Evaluation of Different Level of Vermicompost on Yield and Yield Components of Wheat at Vertisols of L/Machew District

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out to evaluate different rates of vermicompost, and inorganic NPS(Nitrogen-Phosphate Fertilizer With Sulphur) fertilizers for wheat production in 2015-2017 main cropping seasons at L/machew district of the Tigray Regional State. There were five systematically combined rates of vermicompost and one rate of NPS treatments during the study. The experimental design was randomized complete block with three replications. Surface soil samples were collected before planting to analyze selected soil properties. The textural class of the soil was clay. The pH of the soil was rated under moderately acidic. Available P was rated under medium in most of the experimental sites while total N was low in all experimental sites.  The treatments significantly affected crop phenology, yield and yield components of wheat. Thus tallest plant height was found from treatments that received 100kg/ha NPS, followed by 8.75t/ha vermicompost which resulted in (73.25cm) while the shortest plant (62.73cm) was obtained from control plots, respectively. Highest mean wheat grain yield (2642.8kg/ha) was obtained in response to 100kg NPS from inorganic fertilizer application followed by the second highest dose of vermicompost (7t/ha) with grain yield of 2620 kg/ha.  At the wheat plants grown in plot received vermicompost compost at 7t/ha of vermicompost increased the grain yield by 67.78% over the control. Though highest grain yield was obtained from highest dose of vermicompost the partial budget analysis shows that the highest marginal rate of return (456) was obtained from 3.5t/ha VC ha-1 plus 100kg/ha urea at the study area.