Abstract:
A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the Effects of Rate and Time of Nitrogen Fertilizer Application on Yield, Quality and Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Malt Barley Varieties (Hordeum Distichon L.) during the 2018 cropping season at Bassonaworana Woreda; central highlands of Ethiopia. The experiments were laid in factorial arrangement of randomized complete block design with three replication four nitrogen rates in the form of N (50, 70, 90, 110 kgha-1),three times nitrogen application(T1=Full dose at sowing, T2=1/2 dose at sowing and 1/2 dose mid-tillering,T3 =1/4 dose at sowing,1/2 dose at mid-tillering and 1/4 dose at anthesis)and two malt barley varieties (Ibon174/03-V1and EH-1847-V2).The result showed that, the interaction effects of nitrogen rates with time of application significantly increased the grain yield from 2889.00 to 6611.10kgh-1 in case two-was interaction and from 2694.4kgha-1 to 6916.70kgha-1in three way interaction effect with the acceptable ranges of quality parameter(thousand seed weight35to45gm,grain protein contents9-12%and hectoliter weight48to62kghl-1).Varieties affected thousand seed weight and the protein content levels.EH1847 variety gave higher thousand seed weight (53.40gm) and highest (12.21%) but with unacceptable protein, content while IBONE174/03 variety gave an acceptable level of thousand seed weight (49.82gm) and protein content (10.57%).Nitrogen uptake increased along with nitrogen rates and times of application, which had significant effect on grain yield. Interaction of Nitrogen rate versus time of application mainly affected positively apparent recovery, agronomic, agro-physiological efficiency and nitrogen harvest index of the crop significantly. Simple partial budget analysis also revealed that the highest net benefit of Eth. birr 79137.36ha-1 and marginal rate of return of 31.37% with value to cost ratio of Eth. birr 4.73 per unit of investment was generated from combination of 110kg Nha-1 and Ibon174/03 variety. Therefore, the combination of 110kgNha-1 fertilizer rate with Ibon174/03 variety at the time of application T3had economically feasible for malt barley production at Bassonaworana Woreda. However, it is difficult to give a conclusive remark, since this study was conducted only in one season and in a single location, the study needs to be repeated over seasons and locations.
