Interaction Effects of In-organic N- Fertilizer and Seed Rates on Yield and Quality Traits of Malt Barley Varieties in the Highland

A new brewery factory has been constructed in Tigray region. In response, farmers are concerned to produce and earn premium price from malt barley. Besides, quality prerequisites for malting barley are objectively strict and mostly controlled by the growers crop management practice. However, there is limited/no information on the fertilizer and seed rate requirement of the crop that can achieve high quality malt without compromising yield and profit. Therefore, this research was aimed to determine the appropriate levels of inorganic N-fertilizer and seed rate on the yield and quality of malt barley varieties in three districts of Southern Tigray, North of Ethiopia. Treatments include two malt barley varieties (V1=Bekoji-1 and V2=Bhatty), seven N- rates (N0=0, N1=23, N2=34, N3=46, N4 = 57.5, N5 = 69 and N6=80.5 Kg N ha-1) in the form of Urea and two levels of seed rates (SR1=100, SR2=150 kg ha-1). The design was split-split plot with three replications. Varieties were put as a main plot, seed rate as a sub plot and the N-rates as a sub sub-plot treatment. The analysis of the separate and combined over locations revealed significant differences on grain yield (GY) and malt quality traits due to the main effect of treatments and some interactions. The effect of variety and seed rate were non-significant in response to GY. Highest value of grain yield (GY), hectoliter weight, plumpness, thousand kernel weight and acceptable grain protein content (GP) for malt barley was recorded at N5. The treatment without N-fertilize