Verification and Demonstration of Soil Test Based Phosphorous Calibration for Wheat Crop under Nitisols of Southeastern Ethiopia

Authors: Mengistu C*, Kasu T, Gobena N, Anbessie D, and Almaz A

DOI: 10.23880/jenr-16000269

Volume 6, Issue 1

Abstract

The experiment was conducted in different farmer sites and provinces at Lemu-Bilbilo district, Southeastern Ethiopia. Two fertilizer treatments: blanket type of fertilizer recommendation and soil test based fertilizer recommendation laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with four farmer’s field as replications. Data on yield and yield components of wheat were collected and the result indicates that the grain and straw yield for soil test based fertilizer recommendation were increased by 19% and 12% over the blanket type of fertilizer application (30 P kg ha-1 and 73 N kg ha-1), respectively. Hence, in this trial there was a significant grain as well as above ground biomass yield difference among the treatments. Generally the result indicated that application of soil test based phosphorus fertilizer recommendation rate calibrated in Lemu-Bilbilo district, Southeastern Ethiopia is recommendable treatment for improving productivity of wheat crop under the conditions of the present study area, similar agro-ecologies and soil types.

Keywords: Soil test; P- calibration; Phosphorus Fertilizer; Wheat; Lemu-Bilbilo

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