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Optimizing Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) Yields in Northwestern Ethiopia: A Comprehensive Study of Key Soil Nutrient Deficiencies

Article

Last updated: 01 Jan 2025

Subjects

-

Tags

Soil fertility and plant nutrition

Abstract

During crop cultivation, improper application of fertilizers can lead to an imbalance in soil nutrients, resulting in decreased crop yield and deterioration of soil health. To determine the optimal fertilizer combinations for crops, omission experiments prove to be the most practical and straightforward approach. This research was conducted in the Habru district, specifically in Sirinka kebele, during the 2021/2022 cropping season. The main objective was to identify the nutrients that limit Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) yield through omission trials in the same district. The test crop utilized in the study was the Melkam variety of Sorghum. The various treatments applied were Control, NPKSBZn, NPKSZn, NPKSB, NPKBZn, NPSBZn, NKSZn, PKSBZn, and RNP, all arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Prior to the experiment, a composite soil sample was collected from the field to assess crucial factors such as pH, soil texture, organic carbon content, cation exchange capacity (CEC), Total N, available P, Exchangeable S, K, Zn, and B. For the analysis of data, the statistical software SAS version 9.3 was employed to conduct variance analysis. The results from the analysis of variance revealed that the treatment with fully fertilized plots (NPKZnSB) achieved the highest grain yield of 4,144.14 kg ha-1. Following closely was the treatment with sulfur omission (NPKZnB) producing 4,100.0 kg ha-1, whereas the unfertilized treatments only yielded 2,595.32 kg ha-1. In addition to grain yield, the plots treated with NPKSB exhibited the highest agronomic efficiency of N and P. As a consequence, it is imperative for research and development efforts to prioritize nitrogen for achieving optimal sorghum production in the study area. Simultaneously, phosphorus can be strategically employed to maintain optimal fertility levels in the soil. To enhance crop productivity and sustainable agriculture practices, this study highlights the significance of balanced fertilizer application and the importance of understanding the nutrient requirements specific to Sorghum crops in the Habru district. By adopting such knowledge, farmers, and policymakers can make informed decisions and contribute to the overall agricultural development of the region.

DOI

10.21608/ejss.2024.304108.1812

Keywords

nitrogen, Nutrient Efficiency, Nutrient Omission, phosphorus

Authors

First Name

Mahider

Last Name

Wodaje

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

College of Agriculture, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia

Email

mahiwodaje12@gmail.com

City

-

Orcid

-

First Name

Endalkachew

Last Name

Fekadu

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

College of Agriculture, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia

Email

wudab2018@gmail.com

City

-

Orcid

-

First Name

Wudu

Last Name

Abiye

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

Amhara Agricultural Research Institute (AARI), Bahirdar, Ethiopia; (W.A.) wuduabiye@gmail.com Ondokuz Mayis university (OMU), Samsun, Turkiye

Email

wuduabiye@gmail.com

City

-

Orcid

-

First Name

Antonio

Last Name

Scopa

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

Scuola di Scienze Agrarie, Forestali, Alimentari ed Ambientali (SAFE), Università degli Studi della Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano, 10, 85100 Potenza

Email

antonio.scopa@unibas.it

City

-

Orcid

-

First Name

Mohamed

Last Name

A. E. AbdelRahman

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

National Authority for Remote Sensing & Space Sciences (NARSS), EGYPT

Email

maekaoud@gmail.com

City

-

Orcid

0000-0001-8639-591X

First Name

Ali

Last Name

Moursy

MiddleName

RA

Affiliation

Soil and water department, faculty of Agriculture, Sohag University, Egypt

Email

ali.refaat@agr.sohag.edu.eg

City

sohag

Orcid

https://orcid.org/00

Volume

64

Article Issue

4

Related Issue

49165

Issue Date

2024-12-01

Receive Date

2024-07-13

Publish Date

2024-12-01

Page Start

1,617

Page End

1,636

Print ISSN

0302-6701

Online ISSN

2357-0369

Link

https://ejss.journals.ekb.eg/article_384259.html

Detail API

https://ejss.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=384259

Order

384,259

Type

Original Article

Type Code

19

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

Egyptian Journal of Soil Science

Publication Link

https://ejss.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

Optimizing Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) Yields in Northwestern Ethiopia: A Comprehensive Study of Key Soil Nutrient Deficiencies

Details

Type

Article

Created At

23 Dec 2024