Effect of NP Fertilizer Rates and Plant Population Density on Late Maturing Maize Variety at Jimma and Buno-Bedele Zone, Southwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

Maize is among the leading cereals in production globally and an important potential food security crop in Ethiopia. However, its productivity is very low mainly due to low soil fertility and plant stands per area. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted to determine the effect of NP fertilizer and plant density at Jimma and BunoBedele Zone, Southwestern Ethiopia during 2016-2018 main cropping seasons. The experiment had four nitrogen and phosphorus rates (P₂O₅); 69/52, 92/69, 115/86 and 138/104 kg ha^-1; blended NPSZnB fertilizer (150 kg ha^-1 +140 kg ha^-1 urea top dressed) and four plant density; 44,444, 53,333, 66,666, and 88,888. Each treatment was assigned to each plot in split plot design in which fertilizer assigned to sub plot and plant density assigned to main plot.Data on the yield and yield components were subjected to ANOVA using SAS version 9.3. The highest grain yield 7566.2 kg ha^-1 and above ground biomass 15.07 ton ha^-1 were recorded from 138/104 N/P₂O₅ fertilizer followed by grain yield 7182 kg ha^-1 and above ground biomass19.94 ton ha^-1 by 66,666 plant ha^-1. The highest net benefit 35,050.18 and 37,220.6 ETB were obtained from 138/104 kg ha^-1 N/P₂O₅ and plant density of 53,333 (75*25cm). Therefore, it is advisable for farmers in the study area and adjacent woredas’ with similar agro-ecologies, a plant density of 53,333 plant ha^-1 (75 x 25cm a plant hill^-1 or 75 x 50 cm two plants hill^-1) in complement with N/P₂O₅ fertilizer rate of 92/69 kg ha^-1 can be recommended.

Keywords: Grain yield, inorganic fertilizer and plant population

DOI: 10.7176/JEES/10-6-01

Publication date:June 30^th 2020