Abstract: Ca（OH）₂ was applied to the purple shale-developed soil （pH 5.2） in order to study the effects of application rate on maize（Zea mays L.） growth and soil. The results showed that, the application of Ca（OH）₂ had positive effect on maize production in acidified soil. When the application rate was 0 kg/hm²,750 kg/hm²,1 500 kg/hm²,2 250 kg/hm²,3 000 kg/hm², the corn yield was 7 134.9 kg/hm²,7 296.9 kg/hm²,7 533.9 kg/hm²,7 371.9 kg/hm²,7 273.8 kg/hm², resepectiely. The relation between the Ca（OH）₂ application rate and yield was a quadratic cure （y=-0.000 1x²+0.397 2x+7 120.4）, and it reached significant level （R²=0.852 9,P<0.05）. The maximum yield（8 303.66 kg/hm²） can be obtained when the application of Ca（OH）₂ was 1 986 kg/hm² by computation. The application of Ca（OH）₂ could effectively increase pH for acidified soil. There was a linear relationship between the Ca（OH）₂ application amount and pH in the soil （y=0.009 7x+5.962 0）, and it reached remarkable significant level（R²=0.953 4,P<0.01）. When the application rate was 1 500 kg/hm², soil was neutral. There was a significant correlation between the application amount of Ca（OH）₂ and the available nitrogen （R²=0.914 4,P<0.05）, which was a binary cubic equation（y=-8×10^-9x³+3×10^-5x²-0.025x+111.87）. The relation between the amount of Ca（OH）₂ and available potassium showed a significant correlation （R²=0.976 1,P<0.01）, which was a binary quadratic curve（y=6×10^-6x²-0.023 1x+73.257）. And there was a significant correlation between Ca（OH）₂ application rate and the organic matter （R²=0.918 1,P<0.05）, which was a binary quadratic cure（y=-4×10^-7x²+0.000 2x+29.471）.

Key words: Ca（OH）₂, acidified soil, maize（Zea mays L.）, soil pH, soil nutrients