World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

EFFECT OF LAND PREPARATION METHODS AND ANIMAL MANURE APPLICATION RATES ON SOIL MOISTURE CONSERVATION AND YIELD OF ONION (Allium cepa) AT GODE, SOMALI REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA.

Tekilil Wolde*

ABSTRACT

The Ethiopian economy is mainly agrarian. It employs 85% of the population and contributes 45% of the gross domestic product and 90% of the national export earnings but agriculture in Ethiopia is dominated by rainfed farming with low productivity specially dry land part of the country like Gode zone of Somali region. As a result, crops have severe moisture stress through their growth stages. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted at Gode ATVET College farm of sandy clay loam soil in the year 2012/13 to assess the effectiveness of different land preparation methods along with manure applications, enhancing soil moisture and thereby onion productivity. The experiment was arranged in a split plot design with three replications; tied ridging, broad bed and zero tillage being as the main plot factor and different levels of animal manure as sub-plot factor with the rates of 0, 3 and 6 tons /ha and therefore nine combined treatments were tested. The analysis of variance for the results of the study indicated that the significant differences were observed in soil bulk density, porosity and available moisture content due to different levels of animal manure applications. Soil moisture content at different soil depths at an interval of 15 days as well as vegetative parameters and yield component also showed a significant difference due to tied ridging and animal manure. Therefore, tied ridging with 6 tons of animal manure may be recommended to reduce the risk of moisture stress and to fetch a good yield in the study area.

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