A Review on: Effect of Phosphorus Fertilizer on Crop Production in Ethiopia

Abstract

Phosphorus is an essential plant nutrient which involves in all physiological activities of the crop production. A researches review was made on the effect of phosphorus fertilizer on wheat, maize, barley and teff production in Ethiopia. In all of these areas the research findings indicated that application of phosphorus fertilizer increases growth and yield of the crops. But the optimum rate of P fertilizer at which highest yield recorded was different for each crop types and research area's environmental conditions. In many parts of northwestern and northern Ethiopia applying P fertilizer at the highest rate has significantly enhanced yield and yield components of wheat, maize, barley and teff. Generally these various findings on P fertilization indicated us many promising results on yield and yield components of wheat and maize, barley and teff but there is still a research gaps on phosphorus that may need more attention for increasing crop production. So detail investigation of phorus fertilizer rate as it interacts with  Macro and micro nutrients like potassium and others for specific crop type, soil type, soil moisture content and agro ecology are important .

Keywords:  Phosphorus, wheat, maize, Barley,Teff, Ethipia.