Nitrogen Fertilization and Moisture Conservation Practices on Maize (Zea mays L.) Grown Under Dryland Conditions of Ethiopia

Authors

  • Girma Woldetsadik Bako Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopia.
  • Sombat Chinawong Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture at Kamphaeng Saen, Kasetsart University, Nakhon Pathom 73140, Thailand.
  • Rungsit Suwanketnikom Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University,Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
  • Sunanta Juntakool Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University,Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
  • Aphiphan Pookpakdi Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University,Bangkok 10900, Thailand.

Keywords:

yield components, soil conservation, water use efficiency, maize

Abstract

               A Field experiment was conducted during the rainy season of 2003 to study the effect of nitrogen levels and moisture conservation practices on soil, water, yield and yield components of maize (Zea mays L.) in the rift valley of central Ethiopia.

               Grain yield was influenced by nitrogen fertilizer levels but 1000 grains weight, total biomass, straw yield, soil temperature, soil moisture content, and infiltration rate were not affected by nitrogen levels. Signifcant effects of harvest index and water use efficiency by nitrogen levels were observed only at Dera and Melkassa respectively.

               Moisture conservation practices gave more improvement in grain and straw yields, harvest index, and total biomass over flat bed due to availability of moisture than separate application. Bulk density, infiltration rate, water use efficiency, and soil moisture content were also affected by moisture conservation practices. The effect of mulch to reduce the soil temperature was observed prior to maize maturity.

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Published

2005-03-31

How to Cite

Girma Woldetsadik, Sombat Chinawong, Rungsit Suwanketnikom, Sunanta Juntakool, and Aphiphan Pookpakdi. 2005. “Nitrogen Fertilization and Moisture Conservation Practices on Maize (Zea Mays L.) Grown Under Dryland Conditions of Ethiopia”. Agriculture and Natural Resources 39 (1). Bangkok, Thailand:1-11. https://li01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/anres/article/view/243280.

Issue

Vol. 39 No. 1 (2005): January-March

Section

Research Article

License

online 2452-316X print 2468-1458/Copyright © 2022. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/),
production and hosting by Kasetsart University of Research and Development Institute on behalf of Kasetsart University.