THE ROLE OF PHOSPHORUS FERTILIZATION ON GROWfH AND YIELD OF FABA BEAN ON ACIDIC NITISOL OF CENTRAL HIGHLAND OF ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Poor soil fertility and associated low soil pH adversely affect the growth and yield of
faba bean (Vida faba L.) on reddish-brown Nitiso)s of central highlands of Ethiopia. A field experiment
was conducted at Holetta Agricultural Research Centre in 20m and 2002 cropping seasons to study the
effect of phosphorus fertilizer on the yield and yield components of faba bean. Five levels of
phosphortl5 fertilizer (0, 13, 26, 39 and 52 kg P ha·l ) in the form of triple super-phosphate were laid out
in randomised complete block design with four replications. Results indicated a positive linear
response of faha bean seed yield to phosphorus fertilizer applications, Plant height, number of pods per
plant, 'nodulation score and plant biomass of faba bean were positively (P ::; 0.01 and P ::; 0.001)
influenced by P applications. The application of P fertilizer at the rates of 13, 26,39 and 52 kg P ha·1 also
resulted in a linear response with seed yield increment of 24, 31, 38 and 48%, respectively over the
control. The results of economic analysis showed that application of 13 kg P ha- l was found to have the
highest marginal rate of return for faba bean production