Combined Effects of N, P, and Fe, Zn Fertilization on Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Yield and Grain Quality in Southeastern Tigray, Ethiopia

Abstract

Barley is a vital crop for smallholder farmers in Ethiopia’s highlands, but productivity is constrained by poor soil fertility and inadequate fertilizer management. A field experiment was conducted in Southeastern Tigray during the 2017/18 Ethiopian cropping rainy season to evaluate the effects of macronutrients (N and P) and micronutrients (Fe and Zn) on barley yield, yield components, and grain quality. A split-plot design with three replications was used, with three N and P treatments (MA1 = control, MA2 = 100 kg Urea ha⁻¹ + 100 kg DAP ha⁻¹, MA3 = 50 kg DAP ha⁻¹ + 50 kg Urea ha⁻¹) as main plots and four Zn and Fe foliar treatments (P1 = control, P2 = 25 kg Zn ha⁻¹, P3 = 25 kg Fe ha⁻¹, P4 = 12.5 kg Zn ha⁻¹ + 12.5 kg Fe ha⁻¹) as subplots. Results showed that combining macronutrients and micronutrients produced better responses than either alone. The combination of 100 kg Urea ha⁻¹ + 100 kg DAP ha⁻¹ with 12.5 kg Zn ha⁻¹ + 12.5 kg Fe ha⁻¹ gave the highest grain yield (2.62 t/ha and 2.17 t/ha), Fe content (374.8 mg kg^-1 and 155.3 mg kg^-1), and protein content (15.6% and 12.4%) at Dejen and Kedamay-weyane, respectively. This nutrient combination is recommended to improve barley yield, grain Fe, and protein content in the study area.