Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizer under Balanced Fertilization on Food Barley at Basona Warana District of North Shewa Zone of Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Kenzemed Kassie; Beza Shewangizaw; Shawel Assefa; Getaneh Shegaw; Genet Taye; Amsalu Abe

अमूर्त

Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizer under Balanced Fertilization on Food Barley at Basona Warana District of North Shewa Zone of Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Kenzemed Kassie*, Beza Shewangizaw, Shawel Assefa, Getaneh Shegaw, Genet Taye, Amsalu Abe

Utilization of fertilizers is an integral part of improved crop production technology and their proper management to crops is important for maximum yield production. Nitrogen is the most limiting nutrient for production of cereal crops in Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, barley ranks both in area coverage and production among cereals. The most important factors that reduce yield of barley in Ethiopia include poor soil fertility, water logging, drought, frost, soil acidity, diseases and insect pests, and weed competition. The present experiment was conducted on main rainy season of 2013 to 2016 for three consecutive years to determine the effect of application of different doses of nitrogen (N) on yield and yield attributes of food barley (var. HRo713).The treatments includedthe control (0), 46, 92, 138,176 and 222 kg N ha-1and 69 P205, 80 K20, 30 S, 0.5 B, 2 Zn and 2 Cu kg ha-1 were applied uniformly to all plots. The treatments were laid out in a completely randomized block design with three replications. Results indicated that nitrogen rates significantly affected growth and yield component of barley as compared to the control treatment. The highest grain and straw yields of barley were recorded from the application of nitrogen at the rate of 222 kg ha-1. The economic analysis revealed that the highest net return of Birr 42,698.7ha-1 and marginal rate of return 471.1% were obtained from the addition of 222 kg N ha-1. In fact, consistent yield increments were observed with increased N rates up to 222 kg N ha-1, but the rate beyond 92 kg N ha-1 will be practicability difficult for adoption. Rather, it would be advisable the farmer to invest soil fertility management to improve overall soil biophysical and chemical properties because soil organic carbon content is very low, which has direct implication on the efficiency of applied N fertilizer.