Zeitschrift für Agrarwissenschaft und Lebensmittelforschung
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Potassium Fertilization and its Level on Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Yield in Shallow Depth Soils of Northern Ethiopia

Brhane H, Mamo T and Teka K

Many un-updated reports indicated that potassium was not deficient in Ethiopian soils. However, it was later proved that many Ethiopian soils are potassium deficient. Hence, the Ethiopian Soil Information System (EthioSIS) has initiated potassium fertilizer demonstrations in 2014 using K containing blended fertilizers in different parts of the country. But, there were no evidences about the K in the blended fertilizer is enough for wheat demand or not. Thus, a field experiment was conducted to evaluate the response of wheat to additional K rates on top of the K containing blended fertilizers. The experiments were laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with 4 levels of potassium (0, 30, 60, 90, of K2O kg/ha) replicated 3 times. Data on yield and yield components of wheat crop were collected and analysis of variance was done. Results depicted that plant height and harvest index were not significant. However, spike length, grain yield and straw yields of wheat were significantly affected by K application rates. Hence, the highest spike length was obtained at a rate of 90 kg/ha K2O but the highest grain and straw yield of wheat were obtained at 30 kg/ha K2O . Besides, the highest apparent K recovery and agronomic use efficiency were found at 30 kg K2O /ha. Therefore, potassium fertilization is important and its level in the blended formula did not meet the wheat requirement in the study area.