Verification and Demonstration of Soil Test Based Phosphorus Fertilizer Recommendation Rate on Yield of Teff (Eragrostis Tef (Zucc) Trotter) in Vertisols of Northern Ethiopia

Abstract

Nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers are the major limiting factors in most Ethiopia Vertisols. Phosphorus calibration experiments were conducted at wereda Tahtay koraro for phosphorus fertilizer recommendation on Teff for Teff producing area and critical concentration and requirement factor of Phosphorus fertilizer were developed. Using these critical concentrations verified at Medebay-Zana district at farmer's field by the year of 2011. The treatments were blanket recommendation (46 kg N ha^-1, 46 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1) and soil test based phosphorus fertilizer recommendation. The result of Soil test based phosphorus fertilizer recommendation rate (STBR) on teff shows that higher yield as compared to blanket fertilizer recommendation. The maximum grain yield obtained from Soil test based phosphorus fertilizer recommendation rate (STBR) was 2100 kg ha^-1 and the minimum is obtained 949 kg ha^-1. Generally the grain yield and straw yield showed that 26.42% and 35.26% yield increment over the blanket type application of fertilizer. Due to this result the farmers on the soil test based phosphorus fertilizer recommendation rate (STBR) technology perceived positively.

Keywords: Blanket recommendation, Soil test, Vertisols, Teff, Medebay-Zana