November, 2015
Wheat, Tef, Maize and Soybean Response to Potassium and Micronutrients Application on Different Soils of
Ethiopia
Negash Demissie and Sofia Kassa, DZARC, EIAR
2nd IPI – MoA - Hawassa Univ. – ATA Joint Symposium,
24-26 November 2015, Hawassa, Ethiopia
Resources Agroecologies sustain the cultivation of crops and livestock
Agriculture
Source: Access Capital Research January , 2012
74.3 million of ha Arable land
12.6 % Peasant smallholder cultivation
0.5 % Commercial farm cultivation
Tremendous potential for AD
Conducive Policies
But, the agriculture is dominated by a subsistence, low input-low output, rainfed farming system.
The agric. performed strongly over the past 2 decades - as a result of horizontal expansion and - small increased yields
Nevertheless, - food security remains a critical issue for many households, and for the country as a whole.
Little extra land is available and the increase in production will have to come from higher yields, for which there is ample scope.
The provision of an adequate supply of food remains a challenge
In order to reach the required yield levels, fertilizer use will need to increase and improve.
Poor soil fertility and nutrient depletion
- the principal factors which hampered our crop production
In most cases soils left unchecked, the wider set of soil fertility constraints have been limiting the future output and growth of our agriculture
The Soils with inherent characteristics - can be problematic for crop production and - need special management.
In some areas, soils are already limit the effectiveness of chemical fertilizer.
The chemical, physical, and biological issues interact and include loss of
- OM, macro- and micronutrient depletion, - topsoil erosion, acidity, salinity, and deterioration of other physical soil properties
Thus, - our soils demanding high amendments with
macro and micronutrients
Fertilizer consumption in Ethiopia
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
1994 1997 2000 2003 2006
Met
ric
to
n
Source: TradingEconomics.com Year
for the year 2011 833,000 tones
FERTILISER o Core agricultural input, o In Ethiopia in 1952
since the end of 1990s
there was dramatic
growth in its use
The present application
rates are relatively low.
Source: Access Capital Research January , 2012
It is applied on approx. 40% of
cultivated land, and
Is heavily concentrated on 4
cereals (wheat, tef, and maize)
(World Bank, 2008).
Chemical fertilizer consumption in Ethiopia
27.6 Kg/ha DAP 12.7 Kg/ha P2O5 or 5.54 Kg P/ha
17 Kg/ha Urea 8 Kg/ha N (including the N in DAP)
Fertilizer Fertilizer use has mainly focused on
- DAP ((NH4)2 HPO4),Urea (CO(NH2)2 ) and
- TSP --- > Commercial farms, Research, HLI
Fertilizer
Potassium as fertilizers were not applied to soils of Ethiopia. Mainly because
o Response to K was not significant (FAO in the 70’s freedom for hunger campaign)
o The periodic crop response to K even in the heavy clay Vertosols
(Paulos, 1986, Abiye et al., 2004)
o The analysis (ammonium acetate extraction) of which shows adequate
levels of exch. K, (K is fixed in the clay)(Paulos, 1986, Abiye et al., 2004)g
Major nutrients like potassium, Sulfur, Zn and Cu received less attention (Abiye et al., 2004; Tareke Berhe et al., 2010, Paulos, 1996;
Abayneh et al., 2001; National acid soil management report, 2008)
Therefore, herein there was continuous nutrient (like K+) mining and depletion
Hence, no doubt, besides to all other improved technologies, balanced fertilizer
application should be the leading practice to increase agricultural productivity
besides .
Fertilizer The annual per-hectare net loss of nutrients is estimated to be at least 40 kg N,
6.6 kg P and 33.2 kg K (Scoones and Toulmin, 1999). Among the others, the negative nutrient balance was attributed to continuous
cropping, high proportions of cereals in the cropping system, and the application of suboptimal levels of mineral fertilizers (Tanner et al., 1991; Hailu et al., 1991; Workneh and Mwangi, 1992).
Idea of new fertilizers introduction, verification and evaluation had came from the MoA
Attempts had been made to contact potential fertilizer
suppliers Different fertilizer products had been introduced from
abroad Different stakeholders had been invited to technology
verification Attempts had been made to get financial support
Potassium Sulfate,
Coptrac,
Zintrac and
Teprosyn
Blended fertilizers (6)
Newly introduced
Objectives: To evaluate the effect of potassium fertilizers and few micronutrients (Cu and Zn) applied to four major crops (wheat, tef, maize, and soybean) on different Ethiopian soils.
The Different Potash fertilizers used in the experiments
K2SO4 Potassium and micronutrients on Vertisols K2SO4 Potassium on acid soils Togo 26-11-11 N-P2O5-K2O + 3.5S + 0.15 B2O3 0.6 Zn Yara mila 23-10-0-5-3-0.3 N-P2O5-K2O-S-MgO-Zn
Methodology
Sources of Micronutrients (Cu and Zn)(Dual foliar application:
Zintrac
Coptrac
Fertilizer types Tef Wheat Maize Soybean Total 1 K2SO4 and micronutr. (Vertisols) 20 23 43 2 K2SO4 and micronutr. (acid Soils) 1 4 5 4 Togo 26-11-11 N-P2O5-K2O 3 11 4 18
5 Yara Mila 23-10-5 N-P2O5-S 6 17 1 3 27
Total sites 29 52 9 3 93
Crops, fertilizer types and no. of sites
4 Crop types
93 Sites
Treatments Experiment I. (K2SO4, Cu, Zn )
1) Control
2) Rec. NP
3) NP rec.+50% Cu + 70% Zn
4) NP @ rec.+ K2SO4 @50kg /ha
5) NP @ rec.+ K2SO4 @ 50kg /ha + 50%Cu + 70% Zn
6) NP @ rec. + 50% Cu
7) NP @ rec. + 70% Zn
Experiment II. (K2SO4 )
1) Control (no fertilizer)
2) Recommended (Rec.) NP
3) Rec. NP + K2SO4 25kg/ha
4) Rec. NP + K2SO4 50kg/ha
5) Rec. NP + K2SO4 75kg/ha
Experiment III. (Togo, K+ )
1) Control
2) NP @ a recom.
3) Togo fertilizer @ 200Kg/ha
4) Togo fertilizer @ 200Kg/ha + Urea adj. for N
5) Togo fertilizer @ 200Kg/ha + adj. for N P
N.B.: Togo 26-11-11 N-P2O5-K2O + 3.5S + 0.15 B2O3 0.6 Zn
Experiment IV. (K2SO4 )o
1) NP @ a recommended
2) Yara mila @ 100Kg/ha (basal) + 50kg (split)
3) Yara mila @ 100kg (basal) +100kg (split)
4) Yara mila @ 50kg (basal) +50kg (split) + N adjusted
to recom. with urea & DAP + K2SO4 @50 kg/ha
N.B.: Yara mila 23-10-0-5 N-P2O5- K2O-S
Crop varieties :
Tef: Quncho (DZ-01-Cross 387) @ 25 kg/ha
Wheat: Denda @159kg/ha
Soybean : Klark @
Maize: BH 540 @
Cultural practices
Land preparation: Wheat was planted on BBF plots
constructed using the BBM, where that as possible
Cultural practices like Seed rate, and spacing were
dome as per a recommendation for the crop
Plot size: 5m x 5m for small cereals 5 X 4.8 Maize.
K and Micronutrients on Vertisols
Results Results Results Results
K and Micronutrients on Vertisols
Table 1. K and Micronutrients (Cu and Zn) on wheat grain yield (Kg/ha)
Treatment Akaki Chefe
Donsa
Goha
Tsion Becho
Sodo
Dachi Ada’a Lume Minjar Ginchi
Arsi
Robe
Control 1479 1788 1140 1608 3157 1745 1467 1788 1760 1544
Rec. NP 2273 2314 2804 2786 4917 3126 2372 2178 4102 3370
NP rec.+50% Cu + 70% Zn 2042 2455 2990 2935 4956 3495 3776 2557 3583 3094
NP @ rec.+ K2SO4 @50kg /ha 2483 2737 3078 3203 4887 3103 3273 2270 4009 3353
NP @ rec. + K2SO4 @ 50kg
/ha + 50% Cu + 70% Zn 2204 2677 2891 3122 5596 2986 3577 2368 3435 2839
NP @ rec. + 50% Cu 2328 2501 3051 2681 4280 3062 3018 2190 3607 3596
NP @ rec. + 70% Zn 2316 2735 2795 3060 4642 2946 3153 2250 3603 2991
CV (%) 31.2 21.3 28.4 19.6 12.1 17.9 25.8 18.1 12.5 27.8
LSD (5%) 472 316 1282 915 1079 441 587 396 853 148
Objective:
To verify the potassium and micronutrients
(Zn and Cu) fertilizers impact on tef and
wheat crops in different soil types and agro-
ecologies
K and Micronutrients on Vertisols
Control
Rec. NP &
K @ 50kg
Lume: Tulu Ree’
Becho K and Micronutrient on Wheat
Sodo Dachi
N/P
NPK + Cu + Zn Teprosyn
0
NPK
Potassium and micronutrients (Cu an Zn) on Tef
Control NPK (K @
50kg/ha)
Treatment Arsi robe
Control 1614c Rec. NP 1915ab NP@ rec. + 50% Cu + 70% Zn 1933ab NP @ rec. + K2SO4 @ 50kg /ha 2038a NP @ rec. + K2SO4 @ 50kg /ha + 50% Cu + 70% Zn 1890ab NP @ rec. + 50% Cu 1871ab NP @ rec. + 70% Zn 1725b
CV (%) 25.5 LSD (5%) 146.7
Table 3. Effect of K and Micronutrients (Cu and Zn) on Tef
K and Micronutrients on Vertisols
Tef at Akaki
NPK + Cu + Zn
Control
Potassium and micronutrients (Cu an Zn) on Tef at Goha Tsion
Potassium Sulfate Fertilizer on Bread Wheat and Maize Seed Yields of on
acid soils of Jimma
Table 4. Locations, test crops and number of sites
Locations Test crop No. of sites
Melko, Nada, Mettu and Kersa Maize 4
Banja Wheat 1
K ferilizer on acid soils
Georeferences:
Melko:- N 070 40.052" E 036 0 47.312 " 1774 masl
Kersa:- N 070 43.272 " E 037 0 00.884 " 1793masl
Nada:- N 070 43.898 " E 037 0 16.188 " 1760masl
Metu :- N 080 19.058 " E 035 0 36.166 " 1657masl
Treatments Maize Grain Yield, Kg/ha
Metu Melko Nada Kersa
Control (no fertilizer) 3097b 1321b 1527c 1687b Recommended (Rec.) NP 4930a 3679a 3246a 3980a Rec. NP + K2SO4 25kg/ha 5389a 3642a 3281a 4212a Rec. NP + K2SO4 50kg/ha 5236a 3207a 2428b 3535a Rec. NP + K2SO4 75kg/ha 5500a 3318a 2603b 3945a
LSD0.05 1104 763 483 1593 CV% 16 19 13 17
Table 5. Potassium fertilizer on maize grain yield at Jima
Treatments Wheat Yield, Kg/ha
BMY GY
Control (no fertilizer) 2032.6 1271.2
Recommended (Rec.) NP 3782.6 1784.0
Rec. NP + K2SO4 25kg/ha 3902.2 1804.3
Rec. NP + K2SO4 50kg/ha 3489.1 1632.8
Rec. NP + K2SO4 75kg/ha 4271.7 1788.9
CV% 8.5 10.4
LSD0.05 828 305
Table 6. Potassium fertilizer on bread wheat biomass and grain yield at Pawe
Togo Fertilizer
26-11-11 N-P2O5-K2O + 3.5S + 0.15 B2O3 + 0.6 Zn
Table 7. Crop location and sites where wheat, tef and soybean tested
Fertilizers Crops Locations No. sites
Togo 26-11-11
N-P2O5-K2O
Wheat Tiyo (6), Akaki (3), Ada (3) and
Gimbichu (2)
22
Tef Wolmera, Chefe Donsa, Tiyo,
Akaki, Ada 5
Soybean Bedele (Metu), Hurumu (Metu) 4
Georeferences:
Bedele :- E 036 0 22.136’ N 080 31.377’ Lat ; 1879 masl (Farmer Tamirat Befekadu)
Hurumu:- E 035 0 36.166’ N 080 19.058’ Lat ; 1657masl (Farmer Alemayehu Abdissa)
Treatments Grain Yield , kg
ha-1
Control 17.12b NP @ a recom. 34.65ab Togo fertilizer @ 200Kg/ha 36.31ab Togo fertilizer @ 200Kg/ha + Urea adj. for N 49.60a Togo fertilizer @ 200Kg/ha + adj. for N P 25.75b
LSD(0.05) 20.30 CV 32.98
Table 8. Effect of Togo* fertilizer on Maize seed yield (kg ha-1) at Assosa
* Togo 26-11-11 N-P2O5-K2O + 3.5S + 0.15 B2O3 0.6 Zn
Treatment Grain Yield of Soybean, kg/ha
Metu Bedele Control 938 1380 NP @ a recom. 1042 1380 Togo fertilizer @ 200Kg/ha 1407 1459 Togo fertilizer @ 200Kg/ha + Urea adj. for N 1302 1354 Togo fertilizer @ 200Kg/ha + adj. for N P 1198 1459
LSD (0.05) NS NS
Table 9. Effect of Togo* fertilizer on Soybean seed yield (kg ha-1) at two locations
* Togo 26-11-11 N-P2O5-K2O + 3.5S + 0.15 B2O3 0.6 Zn
Yara Mila (23-10-5-3-0.3 N-P2O5-K2O-S-MgO-Zn)
Table 10. Crop types, locations and number sites
Crops Locations (no. sites) Sites
Wheat Arsi Robe (3), Chefe Donsa (2), Kulumsa (3), Bekoji (3), Wolmera (3), Ambo (3)
17
Maize Melko/Seka 1 Soybean Seka, Nada and Kersa 3
Tef Assosa(1), Chefe Donsa (1), Ude (1), Ambo (3) 6
Total 27
Treatment Arsi
Robe
Chefe
Donsa Ada’a Wolmera
Tokke Kutaye
Ambo
Control 2385d 1158d 1698b 1151 b 2170b
NP @ a recommended rate
4249b 1319c 1918ab 1506 a 3352 a
Yara mila @ 100kg/ha (basal) + 50kg (split)
3882c 1547b 1996a 1416 a 2685 b
Yara mila @ 100kg/ha (b) +100kg/ha (sp)
4302b 1577b 1725ab 1505 a 2619b
Yara Mila @ 50Kg/ha (b) + 50kg/ha (sp) + adjusted N + K2SO4 @50 kg/ha
4711a 1716a 1999a 1518 a 3556a
LSD0.05 245.3 80.8 337.7 220.5 569.0
CV (%) 9.7 23.5 23.9 17.4 20.5
Table 11. Evaluation of Yara mila* fertilizer on wheat at five locations, kg/ha
* Yara mila 23-10-0-5 N-P2O5- K2O-S
Evaluation of Yara mila 23-10-0-5 N-P2O5-K2O-S
Chefe Donsa
YM200kg/ha
YM100 kg/ha
+ N + K2SO4
YM150kg/ha
Yara Mila under bread
wheat at Arsi (Bekoji)
Source of
Variation
Grain Yield
(kg/ha)
Biomass Yield
(kg/ha)
Loc *** ***
Rep NS NS
Trt *** ***
Mean 4106.03 11046.61
LSD (0.05) 245.29 1000.7
CV % 9.7 14.71
R2 0.92 0.84
Control Ambo
(Tokke Kutaye)
YM @200 and
adj. N at Ambo
(Tokke Kutaye)
Yara Milla on Wheat
Treatment Dandi Ada Chefe
Donsa Adulala Meki Wolmera
Control 1024 1744 1020 1935 1674 1051
NP @ a recommended rate 1422 1715 1817 2788 2485 1406
Yara mila @ 100kg/ha (basal) + 50kg (split) 1126 2073 1595 2503 2112 1316
Yara mila @ 100kg/ha (b) +100kg/ha (sp) 1459 1654 1641 2840 2576 1405
Yara Mila @ 50Kg/ha (b) + 50kg/ha (sp) + adjusted N + K2SO4 @50 kg/ha
1719 1697 1925 3291 2576 1418
CV, % 8 39 14 29 28 17
LSD 0.05 93 NS 352 NS NS 220
Table 12. Evaluation of Yara mila* fertilizer on Tef at six locations, kg/ha
* Yara mila 23-10-0-5 N-P2O5-K-S
0NP
Yara Milla on Tef
Chefe Donsa
YM 100kg/ha + adj.
N + K2SO4@50 kg/ha
Control (No Fert.)
Treatment Grain Yield kg/ha
Melko Metu Kersa
Control 1406 1302 763 NP @ a recommended rate 1458 1355 1320 Yara mila @ 100Kg/ha (basal) + 50kg (split) 1407 1511 1270
Yara mila @ 100kg (basal) +100kg (split) 1563 1563 1371
Yara mila @ 50kg (basal) +50kg (split) + N adj. +
K2SO4 @50 kg/ha 1571 1550 1423
LSD0.05 NS NS 173
CV% 6 22 5
Table 13. Yara mila* on Soybean at Bedele and Jima areas
* Yara mila 23-10-5 N-P2O5-0-S
Treatment Melko Control 2034 c NP @ a recommended rate 3737b Yara mila @ 100kg/ha (basal) + 50kg (split) 4313b Yara mila @ 100kg/ha (b) +100kg/ha (sp) 5378 a Yara Mila @ 50Kg/ha (b) + 50kg/ha (sp) + adj. N + K2SO4
@50 kg/ha 4623 ab
LSD0.05 990
CV% 16
Table 13. Yara mila on Maize grain yield (Kg/ha) around Jima
* Yara mila 23-10-5 N-P2O5- S
Conclusion
The study showed that importance of potassium application to wheat,
tef, maize, and soybean crops at each location
The potassium response on Vertisols varies from place to place may
be on the type of Vertisols class and soil depth.
Most acid soils ids found to be highly deficient in potassium in
comparison to Vertisols
However, response of crops to potassium requires to use lime
conditioner as a prerequisite.
Micronutrients like Zn, B and Cu found to be very essential on those
areas where potassium is supposed to be low or deficit. o Zn was very important at Ada’a under tef
o Interaction of Zn and Cu very important at Minjar under Tef
We need to conduct optimum potassium recommendation rate particularly for
acid soils.
Thank You