Agronomy

NITROGEN USE EFFICIENCY, GRAIN YIELD AND QUALITY IN DURUM WHEAT (Triticum turgidum L. Var. Durum) UNDER IRRIGATED AND RAIN-FED ENVIRONMENTS IN CENTRAL ETHIOPIA

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 00:00:00 GMT

NITROGEN USE EFFICIENCY, GRAIN YIELD AND QUALITY IN DURUM WHEAT (Triticum turgidum L. Var. Durum) UNDER IRRIGATED AND RAIN-FED ENVIRONMENTS IN CENTRAL ETHIOPIA Firew Gebremariam Woldgioregis; Dr. Kindie Tesfaye; Dr. Tesfaye Balemi; . Dr. Almaz Meseret; Dr. Negash Geleta; . Dr. Abdultif Ahmed Wheat has historically been cultivated in Ethiopia using rain-fed agricultural system. However, the practice of irrigated wheat production is a relatively recent development in the country. Despite this shift, there has been a notable lack of research on the recommended improved cultivars, nitrogen application rates, and irrigation frequencies specifically for durum wheat in irrigated systems. Furthermore, the comparative benefits of irrigated versus rain-fed production systems concerning durum wheat grain yield and quality have not been extensively explored. To address these gaps, a series of studies were conducted at the Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center in Central Ethiopia. The primary objectives of these studies were to assess the performance of durum wheat cultivars under both irrigated and rain-fed production systems, to optimize recommended nitrogen rates for durum wheat production and grain quality within rain-fed systems, to establish nitrogen fertilizer rates and irrigation frequencies for improved durum wheat production and grain quality, to calibrate and validate the DSSAT-CERES-Wheat model for simulating the growth and yield of selected durum wheat cultivars under irrigation, and to evaluate the responsiveness of durum wheat growth and yield to varying nitrogen rates and irrigation frequencies using this model. The first experiment's findings revealed that the combined analysis of variance over multiple years indicated that the cultivars significantly influenced both the yield and grain quality of durum wheat in irrigated and rain-fed systems. In the irrigated environment, the cultivars Tesfaye, Mangudo, Utuba, Tate, and Hitosa achieved the highest grain yields. Conversely, the highest protein content was found in the Bakalcha, Toltu, Bullalla, Fetan and Utuba cultivars. In the rain-fed system, the cultivars Mangudo, Tesfaye, Utuba, Hitosa, and Tate produced the greatest grain yields, while Bakalcha, Toltu, Bullalla, Feta and Utuba demonstrated elevated grain protein content. A pair-wise T-test analysis further illustrated that the irrigated system enhanced grain yield, biomass yield, thousand kernel weight, and hectoliter weight by 40.9%, 36%, 25%, and 39%, respectively, when compared to the rainfed system. However, the rain-fed system exhibited superior values in protein content, gluten content, gluten index, and SDS-sedimentation of durum wheat, relative to the irrigated system. The second experiment focused on the impact of nitrogen rates on durum wheat cultivars. The combined data analysis indicated that varying nitrogen fertilizer rates significantly influenced both the grain yield and quality of the cultivars. In the rain-fed production system, increasing nitrogen rates from 0 to 138 kg N ha–1 led to improvements across all measured parameters. The cost-benefit analysis indicated that a nitrogen application rate of 92 kg N ha–1 is optimal for durum wheat production within the study area and similar agro-climatic conditions. The third experiment examined the interaction between nitrogen rates and irrigation intervals on durum wheat. Results showed that the interaction significantly affected both grain yield and quality. Application rates of nitrogen from 0 to 138 kg N ha–1 improved all studied parameters across all irrigation intervals. Notably, the highest average grain yield (6.9 t ha–1 ) and biomass yield (16.35 t ha–1 ) over two years were achieved with the application of 138 kg N ha–1 at the I1 irrigation interval. The cost-benefit analysis reiterated that a nitrogen application of 138 kg N ha–1 is the recommended rate for durum wheat in irrigated systems in the study area and similar agro-climatic regions. In the fourth experiment, the calibration and evaluation of the DSSAT- model for durum wheat cultivars in an irrigated environment were conducted. This involved calibrating the model with data from two years of field experiments (2018/19 and 2019/20) and evaluating it with data from three additional years (2020/21, 2021/22, and 2022/23). The results indicated that the normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) of the model ranged from 1.4 to 4.6 daysfor physiological maturity and from 5.4 to 9.3 kg ha–1 for grain yield, among other parameters. These findings demonstrate that the model was successfully calibrated and validated for durum wheat in central Ethiopia. The fifth experiment involved utilizing the DSSAT v4.7.5 model to simulate durum wheat yield under varying nitrogen rates and irrigation intervals in central Ethiopia. The evaluation incorporated nitrogen rates of 0, 46, 92, 138, and 184 kg ha–1 and three irrigation intervals (Irrigation-1, Irrigation-2, and Irrigation-3). The evaluation results indicated a strong correlation between the simulated and observed data, with percent NRMSE values ranging from 0.25 to 10%, 1.05 to 14%, and 1.65 to 23.01% under the respective irrigation intervals. Additional metrics, such as error differences (ED) and indexes of agreement (d-stat), further validated the model's performance. In conclusion, the DSSAT model has shown significant promise in accurately simulating durum wheat yield in Central Ethiopia, providing valuable insights into the potential impacts of various management practices and climate variations on durum wheat production 238p.

FECT OF INTER AND INTRA ROW SPACING ON YIELD COMPONENTS AND YIELD OF MAIZE (Zea mays L.) IN KERSA DISTRICT, EAST HARARGHE ZONE, ETHIOPIA

Sat, 01 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT

FECT OF INTER AND INTRA ROW SPACING ON YIELD COMPONENTS AND YIELD OF MAIZE (Zea mays L.) IN KERSA DISTRICT, EAST HARARGHE ZONE, ETHIOPIA Mesfin Tafese Bekele; Jamal Abdullah (PhD); Yibekal Alemayehu Maize is an important cereal crop in Ethiopia due to its use as a source of food security. However, its productivity is limited due to the lack of appropriate plant spacing. A field experiment was conducted during the 2023 main cropping seasons in kersa districts of East Harerghe Zone to study the effect inter and intra-row spacing on growth,phonological yield, and yield components of maize. The experiment consisted of three inter-row spacing (55, 65 and 75 cm) and five intrarow plant spacing (20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 cm) and the experiment was laid out in factorial arrangement with Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The results showed that the interaction effects of both inter and intra-row spacing had significant effects(P<0.01) on the number of days to 50% anthesis, days to 90% physiological maturity, leaf area, leaf area index, plant height, number of kernel per ear, thousand kernel weight, aboveground dry biomass, grain yield and harvest index. Further, the main effects of inter and intra-row spacing were highly significant effect (P<0.01) on number of ear per plant, ear diameter and ear length. The highest days to 50% anthesis was (79.55), days to 90% physiological maturity (153.3), leaf area (1322.5cm2 ), harvest index (4.56) were recorded from 75 cm*40 cm. The highest leaf area index (4.48), plant height (274.5 cm), aboveground dry biomass (25074.55 kg ha-1 ) was recorded rom the interaction effects of 55 cm*20 cm plant spacing. The highest number of kernel per ear (428.5), thousand kernel weight (405.9 g), grain yield (7121 kg ha-1 ) were recorded from the interaction of 75*25 cm whereas the lowest days to 50% anthesis (74.70), days to 90% physiological maturity (144.7), leaf area (1137.67 cm2 ), grain yield (5250.13 kg ha-1 ), number of kernel per ear (388), thousand kernel weight (336.5 g) and harvest index (2.33) were recorded from the interaction effects of 55 cm*20 cm plant spacing. The interaction 75 cm*40 cm spacing recorded the lowest leaf area index (3.01), plant height (239.8 cm per plant), and aboveground dry biomass (14926.13 kg ha-1 ). The study found that the optimal plant spacing for maize productivity is 75cm inter row specing with 25 cm intra-row spacing producing the highest grain yield. Therefore, a plant spacing of 75*25 cm was the most appropriate for maize productivity. Keywords: Grain yield, Harvest index, Maize Row spacing Plant density 75p.

THE CHARACTERISTICS, FUNCTIONS AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION ROLE OF CUSTOMARY COURTS: THE CASE OF HARAMAYA DISTRICT, EAST HARARGHE ZONE, OROMIA, ETHIOPIA

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 GMT

THE CHARACTERISTICS, FUNCTIONS AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION ROLE OF CUSTOMARY COURTS: THE CASE OF HARAMAYA DISTRICT, EAST HARARGHE ZONE, OROMIA, ETHIOPIA Hassen Mume Abrahim; Dr. Temam Haji Adem Ethiopia has been practicing various kinds of customary conflict resolution management. Different customary conflict resolution mechanisms have distinct functions and procedures. This study aimed to explore the characteristics, functions, and conflict resolution’s role of customary court (Mana Murtii Aadaa Oromoo) in Haramaya district of Oromia regional state. The study employed a qualitative research approach with a case study research design. The study also used both primary and secondary data that was collected through key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and observation. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data. Customary court has been playing a vital role in settling conflicts among individuals and groups and in promoting peace, stability, and tolerance in the communities of the study area. The findings reveal that customary court is significant due to its characteristics of producing win-win results for the conflict parties, saving time, re-establishing harmony among conflict parties, revealing crimes committed without witnesses, social stability, and lasting peace among the people of the study area. Customary courts have unused potential for settling conflicts in Ethiopia in general and in the study area in particular. However, absence of clear boundary between legal and customary court, unclear mandate of customary court and lack of clear policy directions, lack of capacity building training for customary elders on the issues of human rights, poor infrastructure, lack of budget and poor working place have been identified as a limiting factor that are affecting the functionality of customary courts in the study area 97p.

EEFFECTS OF FILTER CAKE AND BLENDED NPS FERTILIZER RATES ON SUGARCANE (Saccharum officinarum L.) GROWTH, YIELD AND QUALITY AT FINCHAA SUGAR ESTATE, WESTERN ETHIOPIA

Sat, 01 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT

EEFFECTS OF FILTER CAKE AND BLENDED NPS FERTILIZER RATES ON SUGARCANE (Saccharum officinarum L.) GROWTH, YIELD AND QUALITY AT FINCHAA SUGAR ESTATE, WESTERN ETHIOPIA Abdi Terefe Dibaba; Lemma Degebasa (PhD); Netsanet Ayele (PhD) High cane yield and juice quality are crucial for the commercial sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) industry. This study investigated the effects of blended NPS fertilizer and filter cake on cane growth, yield, and quality, particularly in light of declining soil fertility. The field experiment was conducted at FSE during the 2023/2024 cropping season, the experimental design involved a factorial arrangement combination in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Treatments included four levels of NPS fertilizer (0, 200, 300, and 400 kg ha-1 ) and four levels of filter cake (0, 10, 20, and 30 tons ha-1 ). The findings aim to identified optimal fertilizer combinations and conduct a partial budget analysis of their effects on sugarcane production. Variance analysis revealed highly significant (p < 0.01) differences in cane parameters due to both main and interaction effects of the treatments. The combination of 400 kg ha⁻¹ NPS and 20 tons ha⁻¹ filter cake yielded the highest values for leaf area (332.1 cm²), leaf area index (5.8), cane stalk girth (26.2 mm), millable canes (120155 stalks/ha), fresh stalk weight (1.47 kg/stalk), dry stalk weight (0.42 kg/stalk), pol (16.8%), purity (90.0%) sucrose content (11.73%), cane yield (192.8 t/ha), and sugar yield (24.47 t/ha). The maximum partial budget net benefits return of ETB 1,015,957.9 was achieved with the same treatment, compared to ETB 294,652.5 in controlled. These results suggested that the integration of 20 tons ha⁻¹ filter cake with 400 kg ha⁻¹ NPS was significantly enhance sugarcane production on luvisol soil. Further research is needed with different sugarcane varieties and soil types over multiple cropping seasons for more conclusive recommendations. 63p.