Effects of Seed Rates and Nitrogen Fertilizer Levels on Yield, Yield Components, and Grain Quality of Malt Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in the Central Highlands of Ethiopia

Soil and climatic conditions in West Shoa are on the margins of agricultural capability due to low soil fertility and soil acidity. The overall objective of this work was to develop guidelines for the production of barley in West shoa, with the goal of establishing modern cropping recommendations. We conducted a 3-year study in Welmera Wereda to examine the effect of seeding rate and Urea (N) fertilization rate on malt barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) yield components and grain yield. Increasing seeding rate from 75 kg ha-1 to 175 kg ha-1 did not alter grain yield and other yield component traits. Increasing N fertilization from 0 to 69 kg N ha-1 increased productive tillers and spike length at harvest, resulting in linear increases in grain yield. Highest N rates had greatest lodging. Based on our results, agronomic recommendations for West Shoa now include barley seeding rates of as low as 75 kg ha-1, with N applications up to at least 46 kg N ha-1. DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/13-12-02 Publication date:June 30th 202