Growth and calcium Uptake of maize (Zea mays) at different calcium level in three Ghanaian soils.

Abstract

A plant house pot-experiment was conducted to study the effect of calcium fertilization on growth and Ca uptake of maize in three Ghanaian soils (Kumasi, Akroso and Ofin, occurring on a common catena) and to estimate critical Ca levels in maize plant tissue and soils. Calcium as calcium sulphate was applied at different rates, 0.0, 27.5, 55.0, 82.5, 110.0, 137.5 and 165.0mg Ca kg^-1 soil, to each of the three soils. The soils were then allowed to incubate at room temperature for thirty days after which soil exchangeable Ca was determined and maize planted. Plants were harvested 42 days after planting and whole plant tops analyzed for Ca content. Plant height, and shoot and root dry matter (DM) yields were also measured. Calcium application and soil type had significant effects on shoot and root DM and on tissue-Ca content. The largest shoot DM yields and plant height were obtained on Akroso soil, followed by Kumasi and Olin soils in that order. The largest shoot and root DM on all soils were achieved at the application rate of 82.5-110.0 mg Ca kg4 soil. The tissue-Ca content of maize plants at this optimum range of Ca application rate was 1.3-1.5% for Kumasi, 1.0-1.4% for Akroso, and 0.9-1.3% for Ofin soils. Soil exchangeable Ca that supported the largest shoot and root DM yields was 54 mEq Ca kg4 soil for Kumasi, 42 for Akroso and 35 for Olin. For the Kumasi-Akroso-Ofin soil association, a plant tissue-Ca Content of 1.3-1.5% and exchangeable Ca value of 54 mEq Ca kg¹ soil could be used as general working values for diagnosing Ca sufficiency in maize.