GROWTH, YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS OF BREAD WHEAT (Triticum aestivum L.) AS INFLUENCED BY FARM YARD MANURE AND NITROGEN FERTILIZER RATES IN MORETNA JIRU WOREDA, NORTH CENTRAL HIGHLANDS OF ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Soil fertility decline is one of the major impediments to sustained agricultural productivity in Ethiopia. Soil fertility maintenance requires a balanced application of inorganic and organic nutrient sources. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the effect of farmyard manure (FYM) and nitrogen fertilizer (N) on growth, yield component and grain yield of wheat in a field experiment carried out at Moretna Jiru Woreda, central highlands of Ethiopia during the main cropping season of 2019. The treatments include factorial combinations of four rates of FYM (0, 5, 10, and 15 t ha-1) and four rates of nitrogen (0, 100, 200 and 300 kg N ha-1) which were laid out in a randomized complete block design and replicated three times. Analysis of the results revealed that application of N at a rate of 300 kg N significantly hastened days to heading and physiological maturity by 30 days as compared to the control. The main effect of N and Farm yard manure application in number of fertile spikes, number of grains per spike, thousand grain weights, above ground biomass and grain yield had significant. However, the interaction effect non-significant effect on day to50% heading, day to 90% physiological maturity, plant height, spike length, grain nitrogen concentration, straw nitrogen concentration grain nitrogen uptake and total nitrogen uptake. The result further revealed that plant height was significantly increased from 5.8 cm to 89 cm as N rate increased from 0 to 300 kg ha-1, respectively. Similarly, the highest number of tillers, number of kernels per spike and thousand kernel weights were recorded by the application of N rate 300 kg N ha-1and 15-, and 5-ton FYM respectively. Total aboveground biomass yield were also significantly affected by the main effect of N application and the interaction effect of N and FYM. The highest aboveground biomass yield 10122.3 kg ha-1 were recorded with the application of N at a rate of 300 kg ha-1 and FYM at rate of 5-ton ha-1 respectively. The N concentration for straw and grain as well as the grain and total nitrogen uptake by the crop also significantly increased as the rate of N increased. Maximum grain yields were obtained at the N rate of 200 kg ha-1 and 5-ton FYM ha-1. Pre-sowing and post-harvest soil samples were collected from 0-20 cm depth for analysis of pH, soil texture, available P, organic carbon and total N. Based on analysis result changes in soil physico-chemical properties after crop harvest was recorded due to the application of 5 ton ha-1 farm yard manure compared to 10 and 15 ton farm yard manure treatment .The organic matter content and available P status of the soil increased after harvesting analysis compared to before sowing analysis compared to other nutrient . The N content of the soil at post-harvest showed a slight increment compared with the pre-sowing status due to the application of 15-ton ha-1 farm yard manure. It is difficult to make a definite and reliable conclusion based on this single season and single location research result. However, based on the current result application of 200 kg N ha-1 and 5 t ha-1 FYM was recommend for Moretna Jiru woreda as it had the highest net benefit and positive marginal rate of return.