Phosphorus Response and Fertilizer Recommendations Under Balanced Fertilizers for Wheat Grown on Nitisols in the Central Highlands of Ethiopia

Abstract

Phosphorous response and fertilizer recommendation under balanced fertilizer study was conducted for wheat grown on nitisols in Welmera district, West Shewa, in central highlands of Ethiopia. The experiment was arranged in a complete block design with five levels of phosphorous fertilizer (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 kg ha^-1) with three replications. Based on a yield difference between the phosphorus treatments and negative control treatments, Relative yield at 80% of sites responded to phosphorus fertilizer. Phosphorous fertilizer application at different rates wheat grain yield increased up to 20.6% when compared to the negative control treatment (zero p treatment). Extractable soil P concentrations (Bray II method, 0- 20 cm depth) three weeks after planting significantly responded to P fertilizer rate. Relative yield correlated with soil phosphorous values revealed that the soil phosphorous levels greater than 14.8 mg kg^-1 (critical phosphorous concentration) was found to be optimum for production of wheat on nitisols area. Phosphorous requirement factor (Pf) average was calculated from soil phosphorous values of all treatments for the study area was 11.13. In the absence of a soil test, a recommendation of 30 kg P ha^-1 to prevent a potential loss of wheat. Further study is needed to determine interaction effect of phosphorus with other nutrient requirement of wheat involving more soil types and agro-ecological zones supported by appropriate soil and plant analysis.

Keywords: Nitisols, P concentration, Phosphorus, P requirement factor, Relative yield, Wheat

DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/10-1-02

Publication date: January 31^st 2020