Economic Analysis of Integrated Striga Management for Striga control as Influenced by Trap Crops and Inorganic Fertilizer Application in Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] at Fedis District, Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

Strigais problematic weed causing difficulty in cultivation of sorghum in areas of eastern hararghe where low and erratic rainfall is prevalent and soils are characterized by poor fertility. Knowing these different options of management has been tried however; its cost benefit has never been studied. Therefore, to assess its economic analysis and effect of integrated Striga management on Striga incidence, a field experiment was conducted during the cropping season of 2015 on heavily Striga-infested field in Fedis District, Boko site to determine the effect of trap crops (cowpea, soybean, desmodium, control) and N fertilizer rates (0, 46, 92 and 138 kg N ha-1) on management of Striga incidence and its economic analysis. The experiment was laid out in a factorial arrangement in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Trap crops were uprooted at maximum above ground fresh biomass. The results indicated significant (P<0.05) main effects of trap crop on emergence of Striga where the lowest (26%) Striga emergence of about was recorded over the control with use of cowpea.Striga count at harvest of sorghum was significantly (P< 0.05) affected by the interaction effect of trap crop and N fertilizer where 46 kg N ha-1 and use of cowpea as trap crop reduced the number of Striga seed bank by about 52.3% over the control treatment. The partial budget analysis also showed that the highest(47998.8 Birr ha-1) net benefit was obtained with the use of cowpea as a trap crop and 46kgN ha-1 application. Thus, the use of cowpea as trap crop and 46 kg N ha-1was found to be promising both agronomical and economically