Response of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) to Applications of Lime and Vermicompost at Acidic Soil of Bule District, Southern Highland of Ethiopia

Abstract

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an important crop and plays a major role in national food and nutritional security, poverty alleviation, and income generation in Ethiopia. But its average productivity is low compared to other countries due to different factors including high soil acidity in the highlands of Ethiopia. This research was undertaken to assess the effect of lime and vermincompost (VC) on yield of potato under acidic soil conditions of Bule District, Southern Highland of Ethiopia. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications.  A total of twelve treatments from three rates of lime (0, 3.6 and 4.9) and four rates of vermicompost (0, 2.5, 5 and 7.5) replicated three times were implemented on 36 plots. The result showed that there were significant differences among treatments due to interaction effect of lime and vermicompost. Extended duration of maturity (126 days), maximum result of plant height (82.13cm), marketable tuber yield (33.33 tha^-1), total tuber yield (34.46 tha^-1), and minimum result of unmarketable tuber yield (1.03 tha^-1) were recorded due to application of maximum rate of lime and vermicompost while minimum result of these parameters were observed without their application. The findings indicate that lime and VC adjust the soil acidity to condition suitable for potato production. Therefore, the application of maximum rate of lime (5 tha^-1) and vermicomost (7.5 tha^-1) is recommended for high production of potato at the study area.