A field experiment was conducted to assess the effects of combined application of farm yard manure (FYM) and inorganic NP fertilizers on soil physico-chemical properties and nutrient balance in a rain-fed lowland rice production system in Fogera plain, northwestern Ethiopia. The study was carried out during the main cropping seasons of 2010 and 2011. Twenty-seven treatments comprising a factorial combination of three rates of FYM (0, 7.5, and 15 t·ha ) were tested. The experiments were laid out as a randomized complete block design with three replications. Bulk density, organic matter content, and available water holding capacity, total N, and available P of the soil were measured just after harvesting the rice crop. Results showed that application of 15 t·FYM·ha −1 significantly increased soil organic matter and available water holding capacity but decreased the soil bulk density, creating a good soil condition for enhanced growth of the rice crop. Application of 15 tFYM·ha −1 increased the level of soil total nitrogen from 0.203% to 0.349%. Combined application of 15 t·ha −1 ·FYM and 100 kg·P 2 O 5 ·ha −1 increased the available phosphorous from 11.9 ppm to 38.1 ppm. Positive balances of soil N and P resulted from combined application of FYM and inorganic N and P sources. Application of 15·t ha From the results of this experiment, it could be concluded that combined application of FYM and inorganic N and P fertilizers improved the chemical and physical properties, which may lead to enhanced and sustainable production of rice in the study area.
In spite of the availability of several improved agricultural technologies generated by the research system in Ethiopia over the last four decades, adoption of these innovations by smallholder farmers has been very low. This has led to stagnation of agricultural productivity and low crop yields, exposing the country to recurrent food shortfalls and national food insecurity. The old approach to agricultural research emphasized developing new technologies mainly through onstation research that were then supposed to reach farmers through the public-sector extension system. The Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) has in recent years introduced a shift in agricultural research for development, which is based on the innovation systems approach that involved cultivating partnerships with several actors along the value chain, especially farmers, farmers' cooperatives and input suppliers. This paper presents the methodology used to facilitate agricultural innovations and the diffusion of new technologies and illustrates the outcomes of this initiative with regard to technology adoption, productivity growth and the market orientation of production. The authors use examples from experiences in scaling up three grain legumes. Compared to the three-year baseline average , crop output increased nationally by 89%, 85% and 97% in 2008 for common bean, chickpea and lentil respectively. Nationally, 53-59% of the output growth is attributable to yield growth due to technological change, while the balance is due to area expansion. These results affirm that the new approach has led to accelerated adoption of new and high-yielding or low-risk varieties.
Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is grown in regions where water deficit during reproductive development significantly reduces yield. The objective of this study was to assess morpho-physiological response to post-flowering drought stress in small red seeded common bean genotypes of diverse origin under field conditions. Forty-nine genotypes were evaluated in a 7 x 7 simple lattice design under two soil moisture regimes, non-stress (NS) and drought stress (DS) growth conditions in Gofa, Southern Ethiopia. Drought stress was initiated at flowering stage by withholding application of irrigation water. Significant differences were found among genotypes and between the soil moisture regimes except for days to flowering for the morpho-physiological traits considered. Drought stress reduced seed yield, harvest index (HI), seed per pod, seed per plant and 100-seed weight by 59%, 39%, 15%, 29% and 19%, respectively. Drought-induced reduction in seed yield of the tested genotypes ranged from 9% in ECAB-0427 to 89% in REDWOLAITA. With the highest yield of 1365.7 kg ha-1 under drought stress, ECAB-0427 was the most drought tolerant genotypes, whereas with the lowest yield of 111.9 kg ha-1, REDWOLAITA was the most sensitive genotype to the stress imposed. Superior performance of ECAB-0427 under drought stress was attributed to the maintenance of higher leaf area index (LAI) (2.8) and pod harvest index (PHI) (67.6) compared with a LAI and PHI of 0.8 and 22.1, respectively, for REDWOLAITA. Yield under drought stress was correlated with yield under non-stress (r = 0.68, p<0.01) implying that selection under drought conditions may lead to the identification of genotypes suitable for optimal conditions. Significantly higher correlation detected between GM (geometric mean) and seed yield under drought stress (r = 0.95, p<0.01) entail that the drought index can be used as one of the most important selection criteria in identifying drought resistant small red bean genotypes.
Article Information Soil acidity has become a serious threat to crop production in most highlands of Ethiopia in general and in the western part of the country in particular. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate soil acidity tolerant on 25 genotypes of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) on lime treated and untreated acid soils. The genotypes were evaluated based on morpho-agronomic parameters. Soil acidity had an effect on maturity, growth and yield of the tested genotypes. High significant(P<0.01) differences were observed among genotypes for days to maturity, leaf area index, plant height, number of pods per plant, pod length, hundred seed weight, grain yield, pod harvest index and harvest index in lime treated and untreated soils. Considerable variability exists among the genotypes tested based on the growth, and yield components measured for soil acidity tolerance. The genotypes gave higher yield and yield components when grown in lime treated soil than lime untreated with average yield reduction of 26% due to soil acidity effect. Relative grain yield was calculated as the ratio of grain yield in lime untreated to lime treated soil also showed higher significant differences among the tested genotypes. Genotypes such as Dimtu, new BILFA 58, Beshbesh, SER176, new BILFA51 and new BILFA 61 gave higher absolute and relative yield, whereas Dinknesh, Chore, Nasser and new BILFA 60 gave lower absolute grain and relative yield. Moreover, the great variability of 25 common bean genotypes exhibited a good potential to screening large germplasm of common bean for soil acidity tolerance and develop a cultivar that are tolerant to soil acidity in the country.
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