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| dc.contributor.author | Ashenafi, Mitiku | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-09-03T06:07:40Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-09-03T06:07:40Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2023-06 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://ir.bdu.edu.et/handle/123456789/17305 | |
| dc.description.abstract | xv Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the main and most popular cereal crops because of its high value as a stable food as well as its stover demand for animal feed, fuel, and even construction purposes. It is used as human food, a source of cash income, fuel, feed for livestock, and for industrial purposes. In Ethiopia, maize is a staple food and one of the main sources of calories in the major maize-producing regions. Approximately 88% of the maize produced in Ethiopia is used as food, in both green cobs and grain. In Ethiopia, maize is grown in 13 agroecological zones in the southern, south-central, and southwestern parts of the country. However, national (Ethiopia), regional (Amhara), and local (West Gojam) yields are 4.179, 4.272, and 2.5 tonnes ha -1 , respectively. These yields are significantly lower than the global average yield (5.8 t ha -1 ), with yield gaps of 1.621, 1.528, and 3.3 t ha -1 , respectively. This low productivity in Ethiopia in general and in the study area in particular is caused by nutrient mining as a result of continuous cropping, abandoning fallowing, completely removing crop wastes, applying little or no manure, using crop and animal waste as fuel, and erosion. Declining soil fertility was the major factor in the lower productivity of maize, and to combat these problems, commercial fertilizers have been applied. However, the rising costs of inorganic fertilizers may not encourage smallholder farmers. Therefore, in sourcing an alternative that reduces the cost of production while increasing productivity in the research areas, the effect of integrated inorganic fertilizer and manure use on crop yield and soil quality indicators is ambiguous. Instead, producers rely heavily on chemical soil fertilization, which has a poor reputation in terms of long-term viability and cost-benefit ratio. There is little consistency in the research on the effects of combining organic and inorganic fertilizers. To address these limitations, in 2016/17 and 2017/18, an assessment survey was done in three sites (Bahir Dar Zuria, Jabi Tehnan, and Mecha) and field research was undertaken in two places (Jabi Tehnan and Mecha districts), with the objective of assessing the sustainability of maize production in North-Western Ethiopia by characterizationof maize production and evaluating the effects of integrated nutrient management on maize yield and soil properties. To characterized maize production, maize farm assessments and farmer interviews were carried out, and a field trial was conducted to investigate the integrated use of NPSBZn blended fertilizer and farmyard manure on maize growth parameters, yield, and yield components. A total of 250 farmers in the study area were selected and interviewed to gather data on demographic characteristics, land resource and agronomic practices, inputs, and pest management based on maize production capacity, coverage, and the importance of maize in farmers' lives. Three, two, and one 10-km by 10-km X and Y geographic coordinate regions have been transferred to the newly constructed main grid from the districts of Mecha, Jabi Tehnan, and Bahirdar Zuriya, respectively. Within the main griframe, a quadrangle was established, providing a grid cell 1 km by 1 km square. The field experimentwere laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications in a factoriaarrangement: five NPSBZn blended fertilizer rates (100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 kg ha ), four cow manure rates (0, 12, 16, and 20 t ha -1 ), one control (0, 12, 16, and 20 t ha -1 ), and one blankerecommendation (DAP and Urea). A maize hybrid variety called "BHQPY-545" was used as a test cropAccording to the survey findings in the three areas, the majority of respondents are married males oworking age with substantial agricultural experience. Small, fragmented parcels placed close to the homwere typical. Urea is the most commonly used fertilizer, but its availability from regular sources provedifficult at the right time of year. The majority of farmers in the study area use improved seeds rather thalocal seeds. Weed and insect pest infestations in corn fields were common. The field research resushowed that, only the main effect of blended (NPSBZn) fertilizer and farmyard manure was significant a both locations for the days to silking, leaf area index, and ear diameter at both locations and the days t 90% physiological maturity, Number of ears per plant, and ear length at Mecha. While main aninteraction effects on the remaining parameters were significant at both sites (Jabi Tehnan and Mecha)The main effects of NPSBZn blended fertilizer and farmyard manure were significant on days to physiological maturity, ear number per plant, ear length, and diameter at Mecha. Grain yield showed positive correlation with growth and yield components, and the combined application of 250 kg ha oNPSBZn blended fertilizer with 20 t ha -1 of yard manure resulted in grain yields of 5,618.5 and 5,421 kg ha -1 and above-ground dry biomass yields of 10,895.0 and 10,787.9 kg ha -1 at Jabi Tehnan and Mecharespectively. Thus, 250 kg ha -1 of NPSBZn blended fertilizer with 20 t ha -1 of farmyard manure irecommended for effective maize production in both study areas. -1 -1 | en_US |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.subject | Agronomy | en_US |
| dc.title | Effects of Integrated Nutrient Management on Maize (Zea Mays L.) Production and Soil Properties in North-Western Ethiopia | en_US |
| dc.type | Dissartation | en_US |
