Effect of Tef Variety and Rates of Nitrogen Fertilizer Application on Growth and Yield Components Under Jimma Condition

Abstract

Tef is a highly valued crop in the national diet of Ethiopians. However, its productivity is constrained by low plant-available soil nitrogen due to depleting soil organic matter content and minimum usage of improved variety in the producer. This problem is compounded by low rates of N fertilizer applications and cultivating of Tef varieties that is not improved in the country. Therefore, a field experiment was carried out with the objectives of studying the effects of rates of nitrogen fertilizer and varieties on growth and yield components of Tef and determining the most optimum Nitrogen fertilizer application rate for Tef production,  determine  the response of Tef varieties to different nitrogen fertilizer application rates and identify high yielding Tef variety .The treatments consisted of four levels of nitrogen (0, 46, 69 and 92 kg N ha-1) and two varieties (Jimma local  and Quoncho variety). The experiment was laid out as RCBD in factorial treatment with three replications. Among   the parameters evaluated, five were affected by the main effect of N fertilizer rate (days of panicle emergence, days to maturity, plant height, number of effective tillers and fresh biomass yield). Three parameters (days to panicle emergence and days to maturity are high significantly (p<0.01) affected and fresh biomass yield was significantly (p<0.05) affected by varieties). However, plant height, panicle length and numbers of effective tillers were non-significantly affected by varieties. The only parameters that were significantly affected by the interaction effects of both nitrogen and varieties were Fresh biomass yield.

Keywords: Tef Variety; Nitrogen Fertilizer Rate; Growth; Yield Components: Jimma