The Chemical Composition of Different Sources of Liming Materials and their Effect on Soil Chemical Properties

Abstract

An incubation experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of some liming materials on soil chemical properties. The treatments comprised Cocoa Husk Pod Ash (CPHA), Oyster Shell Ash (OSA), Palm Bunch Ash (PBA), Calcium Carbonate (CaCO₃), Kitchen Residues Ash (KRA) and Saw Dust Ash (SDA) at five levels namely, 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 tonnes per hectare, replicated three times in a split plot Completely Randomized Design. The effects of the treatments on soil pH, exchangeable acidity and available phosphorus were measured. Others were soil organic carbon, exchangeable calcium, exchangeable magnesium, exchangeable potassium and exchangeable sodium. Percentage base saturation, percentage aluminum saturation, percentage calcium saturation and calcium aluminum ratio were calculated. All data were subjected to the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the differences between the treatments tested using the least significant differences at 5% probability level. Linear correlation analyses were done using the GENSTAT package. The result showed that the application of 8 tonnes cocoa pod husk ash per hectare significantly (p<0.05) increased the soil pH, organic carbon and exchangeable potassium. On the other hand, application of the 8 tonnes of kitchen residue ash per hectare significantly (p<0.05)   reduced the exchangeable acidity, percentage aluminum saturation and increased available phosphorus at the end of incubation study.

Keywords: Soil, cocoa pod, ash, liming materials, incubation, liner correlation