Improving Soil Health and Potato Productivity through Lime and Nitrogen Management in Northern Ethiopia

Field research was conducted with the aim of evaluating the effect of liming and nitrogen fertilizer rate on soil properties and yield components of potato varieties in acidic soil. The treatments contained three levels of lime [un-limed (0 kg ha-1), farmer practised (1000 kg ha-1), lime recommended (2000 kg ha-1)], three levels of fertilizer [control (0 kg ha-1), farmer practised (100 kg ha-1), recommended (165 kg ha-1)] and two potato varieties [Belete and Gudenie]. A combination of the levels of those three factors was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Data such as the number and weight of different-sized tuber yields and soil chemical properties like CEC, PH, Nitrogen, phosphorus, and exchangeable potassium were collected and analyzed using SAS software version 9.2. Variety Belete performed well in all yield parameters compared to Gudenie. Liming increased soil pH values, as well as calcium and exchangeable potassium content in the soil. However, liming had no significant effect on most yield parameters except for the weight of medium and small tubers. The application of nitrogen fertilizer improves the yield obtained per hectare. Based on this experiment, it can be concluded that the Belete variety is beneficial for farmers, as it yields better per hectare and produces a considerable amount of marketable yield. Applying nitrogen at the recommended level can further enhance the marketable yield.