dc.description.abstract |
Maize is one of the most important food crops grown in Oromia region of Ethiopia and is
produced in different agro-ecologies in the region. However, its productivity is constrained by
a number of problems. Among the several constraints in maize production, application of
different blended NPS rates and planting space are the most important ones. A field
experiment was conducted at Gamta Hamuma Kebele in Nedjo District, West Wollega Zone,
western Ethiopia to assess the effects of application of different rates of blended NPS fertilizer
and inter- row spacing on growth, yield components and green cob yield of maize and to
estimate the cost benefit analysis of blended NPS fertilizer application on green cob yield of
maize under irrigation in 2018/2019 off season. The experiment was arranged in a factorial
combination of four levels of blended NPS fertilizer rate (0, 50, 100, and 150 kg NPS ha-1
)
and four inter- row spacing (55, 65, 75 and 85cm) in randomized complete block design with
three replications. The result revealed highly significant main effect of blended NPS fertilizer
rates and inter-row spacing on most of the measured phenological growth, yield components
and yield of maize. Significantly, the highest days to 50% anthesis (82.92 days), days to 50%
silking (89.33 days), leaf area (8047 cm2
), leaf area index (4.69), days to hard dough stage
(150.3), ear diameter (10.47), green cob yield (31.00 tons ha-1
) and plant stand count at
harvest (90.25 %) were recorded from the main effects of blended NPS fertilizer of 150kg NPS
ha-1
. Similarly, significantly the highest days to 50% anthesis (80.25 days), days to 50%
silking (86.08 days), leaf area (7198 cm2
), ear diameter (10.21) and plant stand count
(88.17%) were recorded from the 85 cm inter-row spacing and that of green cob yield (26.09
tons ha-1
) was recorded from 75 cm inter-row spacing. From the interaction effects of NPS
fertilizer and inter- row-spacing, the highest number of ears per plant (1.700), number of ears
per hectare (66534) and the highest ear length (22.43 cm) were recorded from the application
of 150 kg NPS ha-1
at 75 cm inter-row spacing whereas the highest plant height (285.3 cm)
and the highest above ground biomass (143.33) were recorded from the application of 150 kg
NPS ha-1
at 55 cm inter-row spacing. The highest economic benefit (314580 Birr ha-1
) and
higher acceptable MRR (138555%) was obtained from the combination of 150 kg NPS ha-1
and 75 cm inter-row spacing. Thus it can be concluded that application of 150 kg NPS ha-1
with inter-row spacing of 75cm was found to be superior both agronomically and
economically for green cob yield of maize shone hybrid variety under irrigation in the study
area. |
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