Wheat is a major crop grown in the highlands of Ethiopia, especially in the study area, which is a key food source. In 2020, a pre-extension demonstration was carried out in Gechi district of Buno Bedele Zone to show how soil testing can help decide the right amount of phosphorus fertilizer for bread wheat. The study aimed to look at how much wheat is produced and how profitable it is when using phosphorus fertilizer based on soil testing results, and to teach farmers about using fertilizer rates that are specific to their fields. Two types of fertilizer plans were tested: one based on general recommendations that farmers usually follow, and another based on soil testing results. The improved bread wheat variety called Liban was used. The demonstration took place on one FTC and 10 fields owned by farmers, with each treated area being 12 meters by 20 meters. The rows were spaced 20 cm apart and the right amount of seeds and nitrogen fertilizer was used as recommended for the area. A field visit was held for 59 people when the wheat was ready to be harvested. The best yield came from the method that used soil test results, giving more than a 49.54 increase in grain production compared to the general recommendation. Also, the economic analysis showed that, the highest average profit was made with the soil testing method, earning 40,112.7 Ethiopian birr. Therefore, it is important to start scaling up the use of soil test based phosphorus fertilizer recommendations for bread wheat in the study area, and similar agro ecology.
Published in | World Journal of Applied Chemistry (Volume 10, Issue 3) |
DOI | 10.11648/j.wjac.20251003.13 |
Page(s) | 66-70 |
Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Pre-Extension Demonstration, Bread Wheat, Soil Test, Blanket Recommendation
Trial farmers | BR yield qt/ha | STCRBF yield qt/ha |
---|---|---|
1 | 20 | 28.4 |
2 | 8.4 | 16.8 |
3 | 16.8 | 26 |
4 | 24.4 | 27.2 |
5 | 36.2 | 42.4 |
6 | 28 | 39.2 |
7 | 18 | 50 |
8 | 20.4 | 31.6 |
9 | 21.6 | 32.3 |
10 | 22 | 28.8 |
Total | 215.8 | 322.7 |
Mean Yield | 21.6 | 32.3 |
Treatments | Mean grain yield (qt/ha) | Yield advantage (%) over Farmers’ practice |
---|---|---|
Farmers’ practice | 21.6 | - |
Soil test crop response based fertilizer recommendation | 32.3 | 49.54 |
Treatments | ||
---|---|---|
Parameters | Farmers practice | STCRBFR |
Yield obtained (qt/ha) | 21.6 | 32.3 |
Unit price (ETB/qt) | 1500 | 1500 |
Total variable cost (ETB/ha) | 4028.51 | 8337.3 |
Gross return | 32400 | 48450 |
Net return (GR-TVC) | 28371.5 | 40112.7 |
District | Participants | Male | Female | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|
Gechi | Farmers | 29 | 7 | 36 |
DAs | 5 | 4 | 9 | |
Other stakeholders | 12 | 2 | 14 | |
Total | 46 | 13 | 59 |
BeARC | Bedele Agricultural Research Center |
BR | Blanket Recommendation |
DA | Development Agent |
DAP | Di-Ammonium Phosphate |
EB | Ethiopian Birr |
FAO | Food and Agricultural Organization |
FP | Farmer Practices |
FRG | Farmers Research Group |
FTC | Farmers Training Center |
GR | Gross Return |
ha | Hectare |
Pc | P-critical |
Pf | P-requirement factor |
Po | P-initial |
qt | Quintal |
SMS | Subject Matter Specialist |
STCRBFR | Soil Test Crop Response Based Fertilizer Recommendation |
TVC | Total Variable Cost |
[1] | Abreha Kidanemariam and Yesuf Assen. (2008). Recommendation on phosphorus fertilizer based on soil test and response of Tef to nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers. |
[2] | Agegnehu, G., Nelson, P. N., Bird, M. I., & van-Beek, C. (2015). Phosphorus Response and fertilizer recommendations for wheat grown on Nitisols in the central Ethiopian highlands. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 46(19), 2411-12. |
[3] | Agegnehu G; Nelson PN; Bird MI. (2016). The effects of biochar, compost and their mixture and nitrogen fertilizer on yield and nitrogen use efficiency of barley grown on a Nitisol in the highlands of Ethiopia. Sci Total Environ. |
[4] | Amante AD; Negassa W; Ilfata FG; Negisho K. (2014). Optimum NP fertilizers rate for wheat production on Alfisols of Arjo and Shambu Highlands, Western Ethiopia, 1(2): 87–95. |
[5] | Assefa A; Tadese T; Liben M. (2013). Influence of time of nitrogen application on productivity and nitrogen use efficiency of rain-fed lowland rice (Oryza sativa L.) in the Vertisols of Fogera plain, Northwestern Ethiopia, VI(1): 25–31. |
[6] | Bishawa, Z & Alemu, D. (2017). Farmers' perceptions on improved bread wheat varieties and formal seed supply in Ethiopia. Int J Plant Prod., 11(1): 117-130. |
[7] | Brady, N. C. & Weil, R. R. (2008). The nature and properties of soils. Pearson Prentice: New Jersey, USA. |
[8] | FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization), (2014). Crop Production Data. Rome: FAO. |
[9] | KeneaYadeta, Getachew Ayele and Workneh Negatu. (2001). Farming Research on Tef: Small Holders Production Practices. In: Hailu Tefera, Getachew Belay and M. Sorrels (eds.), arrowing the Rift: Teff Research and Development. Proceeding of the International Work shop on tef genetics and improvement, 16-19 October, 2000, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, pp 9-23. |
[10] | Shiferaw, H. (2014). Digital soil mapping: Soil fertility status and fertilizer recommendation for Ethiopian agricultural land (Conference paper). Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. |
[11] | Taye Bekele, Verkuijl, H., Mwangi, W. and Tanner, D. (2000). Adoption of Improved Wheat Technologies in Adaba and Dodola Woredas of the Bale Highlands, Ethiopia. Second National Maize and Wheat Workshop. 12-16 November 2000; Addis Ababa. International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center) and Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organization (EARO). Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. |
APA Style
Mengistu, D., Aman, S. (2025). Pre-Extension Demonstration of Soil Test Based Recommended P-Fertilizer Rate for Bread Wheat at Gechi Districts of Buno Bedele Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. World Journal of Applied Chemistry, 10(3), 66-70. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjac.20251003.13
ACS Style
Mengistu, D.; Aman, S. Pre-Extension Demonstration of Soil Test Based Recommended P-Fertilizer Rate for Bread Wheat at Gechi Districts of Buno Bedele Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. World J. Appl. Chem. 2025, 10(3), 66-70. doi: 10.11648/j.wjac.20251003.13
@article{10.11648/j.wjac.20251003.13, author = {Dechasa Mengistu and Suleiman Aman}, title = {Pre-Extension Demonstration of Soil Test Based Recommended P-Fertilizer Rate for Bread Wheat at Gechi Districts of Buno Bedele Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia }, journal = {World Journal of Applied Chemistry}, volume = {10}, number = {3}, pages = {66-70}, doi = {10.11648/j.wjac.20251003.13}, url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjac.20251003.13}, eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.wjac.20251003.13}, abstract = {Wheat is a major crop grown in the highlands of Ethiopia, especially in the study area, which is a key food source. In 2020, a pre-extension demonstration was carried out in Gechi district of Buno Bedele Zone to show how soil testing can help decide the right amount of phosphorus fertilizer for bread wheat. The study aimed to look at how much wheat is produced and how profitable it is when using phosphorus fertilizer based on soil testing results, and to teach farmers about using fertilizer rates that are specific to their fields. Two types of fertilizer plans were tested: one based on general recommendations that farmers usually follow, and another based on soil testing results. The improved bread wheat variety called Liban was used. The demonstration took place on one FTC and 10 fields owned by farmers, with each treated area being 12 meters by 20 meters. The rows were spaced 20 cm apart and the right amount of seeds and nitrogen fertilizer was used as recommended for the area. A field visit was held for 59 people when the wheat was ready to be harvested. The best yield came from the method that used soil test results, giving more than a 49.54 increase in grain production compared to the general recommendation. Also, the economic analysis showed that, the highest average profit was made with the soil testing method, earning 40,112.7 Ethiopian birr. Therefore, it is important to start scaling up the use of soil test based phosphorus fertilizer recommendations for bread wheat in the study area, and similar agro ecology. }, year = {2025} }
TY - JOUR T1 - Pre-Extension Demonstration of Soil Test Based Recommended P-Fertilizer Rate for Bread Wheat at Gechi Districts of Buno Bedele Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia AU - Dechasa Mengistu AU - Suleiman Aman Y1 - 2025/09/23 PY - 2025 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjac.20251003.13 DO - 10.11648/j.wjac.20251003.13 T2 - World Journal of Applied Chemistry JF - World Journal of Applied Chemistry JO - World Journal of Applied Chemistry SP - 66 EP - 70 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2637-5982 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjac.20251003.13 AB - Wheat is a major crop grown in the highlands of Ethiopia, especially in the study area, which is a key food source. In 2020, a pre-extension demonstration was carried out in Gechi district of Buno Bedele Zone to show how soil testing can help decide the right amount of phosphorus fertilizer for bread wheat. The study aimed to look at how much wheat is produced and how profitable it is when using phosphorus fertilizer based on soil testing results, and to teach farmers about using fertilizer rates that are specific to their fields. Two types of fertilizer plans were tested: one based on general recommendations that farmers usually follow, and another based on soil testing results. The improved bread wheat variety called Liban was used. The demonstration took place on one FTC and 10 fields owned by farmers, with each treated area being 12 meters by 20 meters. The rows were spaced 20 cm apart and the right amount of seeds and nitrogen fertilizer was used as recommended for the area. A field visit was held for 59 people when the wheat was ready to be harvested. The best yield came from the method that used soil test results, giving more than a 49.54 increase in grain production compared to the general recommendation. Also, the economic analysis showed that, the highest average profit was made with the soil testing method, earning 40,112.7 Ethiopian birr. Therefore, it is important to start scaling up the use of soil test based phosphorus fertilizer recommendations for bread wheat in the study area, and similar agro ecology. VL - 10 IS - 3 ER -