Effects of nitrogen, phosphorus and vermicompost fertilizers on productivity of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in Babile, Eastern Ethiopia
Laen...
Kuupäev
2019
Kättesaadav alates
Autorid
Ajakirja pealkiri
Ajakirja ISSN
Köite pealkiri
Kirjastaja
Abstrakt
Though groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a main cash crop for smallholder farmers
in several districts of eastern Ethiopia, its yield is very low. Farmers apply little or no fertilizers
to grow the crop possibly because no generic or recommended fertilizers rates available for
farmers. Therefore field experiments were conducted for two consecutive cropping seasons in
Babile district, to prove the hypothesis that one of the major factors that severely reduce the yield
of the crop was lack of nutrients in the soil with the objective of investigating the effects of
applying mineral NP fertilizers and vermicompost on the productivity of improved groundnut
variety ‘BaHa-Gudo’. The experiment was 3 × 3 × 3 factorial with three replications laid down
in a randomized complete block design comprising nitrogen (0, 23 and 46 kg N ha-1
), phosphorus
(0, 46 and 92 kg P2O5 ha-1
) and vermicompost (0, 2.5 and 5 t vermicompost ha-1
). The data on
crop growth, nodulation and yield were collected and subjected to analysis of SAS 9.2 software.
Means separation were made using Duncans Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at 5% level of
significance. The results revealed that growth, yield attributes, and yields were significantly
(P < 0.01) affected by the main and interactions effect of the treatments. The pod yield obtained
from combined application of 46: 46 kg N: P2O5 ha-1
and 2.5 t vermicompost ha-1
exceeded the
pod yield produced from nil application of fertilizers by about 100%. The economic analysis also
indicated that the highest marginal rate of return (671%) and net benefit ($ 1,830) ha-1 were
obtained from combined application of 46: 46 kg N: P2O5 ha-1
and 2.5 t vermicompost ha-1
. From
the results it could be concluded that applying the aforementioned doses of fertilizers combination
would enable farmers increase productivity of groundnut so as to enhance farmers’ income and
livelihoods.
Kirjeldus
Article
Märksõnad
groundnut, mineral NP fertilizers, vermicompost, combined application, articles