Journal of Agricultural Science and Food Research
Open Access

Abstract

Soil Fertility Characterization and Response of Local Wheat Varity to Nitrogen Fertilization at Tembaro District, South Ethiopia

Dinsa Doboch* and Tadele Buraka

In addition, a field experiment was conducted during the main rainy season of the 2009 at the testing site to determine the optimum rates of N fertilizer for local wheat variety production and to evaluate its effects on yield and yield components of the examination crop. Both the profile and the composite surface soil sample indicated that the soil of the site was slightly acidic to moderately alkaline in reaction (6.38 to 8.31), very low in OM (0.08 to 2.34%), very low in its total N (0.011 to 0.092%). The soil exchangeable bases was mainly dominated by Ca and Mg where the order of occurrence was Ca>Mg>Na>K. The CEC values were very high ranging from 62.7to 75.6 cmolc kg-1. Application of different rates of N fertilizer significantly (P ≤ 0.01) influenced the whole crop parameters tested except stand count and grain filling period. The significantly different and maximum plant height (65.52 cm), fertile tillers (381), spike number (412), spikelets per spike (10.0) and spike length (6.52 cm) were obtained from application of the highest N rate (100 Kg N ha-1) whereas the minimum records were obtained from the control plot. Similarly, the maximum grain yield (2584.5 kg ha-1), straw yield (3576.30 kg ha-1), total biomass yield (6127.4 kg ha-1) and 1000 grains weight (49.35 gm) were gained from application of the highest N rate showing a decreasing trend with declining N rate and the lowest records were obtained from the control plot. The Apparent Recovery (AR) and Agronomic Efficiency (AE) of N responded positively to increasing N rate whereas the Physiological Efficiency (PE) of N exhibited decreasing trend with the increasing application of N, the highest PE was observed at the lowest N rate and vice versa

Published Date: 2022-08-01; Received Date: 2020-10-12