Abstract

Soil fertility decline is one of the prime factors contributing to low productivity of crops and food insecurity in Ethiopia. To alleviate this problem and achieve maximum yield, identifying suitable agronomic inputs such as N and P types in wheat production systems is very important. The aim of this study was therefore, to estimate the effects of different N and P fertilizer types and rates on growth, yield and yield components of wheat at Hawassa, southern Ethiopia. For this purpose a treatments consisting of seven N and P sources (F1=Control, F2=Local recommended Urea 100 kg ha-1 and DAP 100 kg ha-1, F3=Urea 100 kg ha-1 and Enhanced DAP 100 kg ha-1, F4=Black Urea 103.3 kg ha-1and Enhanced DAP 100 kg ha-1, F5=100 kg ha-1 Enhanced Urea-1 and Enhanced DAP 100 kg ha-1, F6=Enhanced Urea-2 100 kg ha-1and Enhanced DAP 100 kg ha-1 and F7=Compound fertilizer 256.25 kg ha-1) were studied using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Analysis of the data recorded from the combined application of different N and P treatments revealed that maximum grain yield (3.67 t.ha-1) was obtained from the plots which were supplied with Enhanced Urea-2 and Enhanced DAP at the rate of 100-100 kg ha-1. It can be concluded from the result that wheat crop performed better when fertilized with this treatment. Therefore, the application of enhanced DAP 100 kg ha-1 with Enhanced Urea-2 100 kg ha-1 is recommended to optimize the growth and yield performance of wheat.

Key words: Enhanced DAP (diammonium phosphate), enhanced urea, growth, yield components, wheat.