Abstract:
Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum l.) is an important industrial crop that is used for sugar
production in Ethiopia. However, the yield and yield component of sugarcane crop is limited by
lack of site-specific appropriate agronomic practices related to fertilizer management in Ethiopia.
The effects of new blended NPS fertilizer optimum rate specific to sugarcane variety was not known
at study area. Therefore, a field experiment was to assess the effects of blended NPS fertilizer rate
on yield components and yield of sugar cane varieties at Finchaa sugar estate during 2022-2023
cropping season. The treatments were arranged in factorial combinations of three sugarcane
varieties (N-14, D42/58, and Nco-334) along with six NPS levels (0 , 200, 250, 300, 350, and 400)
kg ha1
and the experiment was laid out in randomized complete block (RCBD) design with three
replications. The results revealed that the main and interaction effects of blended fertilizers at
different levels of NPS were highly significant (p<0.001) for all parameters studied except for
tillering population. The maximum cane yield of 154.54, 157.73 and 164.35and also similar to the
maximum sugar yield of 19.04, 19.69 and 20.44 ton per ha were recorded from application of NPS
fertilizers rate of (400,350.and 250,) kg ha1
to sugarcane varieties of N-14, D42/58 and Nco-334
respectively. Therefore, the finding show that application of blended NPS fertilization rate of
400,350 and 250 kg ha1
can be applied to N-14, D42/58 and Nco-334 respectively for better can
productivity. However, multiple site-season study is important to make recommendations.