Lime as an Effective Source of Fertilizer in Acid Red Loam Soils of Bihar

from the results of field experiments conducted for three years on acid red loam soils it was observed that while the highest mean yields of crops (groundnut, soybean, gram and barley) were obtained with full dose (28 5–55.0 q/ha) of lime application on the surface, these were at par with liming at levels of 3 q/ha (soybean) to 4 qlha (gram) when applied in furrows. The per cent response in crop yields at full dose of lime varied from 29.9 to 46.2 which was only slightly higher than the yields recorded at lower doses of lime application (21.9–38.8%). Additional gross return per rupee invested at lower levels of liming was higher than that on full dose applied once in four years. Thus, lime appeared to be an effective source of fertilizer on these soils. In consideration of the limited investment towards liming a particular crop, its application in small amounts (3–4 q/ha) in furrows is recommended.