Effect of Organic and Non-organic Nitrogen Fertilizer Rates on Maize (Zea-mays.) in Hadow Center, Fafen Zone, County 05, Ethiopia.

Abstract

The study was conducted on the effect of non-organic nitrogen and organic fertilizer rates on Maize cultivars (Melkassa-2) production in Hadow center, Shabelley district, fafen zone, SRS, Ethiopia in 2021/22. The experiment was carried on non-organic and organic fertilizer rates for a factorial combination of four levels of inorganic nitrogen (0, 100, 150 and 200 kgha-1) and four organic fertilizer rates (0, 200, 300 and 400 kgha-1) on maize cultivar (melkass-2). The experiment was then laid out in 4X4 factorial arrangements using a RCBD with three replications. Each treatment combination was assigned randomly to experimental units within a block. A 2 m X 2 m (4 m2) plot was used for each experimental unit. The blocks were separated by 1 m whereas the space between each plot within a block was 0.5 m. Different levels of N were applied as Urea (46%N). Animal waste (cow waste) was applied one after the
emergency and nitrogen was applied ones at the time of early vegetative growth after 5-6 weeks of planting both as a single application for each. The seeds were planted with spacing of 50 cm and 20 cm between row and plants respectively. The numbers of row in each plot were five rows and the total numbers of plants in each row were 10 plants and the three middle rows were considered for recording the agronomic data. Water application was based on rainfall and supplementary irrigation mainly furrows irrigation as crop water requirement. The data was collected from yield, yield components and related traits consisting of plants’ height yield per plant and weight of the total grain. Plant height was measured only once after the plants’ vegetative growth. Weight of Yield was measured from five randomly selected plants and converted to mean value and recorded as yield per plot. Total weight of the yield was
identified, recorded and then converted into kilograms per hectare. The parameters’ data considered in the experiment were subjected to statistical analysis, ANOVA and correlation analyses were performed for selected parameters using SPSS software. Mean comparison and differences were tested following least significant difference (LSD) procedure at alpha level 5%. There is a significance difference among the treatment, the highest productive fertilizer rate is the combination of (200,0kg/ha) of non-organic and organic fertilizer rates respectively with production level of 0.83kg/4m2 or 2,075 kg/ha, although the combination of 100kg/ha and 0 kg/ha was the 2nd most productive. However, the least productive rate was (200,400kg/ha) followed by (0, 0 kg/ha) in this study, So that the recommended fertilizer rate among the different rate in this experimental unit is (200, 0 kg/ha) of non-organic and organic fertilizer rates respectively in Hadow, Shabelley district, Fafen zone, Somali county, Ethiopia.