Field Evaluation of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viceae (Rhizobial Strains) Inoculated to Vicia faba L. (faba bean) Cultivars under Nitisol and Chromic Vertisol of Central Highland of Ethiopia

Faba bean varieties and rhizobial strains were tested on two sites of central highland of Ethiopia during the 2016-2017 cropping season to investigate their interaction effect across years and soil types. The treatments were factorial combinations of three potential varieties of faba bean (Dosha, Moti and Walki) with prospective indigenous rhizobial strains (FBW-145, FB-15 and EAL-110) along with 18 kg N ha-1 and negative control and laid in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 3 replications. Results showed that strain interaction with variety (V×S) could give statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05) and economically profitable grain yield difference at Chiri Nitisol condition. Accordingly, Moti × EAL-110, Dosha × FBW-145, Dosha × EAL-110, and Walki × FBW-145 were the most superior pairs in terms of economic profitability and agronomic productivity at Chiri. Their respective relative grain yields were 45, 26, 21, and 16% and value cost ratios (VCRs) were 101, 66, 44 and 42, respectively. Year (rainfall amount and distribution, and farm) showed superior nodule number per plant (NNPP), hundred seed weight (HSW) and grain yield change at both soil types. The study generally confirmed that Nitisol of Chiri requires compatible faba bean cultivar and rhizobial strain but not at Vertisol of Kersa Werko. Keywords: Grain yield, Interaction, Rhizobia, Variety DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/10-18-01 Publication date:September 30th 202

Response of Irish Potato (Solanum tubersome L.) to Potassium and Organic Fertilization in Gozamin Woreda, East Gojjam zone, Ethiopia

Though chemical fertilizer application has been in use for more than  five decades in Ethiopia, crop productivity has not been grown as expected due to poor nutrient use efficiency and nutrient imbalance. This experiment was, thus,  conducted to determine the effect of potassium (K) and farm yard manure fertilizer on tuber yield and quality of potato. Potato variety ''Belete'' was used as a test crop to evaluate the response of K and FYM. The treatments were four levels of potassium (K)  (0, 70, 140, 210 kg K ha-1) applied as sulphate of potash (K2SO4) and three levels of farm yard manure (0, 7.5 and 15 t ha-1) in factorial combination. The design used was split plot with three replications. The main plot and split plot factors were FYM and K-level, respectively. A plot of 3.75 m x 2.1 m was used with intra and inter row spacing of 30 and 75 cm, respectively. A distance of 0.3, 0.5 and 1 m gap was left between sub plots, main plots and blocks, respectively. Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) were applied at 81 and 69 kg ha-1 as urea and DAP, respectively, uniformly to all plots.  Nitrogen was applied in two split, at planting and after tuber initiation (as side dressing).

Response of Irish Potato (Solanum tubersome L.) to Potassium and Organic Fertilization in Gozamin Woreda, East Gojjam zone, Ethiopia

Though chemical fertilizer application has been in use for more than  five decades in Ethiopia, crop productivity has not been grown as expected due to poor nutrient use efficiency and nutrient imbalance. This experiment was, thus, conducted to determine the effect of potassium (K) and farm yard manure fertilizer on tuber yield and quality of potato. Potato variety ''Belete'' was used as a test crop to evaluate the response of K and FYM. The treatments were four levels of potassium (K)  (0, 70, 140, 210 kg K ha-1) applied as sulphate of potash (K2SO4) and three levels of farm yard manure (0, 7.5 and 15 t ha-1) in factorial combination. The design used was split plot with three replications. The main plot and split plot factors were FYM and K-level, respectively. A plot of 3.75 m x 2.1 m was used with intra and inter row spacing of 30 and 75 cm, respectively. A distance of 0.3, 0.5 and 1 m gap was left between sub plots, main plots and blocks, respectively. Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) were applied at 81 and 69 kg ha-1 as urea and DAP, respectively, uniformly to all plots.  Nitrogen was applied in two split, at planting and after tuber initiation (as side dressing)

Vermicompost application as affected by Rhizobium inoculation on nodulation and yield of Faba bean (Vicia Faba L.)

The effect of vermicompost on the effectiveness of Rhizobium inoculation on nodulation, yield and yield traits of fava bean at Haramaya, eastern Ethiopia, was investigated. Ten treatments were made by afactorial combination of five levels of vermicompost (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 ton ha-1) and two levels of Rhizobium inoculation (inoculated anduninoculated. The treatments were laid out in arandomized complete block design with three replications. Analysis of variance revealed that Rhizobium inoculation, vermicompost application, cropping season and their interactions significantly (P <0.05) affected all investigated traits of faba bean. Over years, the highest mean nodule number (NN) (298.00) and nodule dry weight (NDW) (0.7598 g) were recorded at 4 ton ha-1. Rhizobium inoculation increased the mean NN and NDW by 6 and 11%over uninoculated, respectively. The remaining investigated traits remarkably increased with increasing levels of vermicompost application and Rhizobium inoculation. Regardless of inoculation, the mean grain yield over years was increased with increasing vermicompost application rates. The highestmean grain yield (4822.1 kg ha-1) was found at 8 ton ha-1 vermicompost application. Total mean P accumulation increased from 0.12894 to 0.17110% when the vermicompost rates were increased from unfertilized at 8 ton ha-1. However, inoculation and vermicompost application did not affect significantly (P >0.5) mean total plant N concentration. Hence, integrated application of Rhizobium and8 ton ha-1 vermi compost is needed to boost the productivity of faba bean in the study site

Selected physical and chemical characteristics of soils of the middle awash irrigated farm lands, Ethiopia

The irrigation based cotton production system in the Middle Awash basin has got progressive productivity decline in the present times. A study was made to provide basic information with regard to the present fertility status and physical characteristics on the soils of the basin. Based on soil color, texture, and land use, 12 pedons were opened in Melka-Sedi farm and Werer Agricultural Research Center and studied for their physical and chemical characteristic. Results showed that the main soil types were Salic Fluvisos, Eutric Fluvisols and Eutric Vertisols. Among these soil types, Eutric Flvisoils occupies the largest portion of the cultivated land of the basin. Salic and Eutic Fluvisols show stratification with weak horizon differentiation with alternating silt and clay particle size dominance within profile depth, while the Eutric Vertisols have homogenous solum overlaying stratified subsoil. Eutric and Salic Fluvisols have 1.2 -1.3 g cm-3 bulk density, pH values ranging from 7.0 - 8.4 and high ECe (37 dS m-1). The bulk density, pH and the average ECe of the Eutric Vertisol ranges from 1.3-1.6 g cm-3 , 8.1- 8.4 and 0.5 dS m-1, respectively. Total nitrogen in all soil types is low to medium, while available phosphorous and CEC is high. The fertility status of the irrigated soils of the middle Awash as observed from this work is medium to high except the toxic concentration of Mn and deficiency of Zn. Undesirable salt accumulation commonly aggravates salinity and sodicity in the area.Keywords: Alluvials, Horizon, Pedons, Salinity, Sodicity, and Vertisol

Response of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) to Indigenous Rhizobial Isolates Inoculation on Vertisol of Central Ethiopian Highland

አህፅሮትእንደሽምብራ የመሳሰለትን የጥራጥሬ ሰብሎችን በሃገር-በቀል ልይት ራይዞቢያ መክተብ ምርታማና ትርፋማ ያደርጋል፡፡ ምዕራብ ሸዋ፣ ደንዲ ወረዳ ውስጥ ጊንጪ ላይ የተሇያዩ ሃገር-በቀል ልይት ራይዞቢያዎች በሽምብራ ምርትና አባላተ-ምርት ላይ የሚኖራቸውን ተጽዕኖ ሇማጥናት በ2008 እና 2009 የምርት ዘመናት የመስክ ሙከራ ተካሂዷል፡፡ ሇጥናቱም ስምንት ልይት ራይዞቢያዎች ማሇትም CP-5፣ CP-7፣ CP-9፣ CP-10፣ CP-11፣ CP-17፣ CP-100 እና EAL-004 ከ 18 ኪ.ግ. ናይትሮጅን በሄክታር እና ናይትሮጅን-አልባ ማወዳደሪያዎች ጋር ተወዳድረዋል፡፡ ጥናቱም በንስብ ምለዕ ብሎክ ንድፍ መሰረት መሬት ላይ ያረፈ ሲሆን እያንዳንዱ ትሪትመንት ሶስት ድግግሞሽ ነበረው፡፡ ውጤቱም አዎንታዊ የሽምብራ ምርት ምላሽ እንዳሇ ያመሇክታል፡፡ ዝንቡጠ-ተክል ቁጥር፣ ገጸ-ምድር ደረቅ ክቡደ-ህይወት እና እህል ምርት በራይዞቢያ በአዎንታዊነት አጥጋቢ ጭማሪ አሳይተዋል፡፡ በመሆኑም CP-17 ልይት ራይዞቢያ ከ18 ኪ.ግ. ናይትሮጅን በሄክታር እና ከናይትሮጅን-አልባ ጋር ሲወዳደር በ5 እና 10 በመቶ፣በቅ/ተከተል የእህል ምርት ብልጫ አሳይቷል፡፡ የከፊል ባጀት ትንተና ውጤት የሚያሳየውም ይሄው ልይት ራይዞቢያ ሽምብራ ዘር ላይ ሲከተብ የምጣኔ-ህዳግ ትርፉ በአንጻራዊነት ከፍተኛ መሆኑን ነው፡፡ ስሇሆነም CP-17 ልይት ራይዞቢያ የማረጋገጫ ስራ ተሰርቶሇት በደንዲ ወረዳ አካባቢ ጥቅም ላይ እንዲውል ይመከራል፡፡AbstractA field experiment was conducted at Vertisol of Ginchi, Dandi district, West Shewa, Ethiopia during 2015/16 and 2016/17 cropping seasons to study the effect of different indigenous rhizobial isolates on the yield and yield components of chickpea. Eight rhizobial isolates (CP-5, CP-7, CP-9, CP-10, CP-11, CP-17, CP-100, and EAL-004), one positive control (18 kg N ha-1) and one negative control (no fertilizer source) were the treatments. The treatments were laid in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Results indicated positive response of chickpea grain yield to rhizobial isolate inoculations. The number of pod per plant, above ground dry biomass and grain yield were positively (P ≤ 0.05) altered by the inoculation. Inoculation of rhizobial isolate CP-17 showed a 5 and 10% grain yield increment over 18 kg N/ha and negative control treatments, respectively. The partial budget analysis result showed that application of CP-17 gave the highest marginal rate of return (MRR). Therefore, the rhizobial inoculant CP-17 can be verified and recommended for wider use of chickpea production at Dandi area

Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Yield and Yield Components as Influenced by Inoculation with Indigenous Rhizobial Isolates under Acidic Soil Condition of the Central Highlands of Ethiopia

አህፅሮትየተሻለ/ቁንጮ ራይዞቢየም የጥራጥሬ ሰብል ምርትን እና ምርታማነትን በእጅጉ የሚያሻሽል ቢሆንም አነዚህን ደቂቅ ዘአካላት የማግኘት ጉዳይ በስፋትና በተከታታይ የመዳሰስ እና   የመፈተሽ ውጤት ነው፡፡  ይህ የምርምር ስራም የባቄላ ሰብል በዕድገት፣ ምርትና ምንዝረ-ምርት ረገድ ለሃገር-በቀል ልይት ራይዞቢያ የሚኖረውን ምላሽ ለማወቅ በ2007 እና 2008 በወልመራ ወረዳ ፣ በ2008 ዓ.ም. ደግሞ በኤጄሬ ወረዳ የተከናወነ ነው፡፡ በመሆኑም አምስት (5) ሃገር-በቀል ልይት ራይዞቢየሞች (FB-4፣ FB-7፣ FB-9፣ FB-17 እና FB-140) ከ100 ኪ.ግ. ዳፕ  እና ኤንፒኤስ የማዕድን ማዳበሪያዎች በሄክታር፤ FB-Murd፣ EAL-110 እና FB-1035/1018 ከተሰኙ ቁንጮ ልይት ራይዞቢያዎች እና ናይትሮጅንአልባ ማመሳከሪያዎች ጋር ውጤታማነቸው በማሳ ላይ ተፈትሿል፡፡ ወልመራ ወረዳ ላይ ከተመዘገበው ቁመተ-ተክል እና የዝምቡጥ ቁጥረ-ዘር  እንዲሁም ኤጄሬ ላይ ከተመዘገበው የእህል ምርት   እና የተክል ቁጥረ-ዝምቡጥ ውጭ ባሉት መለኪያዎች በሙሉ አመርቂ (በ5 መቶ ዕድል) ልዩነት ተስተውሏል፡፡ በእህል ምርት ደረጃ 3101.4  እና 2182.5 ኪ.ግ. በሄክ. በ2007 እና 2008 በቅደም ተከተል በወልመራና ኤጄሬ ወረዳዎች  የተመዘገቡ ከፍተኛ የጥናቱ ዘገባዎች ናቸው፡፡ በተመሳሳይ አመታት በልይት ራይዞቢየም FB-9 እና FB-140 አማካኝነት የተገኙት 2943.5 እና 2152.2 ኪ.ግ. በሄክታር እህል ምርት ውጤቶች በወልመራና ኤጀሬ ወረዳዎች በቅ/ተከተል የሁለተኛነት ደረጃን የያዙ ናቸው፡፡ ሆኖም በወልመራ ወረዳ፣ በ2008 ዓ.ም. በልይት ራይዞቢየም FB-9 አማካኝነት የተመዘገበው 3160.3 ኪ.ግ. በሄክታር የጥናቱ ክብረ ወሰን ነው፡፡ ስለሆነም እነዚህ ሶስቱ ልይት ራይዞቢዎች በንጽጽር የተሻሉ በመሆናቸው በተለይ በአሲዳማ አፈር አከባቢ ለባቄላ የራይዞቢያ መክተቢያነት እጩ ቢሆኑ እና በአርሶ አደር ማሳ ላይ በቀጣይ የማረጋገጫ ስራ ቢሰራላቸው መልካም ነው፡፡ AbstractThis study was carried out to evaluate the response of yield and yield components of faba bean to indigenous rhizobial isolates in Welmera and Ejere Districts. The response of faba bean to five indigenous rhizobial isolates were assessed under field condition against the reference faba bean rhizobial inoculants as well 100 kg ha-1 DAP as positive control and uninoculated as negative control. In addition, 100 kg ha-1 NPS was also included in the treatments as satellite control. Significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher plant height, number of pod per plant, number of seed per pod, above ground biomass yield, straw yield and grain yield of faba bean were recorded through inoculation of rhizobial isolates in both experimental sites. The highest grain yields (3101.4 kg ha-1 and 2182.5 kg ha-1) were obtained from inoculation with rhizobial isolate FB-17 in Welmera and Ejere districts during 2014 and 2015 in respective order. In the same years, the second higher grain yields were obtained from inoculation of rhizobial isolates FB-9 (2943.5 kg ha-1) and FB-140 (2152.2 kg ha-1) in Welmera and Ejere Districts, respectively. However, the highest grain yield was obtained from the inoculation of rhizobial isolate FB-9 (3160.3 kg ha-1) in Welmera district during 2015. The over year grain yield (3123.2 kg ha-1) of faba bean depicted that the statistical superiority (p ≤ 0.05) of rhizobial isolate FB-17 in Welmera District. Hence, these rhizobial isolates are the best candidate for the development of commercial faba bean rhizobial inoculants in acid prone faba bean growing areas of Ethiopia after further verification over the farmers’ field at different agro-ecologies.

Guideline for soil biology data collection in Ethiopia: National standard

Recently, recognition has been growing of the power of data and information for better decisionmaking and service provision in agriculture. To ensure good data quality, an agreed standard to collect, store, and share data along the agricultural value chain is required. With this background, the purpose of this guideline is to provide guidance on standardizing soil biology data collection and thereby enhance temporal and spatial data interoperability. Standard field research design, data collection, and data reporting are required for well-informed meta-analyses and syntheses of agricultural research data as well as for making these data more accessible for calibration and evaluation of process-based models. Hence, this guideline is a contribution toward enabling meta-analysis of different data collected over years and/or space to accumulate evidence and generate new knowledge or insights to facilitate informed decision-making in the agricultural sector in general and in the crop development subsector. This guideline is compiled and intended for use by researchers, academicians, students, and other interested professionals in Ethiopia and beyond. The guideline is developed based on accepted standards and procedures in the field. Nevertheless, it is not exhaustive in its coverage of the soil biology data types and crops grown in the country. Hence, additions and updates depending on the development of research facilities, the ever-changing focus of agricultural research and production systems, and advances in technology are warranted

Interplay of Bedding Materials and Harvesting Time on Vermicompost Yield and Quality

AbstractAs bedding material characteristic highly determines the yield and quality ofvermicompost, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of different animalmanure beddings and harvesting times on worm and compost productionefficiency and quality. The study was conducted at Vermiculture unit of HolettaAgricultural Research Center (HARC) in lath house from December to February2018. The study consisted of two- factors: the first factor (bedding manures) hadtwo levels (cattle manure and donkey manure), while the second factor washarvesting time (HT) having four levels (45, 60, 80 and 90 days). The setup hadthree replications and laid in CRD. Once the manures were spread and left openfor 20 days, they were mixed with feeding material faba bean straw at 3:2 ratio(w/w) and moistened to 65%. E. fetida was loaded at a stocking rate of 0.25 kgworm/5.3 kg substrate. The result depicts that BM and HT interactionssignificantly (p≤ 0.05) affected worm number, worm biomass, and vermicompostyield. D45, D60 and D80 have got the highest worm yield in their order. C60ranked 4th in worm yield. As to vermicompost yield and quality, we saw yieldincreasing trends in both cases. However, D60 and C60 were not statisticallyinferior to C90. Vermicompost quality lacks trend across HTs but donkey manuredecreased initial pH and increased AvP (%) whereas cattle manure did not.Generally, BM and HT interactions alter vermicultural and vermicompost yields.Donkey manure at 45 was good combination to vermiculturing. Such works needto be worked out by considering mixing of potential materials