Abstract:
Legume-based cropping systems are regarded as a sustainable method to reduce the need for
external nitrogen fertilizers. Haricot bean (Phaseolus vulgaris l.) is one of the most economically
important pulse crops cultivated in north western Ethiopia. However, the average yield reported
remains significantly below its potential. This is partly due to poor soil fertility management and
inappropriate agronomic packages considered to be among the major production constraint. Hence,
this experiment was conducted to determine the effect of inoculation and soil amendments on nitrogen
fixation and Yield of haricot bean in north western Ethiopia. The experiment was conducted in Koga
irrigation scheme during two cropping rainfed season (2021-2022). Treatments consisted of three
rates of nitrogen (0, 10 and 20 kg ha-1
),two rates of lime (0 and 2ton ha-1
and three rhizobia strains
(0, HAMBI3570 and HAMBI3562), SER-119 haricot bean variety in factorial combinations was laid
out in a randomized complete block design with three replications to evaluate their effects on soil
physicochemical properties and haricot beans yield and yield components. Data on soil,
phonological, nitrogen fixation, yield and yield components were collected and analysed by SAS 9.4
software. The result showed that the interaction effect of different soil amendments had a significant
variation in all treatments. Thus, soil physio-chemical properties significantly (P<0.001) varied on
pH, EA, OC, TN, EC, CEC, SIN, AV.P and agrocnomic parameters of days to 50% flowering, days
90% maturity, plant height, number of primary branches, total number of nodule, effective number of
nodule, percent of nodule effectiveness, number of pods per plant, number of seed per pod, hundred
seed weight, leaf area per plant, leaf area index, grain yield, bimass yield, harvest index, straw yield.
The control plot soil physco-chemical properties at the main cropping season in experimental site
indicated that soil texture=clay,bulk density=1.27g/cm-3
, Total porosity=52.2%, Soil moisture
content soil=22.33%, pH=5.17, exchangeable acidity=2.65 cmol(+)kg-1
), Organic Carbon =1.63%,
total nitrogen=0.186%, Eectrical conductivity=0.050 dS/m, CEC=24.25 cmol (+) kg-1
), SIN=60.83
mg kg-1
, Available P=9.14ppm, were recorded. The results of the study shows combined application
of lime, starter nitrogen and rihizobia application increases total porosity by 9.05%, soil moisture
content by 9.31%, soil pH by 0.96 units, organic carbon by 0.88%, total nitrogen by 0.046%, CEC by
14.91 units and available P by 22.86 ppm and decreased bulk density by 0.24g/cm-3
, exchangeable
acidity by 2.4 cmol(+)kg-1
) and electrical conductivity by 0.018 dS/m compared to the control.
Moreover, the combined application of these treatments significantly (p<0.001) increased plant
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height, number of primary branches, total number of nodule, effective number of nodule, percent of
nodule effectiveness, number of pods per plant, number of seed per pod, hundred seed weight, leaf
area per plant, leaf area index, grain yield, biomass yield, harvest index, straw yield. Similarly, the
combined application of lime 2 ton ha-1+20 kg ha-1 + starter nitrogen+HAMBI3570 increased
Haricot bean yield by 510.6% compared to control. However, the economic analysis showed that the
combination of lime 2 ton ha-1+20 kg ha-1
starter nitrogen + HAMBI3570 gave the highest netbenefit (259,426.2 ETB ha-1
) with an acceptable MRR of 25,297.28%. Thus, it can be concluded that
the combination application of lime 2 ton ha-1+20 kg ha-1
starter nitrogen+HAMBI3570 to be proved
superior with respect to economic advantage in the North western Ethiopia.