African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6915

Article in Press

Response of Haricot Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Varieties to NPSB Fertilizer Rates in Buno Bedele Zone, Southwestern Oromia, Ethiopia

Obsealex Alemayehu Abdeta

  •  Received: 04 December 2024
  •  Accepted: 09 January 2025
Haricot bean is one of the most important pulse crops grown in Ethiopia as it plays a crucial role in Ethiopian agriculture, contributing to food security and livelihoods of majority of farmers. However, Ethiopia's haricot bean production and productivity lag behind other countries due to various constraints faced by the farmers of the country, notably among them are lack of accurate information about haricot bean varieties responding to various nutrient management practices, unavailability of improved varieties and improper application rate of fertilizers including NPSB which is a critical nutrient for haricot bean production. To address these issues, the current study was initiated in Bedele district during the 2022-2023 cropping season with the objective to determine the optimum NPSB rates and identification of the haricot bean varieties that respond effectively to a specific application rate of NPSB fertilizers and besides, to work out on the rate that should also be economically viable. The experiment consisted of five levels of nitrogen (0, 50, 100,150 and 200 kg ha-1) that were tested on two haricot bean varieties (SER-119 and SER-125). The experiment was laid out in 5x2 factorial arrangements in randomized complete block design with three replications. It was pertained from the analysis of variance that days to flowering was not significantly influenced by the Main effect of varieties and NPSB fertilizer as well as combined effect of different NPSB rates. On other side, number of seed per pod and 100 seed weight were significantly affected by main effect of varieties but not by main effect of NPSB fertilizer rate and their interaction. In contrary, number of pod per plant, plant height and grain yield were significantly affected by the main effects of both NPSB and varieties though non-significantly influenced by their interaction effect. Accordingly, due to fertilizer rates the highest grain yield (1574.9 kg ha-1) was recorded when 100 kg ha -1 NPSB was applied ; which was statistically the same results were recorded with fertilizer rates of 150 kg ha-1 and 200 NPSB (1570.44kg ha-1 and 1554.81 kg ha-1) respectively. But, the minimum grain yield 1176.09 kg ha-1) was obtained from the control treatment. Regarding to main effects of varieties maximum (1678.67 kg ha-1) and minimum (1159.11kg ha-1) grain yield was obtained from variety SER-125 and SER-119, respectively. Partial budget analysis showed that the variety SER-125 and application of blended NPSB fertilizer rate of 100 kg ha-1 resulted from maximum net benefit of (55357.2 birr ha-1) and (31935.3 birr ha-1) respectively. Therefore, the production of haricot bean with the application of 100 kg NPSB ha-1 was most productive for economical production. Furthermore, emphasis and consideration required to the issue in the future research study; since, the soil is dominantly acidic soil, there is the limiting macro and micro nutrient in the study area, and therefore, more attention must be given treat the soil by lime.

Keywords: Haricot Bean, NPSB fertilizer and Varieties