E ISSN: 2583-049X
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International Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Research and Studies

Volume 3, Issue 2, 2023

Responses of Maize to Different Fertilize Rates and Application of Copper in Wondo Genet, Southern Ethiopia



Author(s): Mulugeta Habte, Atinafu Assefa

Abstract:

Lack of practical information on the use of multi-nutrient fertilizer blends involving the actual limiting nutrients for specific site and crop is a problem for sustainable maize production. On-farm trials were conduct on two farmers’ field to evaluate different fertilizer types and rates for maize production in Wondo Genet woreda, Southern Ethiopia, during the main cropping seasons of 2016 and 2017. The trial consisted of ten treatments: control (no fertilizer) (T1); NPSCu at 69 kg N, 23.5 kg P, 10 kg S + 0.625 kg Cu/ha (T2), 92 kg N, 31 kg P, 13 kg S + 0.625 kg Cu/ha (T3), 115 kg N, 39 kg P, 17 kg S + 0.625 kg Cu/ha, (T4); NPSBCu at 69 kg N, 23.5 kg P, 10 kg S, 1.07 kg B + 0.625 kg Cu/ha (T5), 92 kg N, 31 kg P, 13 kg S, 1.4 kg B + 0.625 kg Cu/ha (T6), 115 kg N, 39 kg P, 17 kg S, 1.7 kg B + 0.625 kg Cu/ha (T7); NPS at 69 kg N, 23.5 kg P, 10 kg S/ha (T8), 92 kg N, 31 kg P, 13 kg S/ha (T9), and 115 kg N, 39 kg P, 17 kg S/ha (T10) were arranged in a randomized complete block design replicated three times at each farm. Growth and yield parameters of maize were collected to assess the effects of fertilizers and their rates, and partial budget analysis was performed for grain yield to evaluate the feasibility of fertilizer treatments. Results from ANOVA analysis showed that application of the three blended fertilizers types and their rates significantly affected maize yield and yield attributes. However, yield responses of maize to the same rates of the three-blend type were similar. The highest net benefit was resulted from application of NPS at 115 kg N, 39 kg P, 17 kg S/ha, followed by NPSBCu at 69 kg N, 23.5 kg P, 10 kg S, 1.07 kg B + 0.625 kg Cu/ha) and NPS at 69 kg N + 23.5 kg P + 10 kg S/ha, with higher marginal rates of returns of 643%, 271% and 227%, respectively. Though application of NPSBCu at 69 kg N, 23.5 kg P, 10 kg S, 1.07 kg B + 0.625 kg Cu/ha had positive grain yields, did not significant differ from NPS at 115 kg N, 39 kg P, 17 kg S/ha treatment. We can, therefore, recommend the use of NPS at 115 kg N, 39 kg P, 17 kg S/ha to optimize maize yield and net profit for farmers with good resource, while the use of NPS at 69 kg N, 23.5 kg P, 10 kg S/ha could benefit farmers with few resources. However, further trials including wider levels and individual nutrients of given nutrients along with recommended NP are suggested to study the impacts of each nutrient.


Keywords: Economic Feasibility, Fertilizer Rate, Blended Fertilizers Type, Maize Yield

Pages: 566-569

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