Response of Different Fertilizer Levels on Grain Yield and Yield Components of Food Barley Varieties at Arsi Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Lemu-bilbilo wereda, Arsi Zone, Ethiopia, from June to December 2017/18 cropping season, with the aim of evaluating the optimal level of fertilizers for maximal production of food barley varieties on two farmer's site. Four levels fertilizer (RNP (100 kg/ha urea + 150 kg/ha DAP) (73N, 69 P 2 O 5 ), 150%RNP, 200%RNP and RNPS (100 kg/ha) (19 N 38 P 2 O 5 + 7S) and three food barley varieties (HB42, HB1307 and EH1493) were tested in Randomized complete Block Design replicate three times. The main effects of fertilizer rate on spike length, grain per spike and biomass yield showed significant (P < 0.05) variation. The use of 200%RNP resulted in highest (8.6 cm) spike length, (49.8) grain per spike and (7149.2 kg ha -1 ) biomass yield. The interaction effect of fertilizer level and food barley varieties showed significant (P < 0.01) variation on grain yield, hectolitre weight and thousand kernel weight. The highest (3345.8 kg ha -1 ) grain yield was obtained from the combination of HB1307 food barley variety with 200%RNP fertilizer level, followed (2964.5 kg ha -1 ) grain yield was recorded fromHB1307 variety at fertilization of 150%RNP, while the lowest (1860 kg ha -1 ) grain yield was recorded from HB42 variety at a RNP fertilizer level. Likewise the highest (60.5 gm) thousand kernel weight and (71.6 kg hL -1 ) hectolitre weight was recorded from HB42 food barley variety fertilized with RNP and from variety EH1493 with 200%RNP fertilizer respectively. Therefor the most cost-effective variety and fertilizer level for farmers with low cost of production and higher benefits were identified to be the variety HB1307 at the fertilizer level of 150%RNP as first option for the study area and similar agro ecological conditions.

Yield and Agronomic Performance of Food Barley Varieties in Southern Ethiopia Highlands

“…A longer grain filling periods allow photosynthetic components to remain green improving grain filling and leading to good grain yield of post-anthesis assimilates which is important in cereals 11 ) and bit all the varieties studied. In line with this study, Lema et al 8 , Shimeles et al 5 and Birhanu et al 13 , reported that the highest mean grain yield was recorded from HB 1307 (2427.8, 5143 and 6764 kg haG 1 ) respectively and similarly variety Ageghehu was reported among the low yielders in both authors. This variety HB 1307 was also found to be among the high-yielder varieties in an experiment done in the Central Highlands of Ethiopia 14 .…”

“…Despite releasing many varieties extension work on the promotion of improved varieties in the country has been very poor compared with that of bread wheat and maize 3 . Barley productivity is limited by poor soil fertility, frost, water logging, insect and leaf diseases, moisture stress, low-yielding varieties and, adequate agronomic practices 5 . These produce poor yields and have been practiced for centuries.…”