College of Agriculture

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The College of Agriculture is committed to advancing agricultural education, research, and community service. It serves as a center for knowledge creation and dissemination in crop science, animal production, natural resource management, and sustainable agriculture.

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    GROWTH, NODULATION AND YIELD RESPONSE OF COWPEA [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] VARIETIES TO BRADYRHIZOBIUM INOCULATION IN DALE AND HAWASSA, SIDAMA REGION, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA
    (Hawassa University College of Agriculture, 2023) LEMLEM YOHANNES GEZAHEGN
    Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] is an important legume crop grown widely in lowland areas of Ethiopia. However, its yield remains low due to the lack of improved varieties and soil fertility decline. Therefore, the current study was conducted to evaluate the growth, nodulation, and yield response of cowpea varieties to Bradyrhizobium inoculation in Dale and Hawassa, Sidama Region, Southern Ethiopia during the 2022 main cropping season. The treatment combination consisting of four cowpea varieties (Bole, TVU, White Wonder Trailing, and Keti), with two levels of Bradyrhizobium inoculation (non-inoculated and inoculated with the strain: MBI-cowpea) was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design in a factorial arrangement with three replications. The size of each experimental plot was 2 m in length x 4. 2 m in width with inter and intrarow spacing of 0.6 and 0.2 m respectively, as well as 1 and 1.5 m between two adjacent plots and replications, respectively. The representative soil samples were randomly taken from the experimental sites from 20 different spots at a depth of 0–20 cm and analyzed the soil texture, soil pH, total N, organic carbon, available P, and cation exchange capacity at Hawassa university soil science laboratory. Phenology, growth, nodulation and yield related parameter data’s were collected and subjected to ANOVA using SAS software version 9.0. The economic analysis was carried out using partial budget procedure. The results revealed that the day to 50% flowering, day to 90% physiological maturity, nodule fresh and dry weight, plant height, number of primary branches, fresh and dry shoot weight, root fresh weight, number of pods plant-1 , number of seeds pod-1 , hundred seed weight, and grain yield were significantly influenced by the main effect of varieties and Bradyrhizobium inoculation. However, days to 50% emergence and harvest index were significantly affected only by varieties. The nodule number, effective nodule, leaf area, leaf area index, root dry weight, root length, above ground biomass, and straw yield were significantly influenced by the interaction effect of varieties and Bradyrhizobium inoculation. Grain yield was positively and strongly correlated with nodule number, nodule dry weight, plant height, leaf area, shoot and root dry weight, number of pods plant-1 , pod length, number of seeds pod-1 , above ground biomass, and straw yield. The results showed that the White Wonder Trailing variety with Bradyrhizobium strain MBI-cowpea produced the highest grain yield (3.5 t ha-1 ), with a net benefit of 67171.3 ETB ha-1 and a marginal rate of return of 1386.7%. Therefore, this combination could be recommended to increase the grain yield of cowpea and economic profit earned in the study areas, and areas having similar agroecologies. However, this experiment was conducted in a single season, a lower number of varieties and two levels of Bradyrhizobium strain, repeating over multiple seasons, using a large number of cowpea varieties, and more Bradyrhizobium strains will be demanding to come up with a plausible recommendation.
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    PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF MUNG BEAN (Vigna radiata(L.) Wilczek) VARIETIES UNDER VARIABLE PHOSPHOROUS FERTILIZER RATES AT ALAGE, CENTRAL RIFT VALLEY OF ETHIOPIA
    (Hawassa University College of Agriculture, 2020) HABTAM TILAHUN ASRATIE
    Mung bean is an important pulse crop in Ethiopia. However, lack of adapted high yielding varieties and poor soil fertility, especially low levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, have been demonstrated to be important constraints for the production of the crop. Field experiment was conducted during the 2019 belg season to determine the Performance Evaluation of Mung Bean (Vigna Radiata(L.) Wilczek) Varieties Under Variable Phosphorous Fertilizer Rates at Alage Agricultural Technical and Vocational Education Training college Experimental field. The treatments consisted of factorial combinations of four mung bean varieties ( Boreda-1, N26, NVL-1 and shoa robit local) and four phosphorus fertilizer rates (0, 23, 46 and 69 kg P2O5 ha-1 ) laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with four replications. Data were collected on plant height , number of nodules plant-1 , nodules dry weight plant-1 , root dry weight plant-1 , shoot dry weight plant-1 , number of branches plant-1 ,number of pods plant-1 , number of seeds pod-1 , hundred seeds weight, grain yield, harvest index, biological yield, days to flowering and maturity. The variety Boreda-1 showed the best performance in number of pods plant-1 , number of seeds pod-1 ,and grain yield whereas NVL1 gave the lowest performance.Variety Boreda-1 also gave the highest gross benefit of 47624.22 ETB and the highest net benefit of 46749.22 ETB. But the lowest gross return and net return were obtained from variety NVL-1 ,with 40044.38 ETB and 39169.38 ETB, respectively. The increasing rates of phosphorous fertilizer showed substantial improvement in nodules dry weight plant-1 , shoot dry weight plant-1 , plant height, grain yield, and biological yield up to fertilizer rates of 46 kg P2O5 ha-1 . Application of 46 kg P2O5 ha-1 recorded the highest gross income of 47053.13 ETB and net return of 45003.13 ETB and the lowest values were recorded from the control; which were 40280.63 ETB and 40280.63 ETB in that order. From the study,the interaction of variety Boreda-1 with phosphorous fertilizer rates of 46 Kg P2O5 ha-1 recorded highest gross income of 50321.25 ETB and net return of 47396.25 ETB .While, the lowest was recorded from the interaction of variety NVL-1 with phosphorous fertilizer rates of 0 Kg P2O5 ha-1 with a gross income of 36303.75ETB and net return of 35428.75 ETB. Accordingly,variety Boreda-1 and application of 46 kg P2O5 ha-1 ,can be used to improve productivity of mung bean in the study area.
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    GROWTH, SYMBIOTIC AND YIELD PERFORMANCE OF SOYBEAN (Glycine max L.) VARIETIES IN RESPONSE TO Bradyrhizobium INOCULATION AND PHOSPHORUS APPLICATION AT ASSOSA, WESTERN ETHIOPIA
    (Hawassa University College of Agriculture, 2017) TESFAYE TEKOLA SEIFU
    This research was conducted during 2016 main cropping season on field at Assosa, in Benishangul Gumuz Regional State with the objectives of investigating growth, symbiotic and yield performance of three soybean (Glycine max L.) varieties in response to Bradyrhizobium inoculation and P fertilizer application. The treatments studied included three P levels (0, 10 and 20 kg P ha -1 ), two inoculation levels (uninoculated and inoculated with Bradrhizobium strain; MAR-1495) and three soybean varieties (Gizo,Belessa-95 and Local) in randomized complete block design with factorial arrangement using three replications. The results revealed that Bradyrhizobium inoculation with MAR-1495 significantly (P<0.01) increased most of the parameters studied as compared to the control. Inoculation with strain MAR-1495 significantly (P < 0.01) increased nodule number, nodule dry weight, shoot dry weight, root dry weight, leaf area, grain yield, and above ground total biomass as compared to the control. Application of P at 20 and10 kg ha -1 significantly increased nodule number, nodule dry weight, and root dry weight, shoot dry weight, leaf area, above ground total biomass and grain yield. There was significantly (P < 0.01) cultivars effect for most of studied parameters; Belessa-95 variety had better responded on nodule number, nodule dry weigh, grain yield and above ground total biomass as compared to Gizo and Local varieties. The highest grain yield was recorded from Belessa-95 variety 3.29 ton ha -1 from combined application of 20 kg P and Bradyrhizobium inoculation. Nodule number plant -1 was positively and significantly correlated with most of growth parameters, yield and yield components. It could, thus, be deduced that use of MAR-1495 Bradyrhizobium strain and Belessa-95 variety with application of 20 kg P markedly increased the productivity of the crop at Assosa area, however economic analysis revealed that the highest net return was obtained from application of 10 kg P and Bradyrhizobium inoculation with strain MAR-1495. The use of MAR-1495 strain and Belessa-95 variety with application P at 10 kg ha -1 could be recommended, but verification of the results on different farmers’ field could be required before wide use of this study.
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    SOIL CHARACTERIZATION, EFFECTS OF NITROGEN SOURCES, TILLAGE METHODS AND CROPPING SYSTEMS ON SOIL PROPERTIES AND MAIZE (Zea mays L.) IN THE CENTRAL RIFT VALLY OF ETHIOPIA
    (Hawassa University College of Agriculture, 2022) ASHENAFI NIGUSSIE ADAFRE
    Declining soil fertility is one of the major challenges to crop production and productivity in Ethiopia. Thus, addressing this challenge through developing new techniques and application of integrated soil management practices tailored to a particular crop and location is vital to improve crop productivity and production. Given this, studies were conducted in two districts of the central rift valley of Ethiopia with objectives: (1) To characterize and identify the soils of the study areas (2) To evaluate the effects of compost, inorganic nitrogen fertilizer and their mixture on soil properties, growth, and nitrogen uptake of maize, and (3) To assess the combined effects of tillage methods, cropping system and nitrogen fertilization on selected soil chemical properties, maize performance; and organic carbon and total nitrogen stocks. Two pedons, one from each, site were excavated and characterized with respect to morphological, physical and chemical properties. Pot trials were executed using a factorial combinations of five compost rates (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 t ha-1 ) and four inorganic nitrogen fertilizer rates (0, 46, 92, and 138 kg N ha-1 ), laid out as a completely randomized design with three replications. Field study was carried out using three-factors arranged as split-split plot arrangement in randomized complete block design with three replications. The tillage methods were used as the main plot, cropping system as a subplot, and four levels of nitrogen fertilization as the sub-sub plot. Maize variety BH 546 was used as a test crop. The results of soil characterization showed great differences in their morphological, physical, and chemical properties within and among the profiles. Accordingly, the soil of the Dore Bafeno site was classified as Cambisol (Loamic, Aric, Humic), whereas, the Bati Dubano site was classified as Someric Phaeozems (Pantoclayic, Aric). The analysis of variance showed that the combined application of compost and inorganic N fertilizer significantly improved soil chemical properties, plant growth, and nitrogen uptake, compared to the unfertilized or separate addition of compost and/or inorganic N fertilizer. Similarly, different soil management practices were significantly affecting grain yield, N-uptake xxviii and selected soil chemical properties. In both soils, the conventional tillage and haricot beanmaize rotation system increased the yield and yield components, and N-uptake in contrast to the minimum and maize monocropping, respectively. However, tillage methods differed in their effects on soil organic carbon and total nitrogen stocks, which were improved through MT compared to CT. Therefore, a CT plus haricot bean-maize rotation system with the addition of sole inorganic N at 92 kg ha-1 and integrated 46 kg N ha-1 + 10 t compost ha-1 should be recommended, to achieve better yield and yield components as well as N-use efficiency, for Cambisols in Hawassa Zuria and Phaeozems in Meskan study sites, respectively. Nevertheless, to ensure sustainable maize production in the studied soils, we recommended that the integrated application of 46 kg N ha-1 + 10 t ha-1 compost along with MT and legume-based crop rotation, which can enhance soil properties, and in the long run will improve yield, and N-uptake as well as utilization efficiency. This is because the field study was carried out only for two consecutive years and generated short-term results. Therefore, a longer-term study should be carried out at similar soils/sites to assess the long-term effects of tillage practices, cropping systems, and nitrogen fertilization on soil properties, and yield and yield components as well as nitrogen utilization efficiency