Effects of organic manure and crop rotation system on potato (<i>Solanum tuberosum</i> L.) tuber yield in the highlands of Awi Zone

Abstract

Lack of sustainable soil fertility management system is a critical challenge in the highlands of Awi Zone. Important physicochemical properties of the soil are below the critical level to support crop growth. Hence, a study was undertaken with the aim of improving the yield of potato through organic treatments and sound crop rotation system. Two rotation systems and four levels of organic treatments were factorially arranged and laid out in RCBD with four replications. The organic treatments were: V1 = 0 t/ha farmyards manure (FYM); V2 = 2.5 t/h fresh sesbania green manure (FSB) V3 = 5 t/ha FYM; and V4 = 5 t/ha FYM +2.5 t/ha FSB applied in fixed plots for three years. Indeed, the rotation systems varied from year to year to estimate the changes in potato tuber yields due to the differences in crop rotation systems. Tuber yields of potato showed increasing trend over the period of the three years with the lowest in the first year, intermediate in the second year and the highest in the third year across all treatments. Among all, the highest total potato tuber yield (35.15 t/ha) was obtained at the combined application of 5 t/ha FYM +2.5 t/ha FSB and clover-wheat-potato rotation system in the third year. The treatment combination increased total potato tuber yield by 140% and 41% over that of the first and the second years and would be recommended as ecologically sound option in improving the productivity of potato.

Short-term trade-offs of organic matter management strategies for smallholder farms

“…In addition, FYM application improves soil organic carbon, which in turn influences the soil's physical properties responsible for improving crop growth (Xiao et al, 2022). The impact of FYM on yield was also observed in trials by Shibabaw et al (2018) where FYM was applied in the field at a rate of 5 tons/ha, and Kumar et al (2011), where it was applied at a rate of 12 tons/ha. Fourthly, the higher crop yield under the treatments with F. albida could be explained by nitrogen fixation as F. albida trees are known to fix about 39 kg N/ha/year (Toure et al, 1998;Umar et al, 2013), but the amount of nitrogen fixed is expected to increase as the trees grow.…”

Effect of urea‐molasses‐treated highland bamboo leaves supplementation on lactating crossbred dairy cows nutrient utilization, body weight, milk yield and its composition and economic performance under on‐farm condition in Guagusa Shikudad district, Ethiopia

“…The minimum and the maximum annual rain fall and diurnal temperature range from 1140 to 3572 mm and 10 to 25°C, respectively (Guagusa Shikudad District Agriculture Office, 2022; Belay, 2016 ). The average mean annual rainfall is 2491.9 mm with mono‐modal system extending from March to the end of November, whereas the peak is in July and August (Shibabaw et al., 2018 ).…”