Participatory on-Farm Conservation Tillage Trial in the Ethiopian Highland Vertisols: The Impact of Potassium Application on Crop Yields

Astatke, A.; Mamo, Tekalign; Peden, D.; Diedhiou, Mamadou

doi:10.1017/s0014479704002029

Cited by 40 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…The deficient tissue K content was not predicted by the soil exchangeable K test. Similarly, response to K has been observed on Ethiopian Vertisols with high amount of ammonium acetate extractable K [78]. This was further supported by the findings of Suba and Srivastava [79], who reported that Vertisols with high exchangeable and non-exchangeable K showed a response to applied K, though the response was different depending on the type of plant.…”

Section: Wheat Nutrient Statussupporting

confidence: 78%

Soil fertility status and wheat nutrient content in Vertisol cropping systems of central highlands of Ethiopia

et al. 2015

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Background: Land degradation reduces agricultural productivity and poses a serious threat on food security status of households. In Ethiopia, farmers have been using only urea and di-ammonium phosphate for more than 15 years. Several reports that indicate lack of response to these fertilizers, which could be due to limitation of nutrients other than nitrogen and phosphorus. Therefore, the present study was initiated to evaluate the soil fertility status of ten sites in central highlands Vertisols of Ethiopia and wheat nutrient content. Results:The physico-chemical properties of soils showed that the soils were clayey in texture, neutral to slightly alkaline (pH 7.2-7.9) and low to medium in their organic matter (1.6-3.2 %) content. Total N content was low in 100 % of the samples while 80 % of the soil samples showed P deficiency (<10 mg kg −1 ). Exchangeable K, Ca and Mg in all soil samples were high, while available sulfur was low. On the other hand, K to Mg ratio varied from 0.13:1 to 0.44:1, indicating Mg induced K deficiency. All soil samples were adequate when analyzed by ammonium bicarbonate diethylene tri-amine penta-acetic acid extractable Cu (>0.5 mg kg ) and acid ammonium oxalate extractable Mo (<0.1 mg kg −1 ) were found to be low in all soil samples. The plant analysis data showed that all samples were low in N, P and K, while high in Ca and Mg concentrations. The deficiency of tissue K content was not predicted by the soil exchangeable K test. Plant micronutrient analysis showed that Cu, Fe, Mn and Cl concentrations were within the sufficiency range while Zn was deficient in all of the samples. Conclusions:Soil and/or tissue test results are indicative of deficiency of N, P, K, S, Zn, B and Mo that could be amended by fertilizer application, although more data are needed to thoroughly support this conclusion. The highest correlation (r > 0.90) between soil and plant nutrient content was observed for P, K, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn, implying that flag leaves at flowering stage can be used to calibrate soil and plant contents for the deficient nutrients.

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Section: Wheat Nutrient Statussupporting

confidence: 78%

Soil fertility status and wheat nutrient content in Vertisol cropping systems of central highlands of Ethiopia

et al. 2015

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“…Soil erosion and limited use of external nutrient inputs severely exhausted plant nutrients from the soil and declined soil fertility because of high nutrient losses, and are the major factors limiting crop production in rainfed and irrigated farms of the different agro-ecological zones of Tigray (Virgo and Munro, 1978;Mitiku, 1996). Nutrient mining due to sub optimal fertilizer use coupled with unblended fertilizer use favored the emergence of multi nutrient deficiency in Ethiopian soils (Astatke et al, 2004;Wassie et al, 2010;Wassie and Shiferaw, 2011) and resulted in stagnant crop production.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of NPSZnB fertilizer levels on yield and yield component of maize (Zea mays L.) at Laelay Adiyabo and Medebay Zana districts, Western Tigray, Ethiopia

Tekulu¹,

Tadele²,

Berhe³

et al. 2019

J. Cereals Oilseeds

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The use of right amount of fertilizer based on crop requirement has a significant importance for sustainable crop production. Study was undertaken to investigate the effects of NPSZnB blended fertilizer for maize yield production at Laelay Adiyabo and Medebay Zana districts. Seven treatments were used for the field experiment. Treatments were without fertilizer, blanket recommended NP (64 kg N ha -1 +69 kg P 2 O 5 ha -1 ) and five treatments of blended fertilizer rates (150, 200, 250, 300, and 350 kg NPSZnB ha -1 ). Treatments were laid out in RCBD design with three replications. The results revealed that among fertilizers rates significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected almost all the maize traits tested except tasseling, silking and maturity in Laelay Adiyabo district. However, in Medebay Zana district except tasseling, silking and maturity, plant height and thousand seeds weight, the rest parameters of above ground biomass yield, stover yield grain yield and harvest index were found significantly (P<0.05) affected by the fertilizer treatments. Highest stover yields (11.12 and 11.76 t ha -1 ) were obtained from application of 150 and 250 kg NPSZnB ha -1 for Laelay Adiyabo and Medebay Zana districts, respectively. At both districts of Laelay Adiyabo and Medebay Zana areas the highest grain yields (3.20 and 2.97 t ha -1 ) were obtained, respectively from application of NPSZnB fertilizer at the rate of 300 kg ha -1 , while the minimum grain yields of both districts were obtained from the control checks. The highest marginal rate of returns of 242 and 255% were obtained from application of 150 kg NPSZnB ha -1 in both Laelay Adiyabo and Medebay Zana districts, respectively. Therefore, based on the result obtained from this study 150 kg NPSZnB ha -1 can be recommended as profitable for the production of maize at both districts of the study areas.

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“…Nutrient mining due to sub optimal fertilizer use coupled with agronomical unblended fertilizer uses have favored the emergence of multi nutrient deficiency in Ethiopian soils [4,5], which in part explain fertilizer factor productivity decline and stagnant crop productivity conditions encountered despite continued use the blanket recommendation. Soil fertility depletion is the major constraint to sustainable agricultural production in Tigray [6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Sesame Yield and Yield Component under Different NPSZnB Fertilizer Rates in Western Tigray, Ethiopia

Shimgabr

Gebereslasie

Haftu

et al. 2020

ASRJ

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Sesame is one of the most popular oil crops in the Western Tigray Ethiopia. Blended fertilizers containing N, P, S, Zn and B have been recommended to ameliorate site specific nutrient deficiencies in different districts of Tigray. Field experiment was conducted during rainfall season of 2018 and 2019 to study the effect of NPSZnB fertilizer on sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) in vertisols of Western Tigray at the Humera station, Banat and Kebabo Kafta Humera and Tsegede Wereda’s. The treatments consisted of six levels of NPSZnB 0, 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 kg ha-1 and one blanket recommendation NP was applied. Data were recorded on sesame yield and yield components. The results revealed that addition of graded rate of NPSZnB significantly increased yield and yield attributes over the control. Analysis of variances showed that grain yield, number of capsule per plant, number of seeds per capsule and number of branching per plant was significant differences at (P< 0.001). Grain yield increases from 421 kg ha-1 to 630.1 kg ha-1 as NPSZnB increases from 0 (control) to 150 kg ha-1 and 421 kg ha-1 to 626.2 kg ha-1 as NP increases from 0 (control) to 41 N kg and 46 P205 kg ha-1 respectively. But NPSZnB was not significant with blanket recommendation of NP (41 kg N and 46 kg P205 ha-1), this indicates that either the blend or blanket NP can be used but not one to replace the other.

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Participatory on-Farm Conservation Tillage Trial in the Ethiopian Highland Vertisols: The Impact of Potassium Application on Crop Yields

Cited by 40 publications

References 8 publications

Soil fertility status and wheat nutrient content in Vertisol cropping systems of central highlands of Ethiopia

Soil fertility status and wheat nutrient content in Vertisol cropping systems of central highlands of Ethiopia

Evaluation of NPSZnB fertilizer levels on yield and yield component of maize (Zea mays L.) at Laelay Adiyabo and Medebay Zana districts, Western Tigray, Ethiopia

Evaluation of Sesame Yield and Yield Component under Different NPSZnB Fertilizer Rates in Western Tigray, Ethiopia

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