Validation of blended NPSB fertilizer rates on yield, yield components of Teff [Eragrostis tef (Zuccagni) Trotter] at vertisols of Hatsebo, Central Tigray, Ethiopia

Application of unbalanced nutrition was the main yield limiting factor in the study area. Hence, an experiment was conducted during the 2017 cropping season on farmers’ fields to validate and determine optimum blended fertilizer rate for teff production. Eight levels of NPSB (0, 25, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 kg ha-1) and recommended NP (100 kg ha-1 urea and 100 kg ha-1TSP) were used as treatments and set in randomized complete block design with three replications. All the fertilizers were applied at planting but nitrogen was top dressed in two time split. Surface soil samples was collected before teff sowing and after harvest; with total nitrogen, available phosphorus, extractable sulfur and boron found to be at low level. Application of different blended NPSB fertilizer rates significantly affected crop phonology, yield and yield components of teff. Highest mean teff grain yield (2803.09 kg ha-1) was obtained in response to 250 kg ha-1NPSB with 62.5 and 33.4% yield increment over the control and recommended NP. Similarly, the highest straw yield was also obtained from plot treated with that rate and it has 80 and 44.4% yield increment over the control and the recommended NP, respectively. The partial budget analysis also revealed that marginal rate of return was highest (1179.5%) at a rate of 250 kg ha-1NPSB+46 kg N ha-1 from which better biomass and economic advantage was attained. Hence it could be concluded that it is possible for optimum teff yield to be attained using 250 kg ha-1NPSB+46 kg N ha-1. Key words: Eragrostis tef, blended fertilizer, yield components, NP fertilizer, Laelay Maichew.