Evaluation of Urea and NPKS Fertilizer and Seed Rates for Wheat Crop at Selected FTC Sites of East Gojam Zone, Ethiopia

To meet the food demand and the need of emerging agro-industries in the country, increasing the production and productivity of wheat with appropriate soil management practice is important. Therefore, field study was conducted with the objectives of evaluating application of Urea and NPKS fertilizer and seed rates for wheat crop at selected FTC sites of East Gojam Zone during the 2015/2016 cropping season. Kekeba wheat variety was used in the research. The research consisted  of six treatments, i.e. combined application of three rates (Package, Innovation and Framers’ practice) of urea and NPKS fertilizer and two seed rates (recommended and farmers practice) were arranged in RCBD  with three replications. The data were subjected to two-way ANOVA using SAS program [version 9] and comparisons of means were performed using the LSD. The results of ANOVA showed that except the number of spike and number of grains per spike, all other yield and yield attributes were significant affected by Urea and NPKS fertilizers and seed rates application. the longest plant height and spike length,  and the maximum total above ground biomass  and straw yield were recorded from the application of 322 kg Urea + 200kg NPKS +200kg seed/ha. Even though it was non-significant, much number of spikes was counted from the application of 322 kg Urea + 200kg NPKS +200kg seed/ha at Enereta site. A lot of fertile tillers were counted from the applications of 300 kg Urea + 100kg NPKS +200kg seed/ha at the two sites. The less number of fertile tillers were counted from the use of 100 kg Urea + 200kg NPKS +200kg seed/ha and 322 kg Urea + 200kg NPKS +100kg seed/ha at Campus and Enereta FTC respectively. The highest grain yields were measured by the application of 300 kg Urea + 100kg NPKS +100kg and of 322 kg Urea + 200kg NPKS +200kg at Campus and at Enereta FTC respectively. Generally at Enereta FTC, the optimum amount of urea, NPKS and seed rate can be estimated as 300/322 kg Urea, 100kg /200kg NPKS and 200/200 kg seed respectively. At campus site the optimum amount of urea, NPKS and seed rate can be estimated as 300 /300 kg Urea, 100/100kg NPKS and 100/200 kg seed respectively. However, their economic rates of fertilizer and seed applications would have to be assessed to achieve sustainable crop yields. Unlike to soil of the campus, soils of Enereta FTC was highly depleted  so that optimum plant growth and better production can be obtained from higher dose of urea, and NPKS, but adequate soil analysis must be made for both sites. In general, management activities for the crop and these soils; should be practiced, and the strategies for which should be applied according to either the package or Innovative fertilizer use practice. Keywords: Innovative fertilizer, blended fertilizer, Urea, Kekeba variety

Screening of Faba Bean (Vicia faba)Varieties Against Faba bean Gall Diseases (Olpidium viciae) in East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia

Faba bean (ViciaFabae L.) is an important legume crops grown in different agro ecological zone in Ethiopia. It has a vital role in the Ethiopia national dietary and is consumed in various forms. However, the average yield of its production under small-holder farmers is very low due to biotic and a-biotic factors. Faba bean gall (Olpidiumviciae) disease is one of the newly emerging disease threateningfaba bean production and productivity in small scale farmers in the study site. Thus, the study was conducted to evaluate the reaction of  fababean varieties against faba bean gall disease at three main fababean production woredas farmers field during 2015 main cropping season. The field experiment consisted of seventeen fababean varieties (sixteen released and one local check). The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replication. The evaluated seventeen varieties varied significantly (p<0.001)  in disease severity, AUDPC , yield and yield components. The tested varieties had varying reactions to the disease, on the basis of which two groups were identified, viz. Resistant (fourteen varieties) and moderately Resistant (three varieties). The highest and least percent disease severityindex and AUDPC was recorded from local check and Dosha varieties respectively in all locations. Yield and yield parameters were also significantly (P<0.001) different in all locations.  In general Dosha, Tumsa, Hachalu and Wolki varieties were high yielder and resistant to faba bean gall in all study sites compared with other varieties. In the future, resistance and high yielder varieties combination with other alternative management options research will be conducted in the potential faba bean growing areas in  Ethiopia. Keywords: Faba bean gall disease, disease severity, AUDPC, Dosha, Tumsa, Wolk

Efficacy of the ethanol extracts of the leaves of some plant species on the mortality of maize weevils, Sitophilus zeamais (Curculionidae: Coleoptera) and prevention of grain damage

Sitophilus zeamais (maize weevil) damages maize, a major cereal crop in Ethiopia. A study was conducted to determine the anti-weevil activities of ethanol extracts of leaves of Juniperus procera, Phytolacca dodecandra, Ostegia integrifolia, Sansevieria trifasciata, and Eucalyptus globulus. Extraction was done using 70% ethanol. Two types of tests (toxicity and efficacy) were conducted using three doses, i.e., 50, 75, and 100 ml/kg of each plant. In the toxicity test, weevil mortality was measured at the 6th, 12th, 24th, 48th, and 72nd hours, then weekly for five weeks. For efficacy test, weevil mortality and grain damage (weight loss, percent holes, and percent germination) were assessed three months after treatment. J. procera and P. dodecandra were more toxic (96.6% and 96.4% mortality rate, respectively). The 50 and 75 ml/kg doses of E. globulus, 75 and 100 ml/kg doses of J. procera, of P. dodecandra, and of S. trifasciata killed 100% of the weevils; in the control mortality was 23.3%. Grain weight loss was high in the control (7.8%) followed by grains treated by 75 ml/kg extracts of O. integrifolia (5.9%). Percentage holes was high in the control (70%) followed by 75 ml/kg extracts of O. integrifolia (26.7%). Germination was high in grains treated with 50 and 75 ml/kg doses of J. procera, E. globulus, S. trifasciata, and P. dodecandra in descending order. The 75 and 100 ml/kg extracts of J. procera, E. globulus, S. trifasciata, and P. dodecandra were good candidates in the control of maize weevils with limitations of allelopathy in the 100 ml/kg. Keywords: Juniperus procera; Maize weevil; Ostegia integrifolia; Phytolacca dodecandra; Sansevieria trifasciata; Sitophilus zeamais