ISSN 2167-0447
International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2167-0447 Vol. 6 (9), pp. 1141-1147, September, 2016. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Response of maize to fertilization on alluvial soil in Arba Minch, Gamo-Gofa, Southern Ethiopia
Parshotam Datt Sharma, Kiya Adare, Amare Girma, Berhanu Lemma
Department of Plant Sciences, College of Agriculture, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, P.O. Box 21, Ethiopia.
Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected]
Received 21 June, 2016; Revised 27 July, 2016; Accepted 02 August, 2016; Published 22 September, 2016
Abstract
Assessing crop response to fertilizer application is essential to recommend or preclude the fertilizer use in an area. A field experiment was conducted on Arba Minch University research site having alluvial soil to know the response of maize crop to combined levels of N, P and K with or without farm yard manure (N0 P0 K0, N100 P0 K0, N100 P50 K0, N100 P50 K50, N50 P25 K25, N50 P25 K25 + FYM @10 t ha-1, N100 P50 K50 + FYM @10 t ha-1, N150 P75 K75, N150 P75 K75 + FYM @10t ha-1, FYM @10 t ha-1) under irrigated conditions. There was, in general, no significant response of maize (var., BH 140) in terms of growth, yield components and grain yield to the application of fertilizer nutrients in balanced and integrated manner along with farm yard manure. The grain yield without fertilization (93.4 q/ha) was at par with yield in treatment with higher level of nutrients like N150 P75 K75 (109.5 q/ha). Therefore, for the present, fertilizer application may not be recommended for higher maize productivity on alluvial plain soils in Gamo-Gofa zone. The soils, however, need to be monitored over the years for any fertility decline and replenishment of nutrients through addition of fertilizers. The high fertility of soils may be exploited advantageously for growing of organic produce, fetching premium price in domestic and international markets.
Key words: Maize, NPK fertilizer response, integrated nutrient management, alluvial plain soil, Southern Ethiopia.