Response of Food Barley (Hordeum Vugarae L.) To Boron Blend Fertilizer Rates on Alisols in Southern Highlands of Ethiopia

ABSTRACT

Continuous use of only N and P containing fertilizers are claimed to be the causes of other secondary and micronutrients depletion, resulting in low crop productivity in Ethiopia. In this study, on-farm trials were conducted to compare the effect of multinutrient blended fertilizer – also called boron blend (NPSB: 18. 1 N – 36.1 P2O5 – 6.7S – 0.71B) on the yield and yield components of food barley grown in Alisols in southern Ethiopia during 2017 and 2018 cropping seasons. Seven treatments involving five levels of born-blend fertilizer (50, 100, 150, 200, and 300 kg NPSB kg ha⁻¹) were compared against a compound fertilizer (100 kgha⁻¹ NPS) and the conventionally used 150 kg ha⁻¹ di-ammonium phosphate (DAP). The seven treatments were replicated five times using farm fields as replicates and arranged in randomized complete block design (RCBD). Results revealed significant yield advantages of applying micronutrient containing fertilizers compared to fertilizers without micronutrients. The marginal rate of return analysis showed that the application of 100 NPSB kg ha⁻¹ was the most profitable and agronomically efficient. Season and the soil fertility variation among farmers had a significant (p < .001) effect on food barley yield. Application of Boron blend fertilizer had 500 kg ha⁻¹ grain yield advantage compared to equivalent amount of DAP that was highly promoted by the extension system. B-blended fertilizer was advantageous when applied during good rainy seasons in Alisols of Ethiopian highlands. For good performances of B-blended fertilizers, taking into account the soil moisture availability is advised for both better productivity and agronomic efficiency.

KEYWORDS:

• Agronomic efficiency
• Alisols
• blended fertilizer
• economic feasibility
• food barley

Acknowledgments

This research was a part of project called “Capacity Building for Scaling up of Evidence-based Best Practices in Agricultural Production in Ethiopia” (CASCAPE) funded by the government of The Netherlands. We thank the farmers who participated in this research. Our thanks are extended to experts from Bureau of Agriculture in Melga Woreda for their cooperation during all processes of data collection. We also wish to thank CASCAPE project, Hawassa team for their work in implementing the trial and collecting the data. We also thank Hawassa University for providing offices and cooperation in facilitating activities at all level of the research work.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Capacity Building for Scaling up of Evidence-based Best Practices in Agricultural Production in Ethiopia” (CASCAPE) funded by the government of The Netherlands [pc16/CDIo296].