Effects of Seed Rates and Nitrogen Fertilizer Levels on Yield, Yield Components, and Grain Quality of Malt Barley (Hordeum Vulgare L.) in the Central Highlands of Ethiopia

Legesse Admassu

doi:10.7176/jnsr/11-19-01

Abstract

Soil and climatic conditions in West Shoa are on the margins of agricultural capability due to low soil fertility and soil acidity. The overall objective of this research was to develop guidelines for the production of barley in West shoa, with the goal of establishing modern agronomic recommendations. We conducted a 3-year study in Welmera Wereda to examine the effect of seeding rate and nitrogen fertilization rate on malt barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) yield components and grain yield. Increasing seeding rate from 75 kg ha-1 to 175 kg ha-1 did not alter grain yield and other yield component traits. Increasing N fertilization from 0 to 69 kg N ha-1 increased productive tillers and spike length at harvest, resulting in linear increases in grain yield. Highest N rates had greatest lodging. Based on our results, agronomic recommendations for West Shoa now include barley seeding rates of as low as 75 kg ha-1, with N applications up to at least 46 kg N ha-1. Keywords: nitrogen fertilizer, seed rate, quality, malt barley DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/11-19-01 Publication date: October 31 st 2020

Highlights

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is one of the most important cereal crops in the world, ranking fourth after wheat, maize, and rice in terms of product ion (Shah et al, 2009)
According to the Ethiopian standard authority and Asella malt factory (AMF), the protein level of the raw barley quality standard for malt should be between 9-12% (EQSA, 2006)
Treatments were a factorial combinations of five level of seed rates (75, 100, 125, 150 & 175 kg ha-1) and four levels of N fertilizer (0, 23, 46, 69 kg N ha-1)

Summary

Introduction

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is one of the most important cereal crops in the world, ranking fourth after wheat, maize, and rice in terms of product ion (Shah et al, 2009). Barley one of the most important food crops predominantly grown from 1500 to 3500 m above sea level in Ethiopia (Lakew et al, 1996). In the central highlands of Ethiopia barley is an important grain crop for food in the forms such as bread, porridge, soup, roasted grain and preparing alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. It is an important food grain and malting crop in the Ethiopian highlands, with malting barley a major source of income for smallholder farmers (Yirga et al, 1998). According to the Ethiopian standard authority and Asella malt factory (AMF), the protein level of the raw barley quality standard for malt should be between 9-12% (EQSA, 2006)

Objectives

Methods

Conclusion