Effect of Fertilizer Sources on Potato Yield and Yield Components under Acidic Soil Condition in Central High Lands of Ethiopia

Abstract

Agronomic practices like fertilizer application and low soil pH which associated with soil infertility problems are considered to be among the major challenges to potato production in the highlands of Ethiopia. In response to this, an experiment was conducted  to compare effect of different sources of fertilizes on potato yield and yield components from 2015-2016 main cropping season(June–August) in four districts of west and south west part of Ethiopia comprising two potato varieties  Belete and Gudenie as main plot and five fertilizer source treatments as sub plot. These fertilizer source treatments were control, recommended Urea (165 kg/ha) and DAP (195 kg/ha), recommended Urea (165 kg/ha) and DAP (195 kg/ha) plus 225 kg/ha potassium sulfate (K₂SO₄), recommended Urea (165 kg/ha) and DAP (195 kg/ha) plus 225 kg/ha potassium chloride (KCl)  and 242 kg/ha blended mineral fertilizer NPSB with N=18.9%, P=37.7%, S=6.95%, B=0.1% content plus 141 kg/ha urea under both limed and unlimmed soil conditions. The design was split plot with three replications. The data were analyzed using SAS soft ware versions 9.2.  The experiment results showed that interaction of location and fertilizer types was highly significant in affecting total tuber   and marketable tuber weight in t/ha. The Blended NPSB fertilizer was found superior in Welmera and Gumer location producing maximum total tuber yield of 33.21t/ha and 22.93t/ha respectively, under unlimmed soil condition while recommended urea and DAP provided maximum total tuber yield 31.38t/ha and 24.06t/ha under limed soil condition, respectively. In Jeldu growing location, the recommended urea and DAP plus KCl was produced maximum total tuber yield (19.13 t/ha under Unlimmed; and 23.9 t/ha total tuber yield under limed soil condition). In wenchi, the recommended urea and DAP was produced maximum 25.66 and 30.99 t/ha total tuber yield under both un-limed and limed soil condition, respectively. Interaction of growing year and location was highly significant in influencing average tuber number (total tuber number/plant) and average tuber weight (total tuber weight/tuber number).  Interaction of location and growing year was highly significant in influencing dry matter under un-limed and limed soil condition. From these results, it can be concluded that the growing location and fertilizer sources had significantly affected the yield and yield component of potato both under limed and unlimmed soil conditions.

Keywords: Potato, Potassium Fertilizer, Acid Soils, Lime Application

DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/9-23-02

Publication date: December 31^st 2019