Abstract
Yield of maize hybrids could be low when grown below optimum management practices. Use of improved varieties and optimum nitrogen fertilizer application practices are unlocking the high yielding potential of hybrids maize. With these in view, a field experiment was executed on farmers’ field to determine the effect of varieties and nitrogen fertilizer rate on yield and yield components of maize in two cropping seasons. It is laid out with randomized complete block design in factorial arrangement with three replications. Five maize varieties (BH-540, BH-543, BH-661, BH-660, and BH-140) as main factor and two levels of nitrogen (55 and 110 Kg N ha−1) as subfactor were used with one maize variety (BH-543) without fertilizer as control. Leaf area and leaf area index of maize varieties were significantly affected by application of nitrogen fertilizer rates. Interaction of maize varieties with nitrogen fertilizer rates significantly affected all yield and yield components of maize. Application of half and full recommended nitrogen fertilizer produced mean grain yield advantages of 31 and 41% over control. Therefore, application of half and full recommended nitrogen fertilizer for improved maize varieties has significantly improved grain yield and recommended for maize production in midaltitude area of western Ethiopia.
Highlights
Supplying nutritious, safe, and affordable food to a growing population is one of the far most burning issues currently facing Africa to fulfill food security in the region
Salinization of irrigated areas, migration of youth to urban areas, and climate changes are among the many risks that are negatively affecting the agricultural production potential in Africa [1]
The remaining N is incorporated into soil organic matter or lost from farmlands through erosion, surface runoff, leaching, and gaseous (NH3, N2O, NO, NO2, or N2) emissions from
Summary
Safe, and affordable food to a growing population is one of the far most burning issues currently facing Africa to fulfill food security in the region. Salinization of irrigated areas, migration of youth to urban areas, and climate changes are among the many risks that are negatively affecting the agricultural production potential in Africa [1]. For agricultural production to keep pace with the growing global population, the use of chemical fertilizers will continue [2]. The rate of N fertilizer application has increased tremendously, a trend which is expected to continue [4]. Lassaletta et al [5] reported that only 47% of the reactive nitrogen added globally onto cropland is converted into harvested products, compared to 68% in the early 1960s, while synthetic N fertilizer input increased by a factor of 9 over the same period. The remaining N is incorporated into soil organic matter or lost from farmlands through erosion, surface runoff, leaching, and gaseous (NH3, N2O, NO, NO2, or N2) emissions from
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