EFFECT OF BLENDED NPSB FERTILIZER RATES ON YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS OF TEF (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) VARIETIES IN GONDAR ZURIA DISTRICT, NORTHWESTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Tef is grown as an important domestic cereal in Ethiopia. Nevertheless, the productivity of the crop is low due to mainly limited use of improved variety, nutrient depletion, poor management and inappropriate use of fertilizer rates. Therefore, this field experiment was conducted in Gondar zuria district during 2023 production season to evaluate the effect of blended NPSB fertilizer rates on growth, yield and yield components of tef varieties under rain fed conditions. Factorial combinations of six levels of blended NPSB fertilizer rates (0, 50,100, 150, 200 and 250 k.g ha-1) and two tef varieties (Tsedey and Dukem) were laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The data for all parameters were collected and analyzed using SAS version 9.4 software; treatment means were compared at 1% and 5% level of significance using the least significant difference (Fisher's LSD) and correlation analysis was performed using the Pearson correlation procedure. Analysis of variance showed days to 50% panicle emergence, 90% physiological maturity, panicle length, number of total tillers, productive tillers, lodging index, grain yield and thousand seed weight were very highly significantly (P<0.001) affected by main effect of both varieties and NPSB fertilizer rates. Total and productive tillers, lodging index, above ground dry biomass and straw yield were significantly affected by interaction effect of variety and blended NPSB fertilizer rates. Significantly the maximum total number of tillers (3.33 per plant), productive number of tillers (2.73 per plant) and highest grain yield (1.73 ton ha-1) were recorded from Dukem variety with application of 150 kg NPSB ha-1 fertilizer rate. Highest above ground dry biomass (13.63 ton ha-1) and straw yield (11.99 ton ha-1) were obtained from Dukem variety with application of 200 kg ha-1 NPSB fertilizer rate. Significantly higher lodging index (55%) was obtained from Tsedey variety with application of 250 kg ha-1 NPSB fertilizer rate. The application of 150 kg ha-1 blended NPSB fertilizer rate with Dukem variety gave highest net benefit (169,869.2) ETB ha-1 with the marginal rate of return of 2,933.3%. Therefore, application of 150 kg ha-1 NPSB fertilizer rate with Dukem variety could be recommended in the study area. However, since the experiment was conducted for one season at one location, it is suggested that the experiment has to be repeated over seasons and locations in order to give a comprehensive recommendation.