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Verification of Phosphorus Recommendations Based on Soil Test Crop Response for Maize (Zea mayis L.) in Boneya Boshe District, Western Oromia, Ethiopia

Negash Teshome Isho, Mekonnen H Daba

Verification trials of maize phosphorus recommendations based on crop response to soil tests were conducted in the Boneya Boshe district of Western Oromia during the 2021 main cropping season. The purpose of this study was to extrapolate and verify previous validation results for maize in Bako Tibbe and Gobu Sayo districts as benchmark based on soil test crop response and recommended Pc and Pf. A critical P-value (14.5) and a P-requirement factor (5.5) were adopted for maize in this district. In this study three treatments were used: T1 (Control), T2 (STBFR), T3 (Farmers practice), using an improved Maize variety (BH-546) were arranged side by side with simple adjacent plots and replicated over eleven farmers’ fields in the district. Plot size for each treatment was 10 m x 10 m (100 m2 ). The highest average grain yield (6520 kg/ha) was obtained from the soil test crop response based on fertilizer recommendations, while the lowest average grain yield (1515.62 kg/ha) was recorded from the control plot. Ultimately, the partial budget analysis also showed that the critical and requirement factors for phosphorus are economically feasible with a net benefit of (92,900 Birr) and an MRR of 2144%. Therefore, Pc and Pf are verified and recommended to farmers in Boneya Boshe to produce maize and obtain optimal yields, while further scale-up is expected to promote this technology to farmers in the study area and similar agro-ecologies.