Response of Green Beans to Acidity Factors in Six Tropical Soils

Abstract

The effect of soil acidity factors on yields and foliar composition of intensively managed green beans was determined in Ultisols and an Oxisol typical of the Humid Tropics. Beans responded very strongly to liming on all six soils. Calcium content of the bean leaves increased and manganese content decreased with increasing lime rates and with yields. Bean yields increased with increasing soil pH to about 5.2 at which level these soils contained essentially no exchangeable aluminum. Bean yields increased with increasing exchangeable soil base content to about 70-percent saturation based on cation exchange capacities as determined with ammonium acetate at pH 7. Bean yields increased with decreasing exchangeable soil aluminum to essentially 0. Soil pH and exchangeable base and aluminum contents were effective criteria for liming these soils.