Farmers' participatory evaluation of wheat (triticum aestivum l.) yield in response to nitrogen and phosphorous fertilizers application at kokate mara chare, wolaita zone, south Ethiopia

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) a principal traditional cereal crop in the highlands of Ethiopia and is produced exclusively under rain fed conditions at altitudes ranging from 1500 to 3000 m.a.s.l.. The field trial was conducted at farmer’s field at Kokate Mara Chare Kebele, Sodo Zuria Woreda, Wolaita Zone of South Ethiopia in the main rainy season of 2014. Five levels of nitrogen (0, 46, 69, 92 and 115 kg ha-1) and phosphorous (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 kg ha-1) were used to evaluate productivity of wheat in response to NP fertilizers and to identify the most suitable NP rates for production of wheat of wheat under participatory approach by using Farmers' Research Group (FRG). Wheat variety “Digalo” was used for the experiment in a factorial Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer had very highly significantly influenced total biomass, grain and straw yields of wheat but the effect of P and its interaction with N were not significant on these parameters. The highest grain yield (30.35 dt ha-1) was obtained from the application of 92 kg N ha-1. The economic analysis conducted by taking the grain yield into account revealed that the highest net benefit was obtained from the application of 92 kg N ha-1 and 0 kg P ha-1. Farmers' crop stand evaluation result also indicated that most of the participating farmers preferred application of 92 kg N ha-1 and 0 kg P ha-1. Therefore, application of 92 kg N ha-1 is recommended for production of wheat at Kokate Mara Chare. Based on the current finding, application of P for production of wheat at Kokate Mara Chare is not required. However, periodic checking of P status of soil and crop response to it is important.