Identification of Best Split Application Frequency and Timing of Nitrogen Fertilizer for Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) in Eastern Amhara

Kassaye Aragaw

doi:10.7176/jees/10-6-03

Abstract

Nitrogen is one of the growth limiting nutrients in agricultural production. Proper nitrogen application time and rates are critical to meet crop needs and indicate considerable opportunities for improving nitrogen use efficiency. Split-application of Nitrogen fertilizer experiment was conducted in major long mature sorghum varieties (Degalet & Jamyo) growing areas of Eastern Amhara for 2016/17 cropping season. The experiment was initiated to identify the appropriate time and frequency of N fertilizer application on grain yield of long mature sorghum. The experiment was designed in randomized complete block consisting of five Nitrogen fertilizer application times: (1) 1/2 at planting + 1/2 at knee height stage, (2) 1/3 at planting + 1/3 at knee height stage + 1/3 at stem elongation (3) 2/3 at knee height + 1/3 at stem elongation , (4) 1/3 at planting + 2/3 at knee height stage and (5) full recommended N at Knee height stage of the crop and replicated three times in each farmer’s field . The collected data were subjected to analysis of variance using SAS version 9.0. The Result showed that there was no statistical significance yield difference (p > 0.05) between treatments in both Raya Kobo and srinka for the two long maturity sorghum (degalet and jamyo) varieties. Keywords: Fertilizer, Nitrogen, Sorghum, Split application DOI: 10.7176/JEES/10-6-03 Publication date: June 30 th 2020

Highlights

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is the most important cereal crop in Ethiopia ranking third in area coverage after tef and maize
The total nitrogen ranged from 0.08% to 0.13% and 0.1% to 0.25 % for Raya Kobo and srinka respectively, and this range is medium for srinka and low level for Kobo district (Tekaligne et al, 1991)
This result revealed that application of nitrogen at different growth stages of sorghum didn’t brought a statistically significant difference in both grain yield and biomass yield of long mature sorghum varieties in the two sorghum growing areas

Summary

Introduction

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is the most important cereal crop in Ethiopia ranking third in area coverage after tef and maize. In Amhara region, sorghum covered a significant amount of cultivated land following tef. Kobo and Srinka is one of the potential areas of North Wollo zone where sorghum is largely produced. Sorghum productivity and production remained very low owing to different biotic and abiotic production constraints. Low soil fertility, poor crop management practices for instance timing of nitrogen fertilizer application and sorghum pests are the major sorghum production constraints (Gebreyesus Brhane, 2012). Erratic and unreliable rainfall is the most serious physical constraint for sorghum production in dry land areas as compared to timing of Urea fertilizer application (Aleminew et al, 2015)

Methods

Results

Conclusion