Effects of Blended NPS Fertilizer Rates on Yield and Quality Attributes of Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Varieties

Abstract

Wheat is one of the cereal crops dominating the food habit and dietary practices of Ethiopia. However, its yield and quality is low due suboptimum fertilizer application by smallholder farmers. Thus, an experiment was undertaken to determine effects of various levels of blended NPS fertilizer on yield and quality attributes of bread wheat varieties. Factorial combinations of three bread wheat varieties (Hidase, Ogolcho, Liben) and six levels of blended NPS fertilizer (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 kg NPS ha^-1) were laid out in a randomized complete block design in three replications. The study result showed that wheat varieties had significant (P<0.05) effects on plant height, biomass yield, grain yield, harvesting index, number of seed spike^-1 and thousand seed weight. Higher plant height (118 cm) was obtained from Ogolcho variety, and higher biomass yield, grain yield, harvest index and thousand seed weight of wheat were obtained from Hidase and Ogolcho varieties as compared to Liben variety. Also, application of NPS fertilizer rates significantly (P<0.05) affected the mean date of heading and plant height of wheat varieties. Interaction effects of wheat varieties and blended NPS fertilizer rates significantly affected biomass yield, grain yield and protein content of wheat. Significantly higher mean grain yield (7667 kg ha^-1) was obtained from Hidase and Ogolcho varieties at an application of 250 kg NPS ha^-1 which improved by 28% as compared to the lowest yield obtained from Liben variety at an application of 100 kg NPS ha^-1. Highest (14.52%) and lowest (11.16%) grain protein contents were obtained from Hidase and Ogolcho varieties at an application of 50 kg NPS ha^-1, respectively. Significantly, higher and positive correlation coefficient was observed between grain yields and dry biomass yield (0.81) and plant height of wheat (0.61). Wheat production at an application of NPS from 50 to 200 kg ha^-1 levels gave better net profit and marginal rate of return for the area even though the growth and yield attributes of wheat were increased up to 250 kg NPS ha^-1. Thus, it can be concluded that an application of NPS fertilizer at 200 kg ha^-1 gave higher grain yield and profitable for wheat production in the study area.

Keywords: NPS Fertilizer, grain yield, protein contents, wheat varieties

DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/14-3-01

Publication date: February 28^th 2023