TEMAM UMAR*, SOLOMON DEMEKE AND ZEMENE WORKU
South Western Agricultural Research Institute (SWARI), Tarcha Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopia Department of Animal Science, Jimma University College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
Department of Animal Science, Jimma University College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
*(e-mail: tamamumar2019 @gmail.com)
(Received: 14 May 2025; Accepted: 10 June 2025)
SUMMARY
This study was carried out at Alge Sachi Woreda to evaluate the effect of lime application rates on growth characteristics and dry matter yield of cowpea varieties on acidic soil. The experiment was laid out in a 3×5 factorial arrangement of randomized complete block design replicated three times with the involvement of three cowpea varieties (Bole, Bekur, and Sewunet) and five rates of lime (0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, and 1.2 tons/hectare). All collected data were subjected to two-way analysis of variance using the general linear model of SAS software version 9.3. Significant treatment means were separated using the least significant difference at a 5 % significant level. The results obtained indicated that the interaction effect of varieties and lime application rates significantly (p<0.05) resulted in the highest mean dry matter yield of cowpea forage at the Sewunet variety assigned to the plot dressed with 0.6, 0.9, and 1.2 tons/hectare, and the Bole variety assigned to the plot dressed with 0.9 and 1.2 tons/hectare of lime application rates. The results of partial budget analysis showed that 8.26 t/ha of adjusted forage dry matter yield obtained at the Sewunet variety assigned to the plots dressed with a 0.6 ton/hectare lime application rate was economically feasible and brought 2.63 Ethiopian birr extra income. Therefore, the Sewunet variety assigned to the plot dressed with 0.6 ton/ hectare of lime application rate was economically feasible and recommended for farmers’ use in the study area and in other areas with similar agro-ecologies and soil types.
Key words: Acidic soil, Cowpea varieties, Lime, Rate