Abstract
Summary The potential yield of improved maize varieties usually cannot be fully realised mainly due to inappropriate soil nutrient management practices in most parts of Ethiopia. Site-specific fertiliser recommendations are rarely used in the farming systems of Ethiopia. There is also a lack of data to develop or validate decision support tools for targeting specific crop production. A study was conducted for three consecutive rainy seasons (2016–2018) in the maize belt of the north-western parts of the Amhara National Regional State of Ethiopia. The objectives were to obtain the maximum achievable yield potential of maize, determine the most yield-limiting nutrients and create a database of maize responses to applied nutrients so that decision support tools could be developed for the study areas. Treatments were individual nutrients (nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K)) and combinations of the three. In some treatments, NPK was also combined with sulphur, zinc, lime and compost. Two hybrid maize varieties (BH-540 and BH-660) adaptable to the study areas were used. BH-540 was used for the Mecha district, while BH-660 was used for the south Achefer, Jabitahnan–Burrie–Womberma districts. Maize yield increased by more than 50% due to fertiliser applications compared to without fertiliser. The study showed that the possibility of increasing maize productivity to more than 12 t ha -1 for the study sites. The most yield-limiting nutrient in the study sites was N, followed by P; K was not a yield limiting. Without N the yield of both varieties was non-significant from the control (without added nutrients). Maize grain yield did not respond to application of lime, compost, zinc and sulphur. The result also showed very high variability across sites, indicating that it is important for policymakers, farmers and investors to consider site-specific fertiliser recommendations. Finally, a database containing intensive plant response to NPK for maize was generated and could be used as input in site-specific decision support tools development.
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Claims 12
Claim · model-written summary
Fertilizer application increased maize yield by more than 50% versus no fertilizer.
- Treatment
- fertiliser applicationse0
- Outcome
- Maize yielde0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- more than 50%e0
- Comparator
- without fertilisere0
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Maize yield increased by more than 50% due to fertiliser applications compared to without fertiliser”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize productivity could exceed 12 t ha -1 at the study sites.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The study showed that the possibility of increasing maize productivity to more than 12 t ha -1 for the study sites.”
Claim · model-written summary
N was the most yield-limiting nutrient, followed by P.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“The most yield-limiting nutrient in the study sites was N, followed by P; K was not a yield limiting.”
Claim · model-written summary
K did not limit yield at the study sites.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“The most yield-limiting nutrient in the study sites was N, followed by P; K was not a yield limiting.”
Claim · model-written summary
Without N, neither variety differed significantly in yield from the no-nutrient control.
Not reportedTaxonDirection
Verbatim
e0“Without N the yield of both varieties was non-significant from the control (without added nutrients).”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize grain yield did not respond to lime application.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Maize grain yield did not respond to application of lime, compost, zinc and sulphur.”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize grain yield did not respond to compost application.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Maize grain yield did not respond to application of lime, compost, zinc and sulphur.”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize grain yield did not respond to zinc application.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Maize grain yield did not respond to application of lime, compost, zinc and sulphur.”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize grain yield did not respond to sulphur application.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Maize grain yield did not respond to application of lime, compost, zinc and sulphur.”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize responses varied greatly across sites.
- Outcome
- very high variability across sitese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The result also showed very high variability across sites”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend site-specific fertilizer recommendations.
- Outcome
- site-specific fertiliser recommendationse0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“it is important for policymakers, farmers and investors to consider site-specific fertiliser recommendations.”
Claim · model-written summary
A database of maize responses to NPK was generated for decision support tools.
- Outcome
- database containing intensive plant response to NPK for maizee0
Not reportedValue
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“a database containing intensive plant response to NPK for maize was generated and could be used as input in site-specific decision support tools development.”
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