plains.