Maize (Zea mays L.) crop response to phosphorus fertilization on fluvisols in Northern Ethiopia
Journal Title: Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences (JBES) - Year 2013, Vol 3, Issue 5
Abstract
A field experiment involving different P fertilizer rates (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 kg P ha-1) was conducted to determine effect of P on maize (Zea mays L.) growth, yield, N and P uptakes and P use efficiency on Fluvisols at Birki village, northern Ethiopia using a randomized complete block design with three replications. The experiment was conducted under rain-fed condition between 10 July and 12 November 2011. Application of 30 kg P ha-1 significantly (P ≤ 0.01) increased maize grain yield, total above ground N and P uptakes, grain N and P uptakes and P harvest index. At this P level, grain yield increased by 1074 kg ha-1 (54.8%) over the control plot. Soil P at harvest has also significantly (P ≤ 0.01) increased as applied P increased from 0 to 60 kg P ha-1. Significant (P ≤ 0.05) increments were also observed on plant height, maize ear length and total above ground dry matter weight at 40 kg P ha-1 and on shoot P uptake at 30 kg P ha-1over the control. However, no significant (P > 0.05) differences were observed on shoot dry matter weight, number of grains per ear, harvest index and shoot N uptake. Phosphorus use efficiencies of maize were also observed to decrease with increasing levels of applied P. At the optimum application rate of 30 kg P ha-1, observed P agronomic and P utilization efficiencies of maize were 28.7 and 32.1 kg kg-1, respectively. Generally, the results of the study indicated that application of P fertilizer significantly increased the grain yield of maize mainly through its positive effects on the crop‘s growth parameters, yield components and total plant N and P uptakes. The analysis of marginal rate of return has further confirmed that application of 30 kg P ha-1 gave the highest net return of 3717.4 Birr ($203) ha-1which implies that it can be recommended for the production of economically optimal maize yield on Fluvisols under the environment prevailing in the study areas.
Authors and Affiliations
Fisseha Hadgu, Heluf Gebrekidan, Kibebew Kibret, BirruYitaferu
Keywords
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