Response of bread wheat (Tritcum aestivum L.) to nitrogen after major leguminous crops rotation in Tigray, northern Ethiopia

Crop rotation is a common practice in the study area, but there is no enough information on the specific rate of nitrogen to be applied after legumes for wheat production. Hence, on farm field experiments were conducted to determine the amount of nitrogen fertilizer rates needed for bread wheat after chick pea, grass pea, fababean and field pea precursor crops. The field experiments were conducted during 2014 main cropping season at Hawzien after chick pea and grass pea and at Emba Alaje after fababean and field pea precursor crops. The experiment consists of six nitrogen rates (0, 11.5, 23, 34.5, 46 and 69 kg Nha-1) laid in a RCBD with three replications. Phosphorus, sulfur and potassium fertilizers were also applied as basal for all plots at sowing. Surface soil samples were collected before planting and analyzed for selected soil properties. Soil analysis result of the experimental sites revealed that total nitrogen content (%) of the soil after chickpea-wheat (0.0695), grass pea-wheat (0.067), fababean-wheat (0.074) crop rotation were categorized under low range and after field pea-wheat (0.102) under medium range. Application of nitrogen had significantly increased grain and straw yield at Hawzien district after chick pea and grass pea precursor crops. At Emba-Alaje the highest grain yield was recorded on plots treated with 69 kg N ha-1 (6242 kg ha-1). Grain and straw yields of wheat increased up to a rate of 46 kg N ha-1 after fababean at Emba-Alaje district. There is no significant difference in grain and straw yields of wheat due to application of nitrogen after field pea crop rotation. In Hawzien the highest agronomic efficiency after chick pea and grass pea was recorded from plots treated with 46 kg N ha-1 and 34.5 kg N ha-1, respectively. In Emba Alaje the highest agronomic efficiency after faba bean and field pea was recorded from plots treated with 11.5 kg N ha-1 and 23 kg N ha-1 , respectively. At Hawzien, the partial budget analysis revealed that application of 46 kg N ha-1 for bread wheat after chick pea and grass pea was economical with 1545% and 796 % marginal rate of return, respectively. At Emba Alaje, the partial budget analysis revealed that application of 34.5 kg N ha-1 for bread wheat after fababean was economical with 895% marginal rate of return. It could be concluded that application rate of N for wheat after leguminous crops should consider initial soil N and precursor crop

Balanced fertilization increases wheat yield response on different soils and agroecological zones in Ethiopia

The response of wheat to the application of different rates of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and sulfur (S) under balanced fertilization on different soil types and agroecologies has not been well studied in Ethiopia. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to (1) determine soil-specific responses of wheat to N, P, K, and S under balanced fertilization; (2) quantify agroecology-specific N, P, K, and S response of wheat under balanced fertilization; and (3) determine nutrient use efficiency of wheat on different soil types under balanced fertilization. Trials were conducted on farmers’ fields across 24 locations covering 4 soil types and 5 agroecological zones (AEZs) from 2013 to 2017. The mean grain yields of wheat significantly varied with applied N and P fertilizer rates with soil types and AEZs. With balanced application of other nutrients, the optimum N rates for wheat were 138 kg N ha−1 on Cambisols and Luvisols, 92 kg N ha−1 on Vertisols, and 176 kg N ha−1 on Nitisols, while the optimum P rate was 20 kg P ha−1 on Cambisols and Vertisols. The nutrient dose–response curve did not reveal consistent pattern for K and S applications on all soil types. The agronomic efficiency of wheat decreased with increasing rates N and P on all soil types. The highest agronomic efficiency of N (15.8 kg grain kg−1 applied N) was recorded with application of 92 kg N ha−1 on Vertisols, while the highest agronomic efficiency of P (49 kg grain kg−1 applied P) was achieved with application of 10 kg P ha−1 on Cambisols. We conclude that applications of 92–138 kg N ha−1, 20 kg P ha−1, 18 kg K ha−1, and 10 kg S ha−1 under balanced application of zinc and boron could be recommended depending on soil type for wheat production in the study areas

The Response of Wheat (Triticum aestivum) and Tef [(Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) to All-purpose Yates Thrive Fertiliser on Vertisols of Northern Ethiopia

A greenhouse pot experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of all-purpose yates thrive, which is a new water-soluble compound fertiliser that was brought from Australia on the yield and yield components of wheat and tef on Vertisols brought from Hintalo Wajirat district. The experiment consisted of six treatments (control, recommended NP, recommended yates thrive, half recommended yates thrive, twice recommended yates thrive and recommended yates thrive plus adjusted NP) in three replications. The results of the experiments depicted that, spike/panicle length, straw and grain yields of wheat and tef were improved. Inline to this, the highest yield and yield component of both crops were obtained at the recommended rates of its thrive plus adjusted NP except the straw yield of tef. But statistically the plant height and panicle length were not significant.  Thus,  yates thrive can be used for cereals an alternative fertiliser by adjusting the level of  N and P with cost-benefit analysis of the technology as compared to the existing fertiliser types