Establishing exclosures has become common in Ethiopia, especially in the central and northern highlands, where they serve as a response to persistent forest degradation, affecting forest resources and ecosystem services. We investigated changes in vegetation composition, aboveground biomass and soil properties after establishing an exclosure on degraded communal grazing land in Aba-Gerima watershed, North-Western Ethiopia. We selected 4-yr-old exclosure and paired the selected exclosure with an adjacent communal grazing land. In the exclosure, we recorded 46 plant species representing 32 families, whereas we recorded 18 plant species representing 13 families in the adjacent communal grazing lands. Most of the identified woody species are economically important. We observed significant differences between the exclosure and adjacent grazing land in woody species richness, diversity and evenness. Exclosure displayed higher woody species density, basal area and aboveground woody biomass compared to the adjacent grazing land. Landscape position influenced vegetation composition, richness and diversity in the exclosure and adjacent grazing land. Significant differences between the exclosure and adjacent grazing land in soil properties were detected. The influence of landscape positions on soil properties was not consistent. At foot slope position, in the 0- to 15-cm and 15- to 30-cm depths, soil organic carbon and nitrogen content detected in exclosure were significantly higher when compared to the values observed in the adjacent grazing land. However, differences at mid and upper slope positions were not significant. The results support that the establishment of exclosures on degraded lands could support the restoration of degraded native vegetation and soil properties, which consequently enhance the ecosystem services that can be obtained from degraded lands.

Fodders are the major feed resource in Ethiopia. This study was conducted to assess biomass production and nutritive value of fodder resources in Ethiopia. A total of 34 scientific papers and 30 Central Statistical Agency (CSA) (Ethiopia) reports for biomass production, and 249 scientific papers for nutritive value were used for this study. The biomass production of crop residues was greatest followed by grazing biomass, enset [Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesem.] and banana (Musa spp.) leaves and pseudostems. The crude protein (CP) concentration of vetch (Vicia spp.) hay, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) hay, cultivated legume species and many indigenous browse species was >150 g kg−1 dry matter (DM). However, the CP value of natural pasture, crop residues, natural pasture hay, rhodes grass (Chloris gayana Kunth) hay, cultivated grass species, sycamore fig (Ficus sychomorus L.), Indianfig pricklypear [Opuntia ficus‐indica (L.) Mill.] and enset and banana was <150 g kg−1 DM. Natural pasture, crop residues, all parts of enset except enset corm, natural pasture hay, rhodes grass hay, and cultivated grass species contained >550 g kg−1 DM neutral detergent fiber (NDF). Enset corm, vetch hay, alfalfa, Chinese banyan (Ficus thonningii Blume), and bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina Delile) contained >10 MJ kg−1 DM metabolizable energy (ME). Crop residues except faba bean straw contained <600 g kg−1 DM in‐vitro digestibility. Methods should be devised for more efficient and effective use of the most widely available crop residues and grazing biomass through better management practices and appropriate supplementation with good quality forages and locally available better quality agricultural and agro‐industrial by‐products.

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Soil fertility management through inorganic fertilizer application in areas with moisture shortage needs due care. the fertilizer application fashion should vary from areas with ample moisture so that the plants can easily access and efficiently use it. Therefore, field experiment was conducted in 2014 and 2015 during the main cropping season under rain-fed condition to evaluate the effect of micro-dose application of n and p fertilizers on sorghum yield at Aybra and Shumshiha sites of Wag-Lasta areas in Amhara Region, ethiopia where moisture shortage is acute. the treatments were comprised of a factorial combination of three levels of NP i.e. 1), 25% of the recommended NP = 10.25 kg N + 11.5 kg p 2 o 5 ha −1 , 2), 50% of the recommended NP = 20.5 kg N + 23 kg P 2 o 5 ha −1 and 3), 75% of the recommended np = 30.75 kg N + 34.75 kg P 2 o 5 ha −1 and three n application times plus control (without fertilizer) and recommended NP (41 kg N ha −1 and 46 kg P 2 o 5 ha −1 ). The experiment was laid down in a randomized complete block design with three replications. the fertilizers were applied to the spot where the seed was planted except for the recommended NP which was drilled to the planting rows right before planting. phosphorus was applied at planting while nitrogen was applied in split as per the treatment setup. All soil and agronomic data were collected and analyzed following the standard procedures. The analysis of variance revealed that application of 30.75 kg N ha −1 and 34.5 kg P 2 o 5 ha −1 (N applied 1/3 at sowing, 1/3 at emergence and 1/3 at 45 days after emergence) increased the grain yield by 122% over the control and 28.4% over the recommended NP and saves 25% of the recommended fertilizer at Aybra. While at Shumshiha-Lasta Lalibela, application of 20.5 kg N ha −1 and 23 kg P 2 o 5 ha −1 (N applied 1/3 at sowing, 1/3 at emergence and 1/3 at 45 days after emergence) increased the grain yield by 174% over the control and 15% over the recommended NP and saves 50% of the recommended fertilizer. Therefore, micro-dosing application of 30.75 kg N ha −1 and 34.5 kg P 2 o 5 ha −1 for Aybra-Sekota and of 20.5 kg N ha −1 and 23 kg P 2 o 5 ha −1 for Shumshiha-Lasta Lalibela (n applied in three splits) are recommended for sorghum production. open Scientific RepoRtS | (2020) 10:6889 | https://doi.

Acidic soils limit the production potential of crops because of low availability of basic cations and excess of hydrogen (H+) and aluminium (Al3+) in exchangeable forms. In the western part of the country such as Assosa and Wellega, soil acidity is a well-known problem limiting crop productivity. A field study was conducted to assess the effects of lime, vermicompost and their combinations on selected soil physico-chemical properties and responses of soybean grown on acidic Nitisols of Assosa area during 2016 and 2017 main cropping seasons. Soil samples were collected from the experimental site before planting and from plots after harvesting. The collected samples were analysed following the standard methods for soil physico-chemical analysis. The treatments were factorial combinations of four levels of lime (0, 1.62, 3.62 and 4.90 t ha-1) and four levels of vermicompost (0, 1.50, 3.00 and 4.50 t ha-1). The results revealed that soil pH increased from 5.31 – 5.86 pH while exchangeable acidity decreased from 5.46 - 2.85 cmol (+) kg-1 with levels of lime and vermicompost (3.26 with 3 and 4.90 with 4.5) t ha-1 respectively, which resulted in improved soil physico-chemical properties. The combined application of lime and vermicompost also significantly improved the yield related parameters of soybean. The maximum grain yield (1.95t    ha-1) was obtained from the combined application of 4.90 ton lime and 3.00 ton vermicompost ha-1 followed by combined application of 3.26 ton lime with 3.00 ton vermicompost ha-1 with non-significant variation. Therefore, the combined application of 3.26 ton lime and 3.00 ton vermicompost ha-1 is a promising alternative amendment for amelioration of acidic Nitisols of Assosa (Amba-12 Kebele) and other similar agro-ecologies for the improvement of soybean production.

Nitrogen fixation by legumes like faba bean is a cheap way of fixing atmospheric nitrogen to plant available form. However, the inoculation of grain legumes with rhizobium bacteria along with the addition of micronutrients is poorly researched in Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Thus a study to examine the effects of rhizobium leguminosarum (var vicae) strains and micronutrients on nodulation, growth, and yield of faba bean was conducted in Wereillu district of Amhara Region, Ethiopia during the rainy season of 2018. The treatments comprised three faba bean strains (un-inoculated, EAL-1018, EAL-1035 and EAL-17) and two micro nutrients (without, zinc, boron) arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The collected data on yield and yield-related parameters were analyzed using Statistical Analysis System (2003), version 9.1 and subjected to Duncan's Multiple Range Test for mean separation when the analysis of variance was significant. The mean separation revealed that the combined effect of EAL-1018 and boron brought significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher difference on nodule number, nodulation volume, nodule dry weight, biomass yield and grain yield compared to the control. The combined effect of faba bean strain, EAL-1018 and boron gave Samuel Adissie ABOUT THE AUTHORS Samuel Adissie is a researcher in Amhara agricultural research institute, Ethiopia. He has been researching built-in soil fertility management, water management, soil fertility characterization, nutrient stability, problematic soil management, soil micro biology, soil and water management related areas.Enyew Adgo (PhD) is working for Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia at the capacity of full professor in Soil Fertility Management. His area of research focus includes soils, soil erosion and carbon dynamics and land resilience at large.Tesfaye Feyisa (PhD) is senior researcher in soil fertility and plant nutrition at Amhara Agricultural Research Institute (ARARI). He has conducted various researches on soil fertility management (through inorganic and organic amendments), soil acidity management, integrated soil fertility management and soil quality indicators. Currently, he is a director for Soil and Water Research Directorate at ARARI.

Summary The potential yield of improved maize varieties usually cannot be fully realised mainly due to inappropriate soil nutrient management practices in most parts of Ethiopia. Site-specific fertiliser recommendations are rarely used in the farming systems of Ethiopia. There is also a lack of data to develop or validate decision support tools for targeting specific crop production. A study was conducted for three consecutive rainy seasons (2016–2018) in the maize belt of the north-western parts of the Amhara National Regional State of Ethiopia. The objectives were to obtain the maximum achievable yield potential of maize, determine the most yield-limiting nutrients and create a database of maize responses to applied nutrients so that decision support tools could be developed for the study areas. Treatments were individual nutrients (nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K)) and combinations of the three. In some treatments, NPK was also combined with sulphur, zinc, lime and compost. Two hybrid maize varieties (BH-540 and BH-660) adaptable to the study areas were used. BH-540 was used for the Mecha district, while BH-660 was used for the south Achefer, Jabitahnan–Burrie–Womberma districts. Maize yield increased by more than 50% due to fertiliser applications compared to without fertiliser. The study showed that the possibility of increasing maize productivity to more than 12 t ha-1 for the study sites. The most yield-limiting nutrient in the study sites was N, followed by P; K was not a yield limiting. Without N the yield of both varieties was non-significant from the control (without added nutrients). Maize grain yield did not respond to application of lime, compost, zinc and sulphur. The result also showed very high variability across sites, indicating that it is important for policymakers, farmers and investors to consider site-specific fertiliser recommendations. Finally, a database containing intensive plant response to NPK for maize was generated and could be used as input in site-specific decision support tools development.

Background Nitrogen fixation by legumes like faba bean is a cheap way of fixing atmospheric nitrogen to plant available form. However, the inoculation of grain legumes with rhizobium bacteria are poorly researched in Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Methods Thus, a study to examine the effects of rhizobium leguminosarum (var vicae) strains on nodulation, growth, and yield of faba bean was conducted in Wereillu district of Amhara Region, Ethiopia during the rainy season of 2018. The treatments comprised of four levels of faba bean Rhizobium strains (un-inoculated, EAL-1018, EAL-1035 and EAL-17) arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The collected data on yield and yield-related parameters were analyzed using Statistical Analysis System (Statistical Analysis System, version 9.1, SAS Institute Inc, Cary, 2003), version 9.1 and subjected to Duncan’s Multiple Range Test for mean separation when the analysis of variance was significant. Results The result revealed that the effect of EAL-1018 brought significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher difference on nodule number, nodulation volume, nodule dry weight, biomass yield and grain yield compared to the control. Faba bean strain, EAL-1018 gave 45.6, 27 and 11.6% grain yield advantage over the control, EAL1017 and EAL 1035 respectively. Conclusion Biologically as well as Economically EAL 1018 brought the maximum yield and net benefit (47020.7) compared to the other treatments. Hence, EAL-1018 is recommended for the study area and similar agro—ecologies.