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Abebe, B., Workayehu, T., 2015. Effect of method of sowing and time of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer application, on yield and yield components of Tef ((Eragrostic tef) Trotter) at Shebedino, Southern Ethiopia. Advances in Crop Science and Technology 3: 168.
Afari-Sefa, V., Kwakye, P.K., Okae-Anti, D., Imoro, I.A., Nyamiah, M., 2004. Potassium Availability in Soils – Forms and Spatial Distribution, The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Preprint No.110, IC 2004, Trieste, Italy.
AgKnowledge, 2011. The fertiliser review. Issue 2. 6p. Available at [Access date: 19.02.2018]: http://agknowledge.co.nz/publications
Akhtar, M.E., Khan, M.Z., Rashid, M.T., Ahsan, Z., Ahmad, S., 2010. Effect of potash application on yield and quality of tomato (Lycopersicon Esculentum Mill.). Pakistan Journal of Botany 42(3): 1695–1702.
Alam, M.R., Ali, M.A.. Molla, M., Momin, M., Mannan. M., 2010. Evaluation of different levels of potassium on the yield and protein content of wheat in the high Ganges river floodplain soil. Bangladesh Journal of Agricultural Research 34(1): 97-104.
Ashok, Singh, J.P., Kumar, N.C., Singh, G.R., 2009. Effect of the levels of potassium and manganese on the uptake of N, P, and K and yield of wheat. Journal of Agricultural Physics 9: 28–32.
Astatke, A., Tekalign, M., Peden, D., Diedhiou, M., 2004. Participatory on-farm conservation tillage trial in the Ethiopian highland Vertisols: The impact of potassium application on crop yields. Experimental Agriculture 40(3): 369–379.
Ayalew, A., Beyene, S., 2011. The influence of Potassium Fertilizer on the Production of Potato (Solanum tuberosu l.) at Kembata in Southern Ethiopia. Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare 1(1): 1–13.
Ayalew, A., Kena, K., Dejene, T., 2011. Application of NP Fertilizers for Better Production of Teff (Eragrostis tef (zucc.) trotter) on Different Types of Soils in Southern Ethiopia. Journal of Natural Sciences Research 1: 6–15.
Bajwa, M.I., 1994. Soil potassium status, potash fertilizer usage and recommendations in Pakistan. Potash Review No. 3., Basel, Switzerland: International Potash Institute. 4 p.
Baque, M.A., Karim, M.A. Hamid, A., Testsushi, H., 2006. Effects of fertilizer potassium on growth, yield and nutrient uptake of wheat (Triticum aestivum) under water stress conditions. South Pacific Study 27(1): 25–35.
Bar-Tal, A., Pressman, E., 1996. Root restriction and potassium and calcium solution concentrations affect dry-matter production, cation uptake, and blossom-end rot in greenhouse tomato. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science 121(4): 649–655.
Bollons, H.M., Barraclough, P.B., 1999. Assessing the phosphorus status of winter wheat crops: inorganic orthophosphate in whole shoots. The Journal of Agricultural Science 133(3): 285–295.
Braunschweigh, I.C., 1980. K+ availability in Relation to Clay Content. Results of field experiment. Potash Review 2: 1–8.
Brhane, H., Mamo, T., Teka, K., 2017. Optimum potassium fertilization level for growth, yield and nutrient uptake of wheat (Triticum aestivum) in Vertisols of Northern Ethiopia. Cogent Food & Agriculture 3: 1347022.
Britzke, D.,.da Silva, L.S., Moterle, D.F., dos Santos Rheinheimer, D., Bortoluzzi, E.C., 2012. A study of potassium dynamics and mineralogy in soils from subtropical Brazilian lowlands. Journal of Soils and Sediments 12(2): 185–197.
Cakmak, I., 2005. The role of potassium in alleviating detrimental effects of abiotic stresses in plants. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science 168(4): 521–530.
Catuchi, T.A., Guidorizzi, F.V.C., Guidorizi, K.A., Barbosa, A.D.M., Souza. G.M., 2012. Physiological responses of soybean cultivars to potassium fertilization under different water regimes. Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira 47(4):519-527.
Chhajro, M.A.,Zia-ul-hassan, Shah, A.N., Talpur, K.H., Kubar, K.A., 2014. Response of two hybrid sunflower genotypes to applied different levels of soil potassium. Persian Gulf Crop Protection 3(2): 45-52.
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Giday, O., Gibrekidan, H., Berhe, T., 2014. Response of teff (Eragrostis tef) to different rates of slow release and conventional urea fertilizers in vertisols of southern Tigray, Ethiopia. Advances in Plants & Agriculture Research 1(5): 190-197.
Greenwood, D.J., Karpinets, T.V., Zhang, K., Bosh-Serra, A., Boldrini, A., Karawulova, L., 2008. A unifying concept for the dependence of whole-crop N : P ratio on biomass: Theory and experiment. Annals of Botany 102(6): 967–977.
Guareschi, R.F., Gazolla, P.R., Perin, A., Santini, J.M.K., 2011. Antecipated fertilization on soybean with triple superphosphate and potassium chloride coated with polymers. Ciência e Agrotecnologia 35(4): 643-648.
Haile, W., Boke, S., 2011. Response of Irish potato (Solanum tuberosum) to the application of potassium at acidic soils of Chencha, Southern Ethiopia. International Journal of Agriculture and Biology 13(4): 595-598
Haile, W., Mamo, T., 2013. The Effect of potassium on the yields of potato and wheat grown on the acidic soils of Chencha and Hagere Selam in Southern Ethiopia. International Potash Institute. e-ifc No.35. Available at [Access date: 19.02.2018]: https://www.ipipotash.org/uploads/udocs/e-ifc-35-rf1.pdf
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Abstract
Nutrient depletion and imbalance are among the major attributes that contribute to declining soil productivity in the highlands of Ethiopia. The blanket fertilizer recommendation, which considered only urea and Di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), was used over the past four decades to improve soil fertility for enhancing crop production. Nevertheless, the average national yields of small cereal including teff were low, despite application of nitrogen and phosphorus (NP) fertilizers. On-farm trials were conducted in the 2015/16 and 2016/17 cropping seasons at 18 locations on Ethiopian highland Vertisols to determine the response of teff to potassium (K) fertilization along with other limiting nutrients. Five K levels (0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 kg ha-1) in the form of murate of potash (KCl) were used in randomized complete block design with three replications. Separate analysis of variance was conducted for each sites and year. Least Significant Difference (LSD) test at P ≤ 0.05 was used to separate means whenever there were significant differences. Analysis of variance revealed a highly significant difference (P < 0.01) between treatments in both straw and grain yields and tissue nitrogen (N) and K concentrations of teff over the two-cropping seasons in 67% of the test locations. Additionally, responses to K were obtained on soils with available K test ranging between 166 and 282 mg kg-1. The Ca: K and Mg: K ratios were strongly and negatively correlated with relative yield and the correlations suggest that soil with Ca: K > 50:1 and Mg: K >15:1 are likely to respond to potassium fertilization. The yield advantage accrued due to K application ranged from 30 to 77% in 2015/16 and 8 to 51% in 2016/17 seasons. The economic optimum K fertilizer application rates varied between 60 kg K ha-1 in 44% of the sites to 90 kg K ha-1 in 23% of the sites. The findings highlighted the need for revisiting fertilizer program to enhance the yield and nutrient uptake of teff in K responsive soils and developing critical levels for K in the study sites.
Keywords: Critical level, murate of potash, grain yield, balanced nutrition, crop response.
References
Abebe, B., Workayehu, T., 2015. Effect of method of sowing and time of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer application, on yield and yield components of Tef ((Eragrostic tef) Trotter) at Shebedino, Southern Ethiopia. Advances in Crop Science and Technology 3: 168.
Afari-Sefa, V., Kwakye, P.K., Okae-Anti, D., Imoro, I.A., Nyamiah, M., 2004. Potassium Availability in Soils – Forms and Spatial Distribution, The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Preprint No.110, IC 2004, Trieste, Italy.
AgKnowledge, 2011. The fertiliser review. Issue 2. 6p. Available at [Access date: 19.02.2018]: http://agknowledge.co.nz/publications
Akhtar, M.E., Khan, M.Z., Rashid, M.T., Ahsan, Z., Ahmad, S., 2010. Effect of potash application on yield and quality of tomato (Lycopersicon Esculentum Mill.). Pakistan Journal of Botany 42(3): 1695–1702.
Alam, M.R., Ali, M.A.. Molla, M., Momin, M., Mannan. M., 2010. Evaluation of different levels of potassium on the yield and protein content of wheat in the high Ganges river floodplain soil. Bangladesh Journal of Agricultural Research 34(1): 97-104.
Ashok, Singh, J.P., Kumar, N.C., Singh, G.R., 2009. Effect of the levels of potassium and manganese on the uptake of N, P, and K and yield of wheat. Journal of Agricultural Physics 9: 28–32.
Astatke, A., Tekalign, M., Peden, D., Diedhiou, M., 2004. Participatory on-farm conservation tillage trial in the Ethiopian highland Vertisols: The impact of potassium application on crop yields. Experimental Agriculture 40(3): 369–379.
Ayalew, A., Beyene, S., 2011. The influence of Potassium Fertilizer on the Production of Potato (Solanum tuberosu l.) at Kembata in Southern Ethiopia. Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare 1(1): 1–13.
Ayalew, A., Kena, K., Dejene, T., 2011. Application of NP Fertilizers for Better Production of Teff (Eragrostis tef (zucc.) trotter) on Different Types of Soils in Southern Ethiopia. Journal of Natural Sciences Research 1: 6–15.
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Baque, M.A., Karim, M.A. Hamid, A., Testsushi, H., 2006. Effects of fertilizer potassium on growth, yield and nutrient uptake of wheat (Triticum aestivum) under water stress conditions. South Pacific Study 27(1): 25–35.
Bar-Tal, A., Pressman, E., 1996. Root restriction and potassium and calcium solution concentrations affect dry-matter production, cation uptake, and blossom-end rot in greenhouse tomato. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science 121(4): 649–655.
Bollons, H.M., Barraclough, P.B., 1999. Assessing the phosphorus status of winter wheat crops: inorganic orthophosphate in whole shoots. The Journal of Agricultural Science 133(3): 285–295.
Braunschweigh, I.C., 1980. K+ availability in Relation to Clay Content. Results of field experiment. Potash Review 2: 1–8.
Brhane, H., Mamo, T., Teka, K., 2017. Optimum potassium fertilization level for growth, yield and nutrient uptake of wheat (Triticum aestivum) in Vertisols of Northern Ethiopia. Cogent Food & Agriculture 3: 1347022.
Britzke, D.,.da Silva, L.S., Moterle, D.F., dos Santos Rheinheimer, D., Bortoluzzi, E.C., 2012. A study of potassium dynamics and mineralogy in soils from subtropical Brazilian lowlands. Journal of Soils and Sediments 12(2): 185–197.
Cakmak, I., 2005. The role of potassium in alleviating detrimental effects of abiotic stresses in plants. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science 168(4): 521–530.
Catuchi, T.A., Guidorizzi, F.V.C., Guidorizi, K.A., Barbosa, A.D.M., Souza. G.M., 2012. Physiological responses of soybean cultivars to potassium fertilization under different water regimes. Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira 47(4):519-527.
Chhajro, M.A.,Zia-ul-hassan, Shah, A.N., Talpur, K.H., Kubar, K.A., 2014. Response of two hybrid sunflower genotypes to applied different levels of soil potassium. Persian Gulf Crop Protection 3(2): 45-52.
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D’Andrea, A.C., 2008. T’ef (Eragrostis tef) in ancient agricultural systems of highland Ethiopia. Economic Botany 62(4): 547–566.
Debele, B., 1985. The Vertisols of Ethiopia: their properties, classification and management. In: Fifth Meeting of the Eastern African Sub-Committee for Soil Correlation and Land Evaluation, Wad Medani. World Soil Resources Reports, No. 56. FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), Wad Medani, Sudan, pp. 31–54.
El-Wakeel, A., Astatke, A., 1996. Intensification of agriculture on vertisols to minimize land degradation in parts of the Ethiopian Highlands. Land Degradation & Development 7(1): 57–67.
Eswaran, H., Cook, T., 1988. Classification and management-related properties of Vertisols. In: Management of vertisols in Sub-Saharan Africa. Jutzi, S.C., Haque, I., Melntire, J., Stares, J.E.S. (Eds.). ILCA, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. pp.64-84.
EthioSIS, 2013. Ethiopian Soils Information System (EthioSIS). Towards improved fertilizer recommendations in Ethiopia – Nutrient indices for categorization of fertilizer blends from EthioSIS woreda soil inventory data. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
EthioSIS, 2016. Ethiopian Soils Information System (EthioSIS). Soil fertility status and fertilizer recommendation atlas of Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Gebretsadik, H., Haile, M., Yamoah, C.F., 2009. Tillage Frequency, Soil Compaction and N-Fertilizer Rate Effects on Yield of Teff (Eragrostis Tef (Zucc) Trotter) in Central Zone of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Momona Ethiopian Journal of Science 1(1): 82–94.
Giday, O., Gibrekidan, H., Berhe, T., 2014. Response of teff (Eragrostis tef) to different rates of slow release and conventional urea fertilizers in vertisols of southern Tigray, Ethiopia. Advances in Plants & Agriculture Research 1(5): 190-197.
Greenwood, D.J., Karpinets, T.V., Zhang, K., Bosh-Serra, A., Boldrini, A., Karawulova, L., 2008. A unifying concept for the dependence of whole-crop N : P ratio on biomass: Theory and experiment. Annals of Botany 102(6): 967–977.
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