Teff [Eragrostis teff (Zucc.) Trotter] Response to Integrated Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Teff is one of the most important cereal crops and predominant staple food in Ethiopia. However, its productivity is constrained by a number of problems like lack of appropriate management practices, low soil fertility, lack of combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizer and lack of improved varieties in Ethiopia in general, and in the study area in particular. The flied experiment was conducted during main season of 2023 at Melkassa agricultural Research site to evaluate the response of teff yield and yield components to different fertilizers rates and types. The treatments consisted of seventeen treatments with different combinations and laid out by randomized complete block design in three replications. Analysis of data revealed that all growth and phonological, yield and yield components of teff had showed significant variations due to different fertilizer rates and types. The earliest to 50% days to panicle emergence (29.33 days) was recorded from recommended vermicompost and 25% VC + 25% EG + 75% NPSZnB application. The lowest days to physiological maturity (62.00 days) was obtained from 25%AM + 25% VC + 75% NPSZnB. The highest plant height (100.20 cm) was recorded from the treatment that received 25%AM +25% VC +25%EG + 75% NPSZnB combination. The highest total tiller and productive tiller (5.66 per plant), thousand seed weight (0.31 g), aboveground biomass (11416.70kgha-1), grain yield (2281.00kgha-1) and straw yield (9135.70 kgha-1) were obtained from 25%AM +25% VC +25%EG + 75% NPSZnB application. The highest loading index (75.00%) and highest harvest index (25.83%) where recorded from the treatment that received 50%AM + 50% EG + 50% NPSZnB and recommended Eco- green, respectively. The result of partial budget analysis showed that the highest net benefit was obtained from the treatment that got 25%AM +25% VC +25%EG + 75% NPSZnB with marginal rate of return (3481.10). Therefore, the farmers of study area and similar agroecology can use combination of 25%AM +25% VC +25%EG + 75% NPSZnB for better teff production. However, this experiment was only conducted for one season at one location which needs further study for sound able recommendation.