CONCLUSION
Using ground magnesium limestone (GML)
and hydrated lime at appropriate rate, rice
cultivated on acid sulphate soils can yield
comparable to that of the granary areas
of Malaysia. This study showed that rice
yield can be as high as 3.50 t ha
-1
season
-1
even though it was subjected to drought
and disease infestation. This yield was
achieved by applying 4 t GML ha
-1
although
it cost USD 382 to the farmers. One ton
of rice sold at the market price of USD
318. At this rate of lime application, the
ameliorative effect can last for 2 seasons.
In order to improve rice yield in Merbok, it
is suggested that canal-water management
and direct drum-seeding are applied through
knowledge transfer from researchers to
the rice farming community. Hence, it is
believed that acid sulphate soils can be used
productively for rice production so that self-
sufficiency level (SSL) in Malaysia can be