J. Agric. Environ. Sci. Vol. 7 No. 1 (2022) ISSN: 2616-3721 (Online); 2616-3713 (Print)
Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 30
Yield Response and Nutrient use Efficiencies of Maize (Zea mays L.) As Determined
through Nutrient Omission trial in Jimma Zone, Southwestern Ethiopia
Habetamu Getinet
1*
, Yihenew G.Selassie
2
, Tesfaye Balemi
3
1
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Debre Markos Agricultural Research Center, Debre Markos,
Ethiopia
2
College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
3
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
*Corresponding author: habtamugetinet12@gmail.com
Received: March 22, 2022 Accepted: June 2, 2022
Abstract: Appropriate fertilization based on actual limiting nutrients and crop requirements is economic and
judicious for sustainable crop production. A field experiment was conducted to identify yield-limiting nutrients,
to determine yield response, nutrient uptake and use efficiencies of maize (Zea mays L.) through nutrient
omission technique in the Nitisols of Omo Nada District Southwestern Ethiopia for one cropping season
(2019/20). The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with four replications. The
treatments were control, NP, PKS (-N), NKS (-P), NPS (-K), NPK (-S), NPKS, NPKSZn (-B), NPKSB (-Zn) and
NPKSZnB. One composite soil sample was collected from an experimental plot at a depth of 0-20cm before
treatment application and analyzed to estimate the inherent N, P, K, S, Zn and B supplying capacity of the soil.
Grain and straw samples were collected to determine N, P, K, S, Zn and B contents. Maize yield and yield
components, nutrient uptake and agronomic efficiencies of maize were subjected to ANOVA using SAS 9.3
software. The LSD test was used to separate means at a 5% level of significance. The results of soil showed
moderately acidic, sandy clay loam texture, low total N, available P and medium in K, S, Zn, B, OC, OM and
CEC. Grain yield and yield components, nutrient uptake and agronomic efficiency of each nutrient were
significantly affected due to nutrient omitting. Accordingly, the highest grain yield response of maize (5909.1kg
ha
-1
) was obtained from N fertilized plots indicating N was the most yield-limiting nutrient. Owing to the
magnificent yield response to N fertilizer in the current study, proper management of N is very essential for the
intensification of maize productivity. The maximum total nutrient uptake of N (87.38), P (40.40), K (114.95), S
(22.22), Zn (2.67), B (0.28) and agronomic efficiencies of N (55.6), P (166.9), K (166.9), S (333.7), and Zn
(1359.8) was obtained from integrated use of macronutrients (NPKS) with Zn.
Keywords: Agronomic efficiency, Nutrient combination, Nutrient recovery, Nutrient uptake
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
1. Introduction
Soil nutrient depletion and inadequacy of current
fertilizer recommendations due to ignoring soil
fertility status and excluding major nutrients other
than nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from the
recommended dose continuously decreased soil
quality and crop production. In most areas,
nutrients available in soil are rarely present in
adequate amounts and are most probably of
unbalanced proportion to meet the nutrient
requirements of crops. To increase productivity and
subsequently improve food security in Ethiopia, it
is imperative to identify soil nutrients limiting
maize growth and production. The national soil
inventory data (EthioSIS, 2013) also revealed that
in addition to N and P, sulfur (S), boron (B) and
zinc (Zn) deficiencies are widespread in Ethiopian
soils in general and in Southwestern parts of
Ethiopia in particular. Therefore, future gains in
food grain production will be more difficult and
expensive considering the increasing problem of
multi-nutrient deficiencies unless immediate action
is taken.
Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important
staple food crop in Ethiopia and its production and
consumption have grown widely across regions.
However, current average yield is 3944 kgha
-1
(CSA, 2017), which is much lower than its yield
potential. The deficiency of essential elements has
been implicated to limit the uptake of the nutrients,
growth and yields of crops. In Ethiopia, regional
J. Agric. Environ. Sci. Vol. 7 No. 1 (2022) ISSN: 2616-3721 (Online); 2616-3713 (Print)
Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 31
fertilizer recommendations have been developed
for maize which is slightly region-specific
excluding the nutrient status of the soil Wakene et
al. (2011). Yet cropping systems, management
practices, soil type, fertility status, climatic
conditions and other factors governing yield
response to nutrients vary considerably in space
and time Kiara et al. (2016). Due to such localized
differences in crop growing conditions and the
soils’ indigenous nutrient supply capacity, grain
yield and nutrient use efficiencies vary across
maize producing regions of the country Tesfaye et
al. (2019).
Recognition of this variability has prompted many
researchers to consider managing this variability.
Research that aims to improve soil fertility
management and productivity of small-scale
farmers has to reckon with soil variation by
identifying the most limiting nutrient elements and
coming up with flexible recommendations rather
than blanket recommendations. Flexible
recommendations could be based on variations in
soil characteristics that affect productivity and
yield responses. Thus, the nutrient omission
technique (all the other nutrients are supplied other
than the nutrient in question) is a useful tool to
quantify soil nutrient supply capacity and to
identify yield-limiting nutrients in a given area.
Therefore, this experiment was conducted (i) to
identify the most yields limiting nutrient for maize
(ii) to determine the yield response of maize
through the nutrient combination (iii) to determine
maize nutrient uptake and agronomic efficiencies
of N, P, K, S and Zn in Omo Nada District, Jimma
Zone.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Description of the study areas
The experiment was conducted on farmers’ fields
in Nitisols of Goroseden Kebele, Omo Nada
District South-western Ethiopia during the main
cropping season (2019/20). The experimental site
was selected systematically to cover a wide range
of major maize growing areas in the district.
Geographically, the experimental site was located
between 070 40' 09 3'' N latitude, 0370 14' 41.5'' E
longitudes and an altitude of 1750 meters above sea
level. According to the data from Jimma
Meteorological Station (2019), the average
minimum and maximum temperature and mean
annual rainfall of the experimental sites were 12.64
°C, 28.36 °C and 1198 mm, respectively. The
predominant soil type of the study area, in
particular, is Nitisols which have a reddish colour
with moderately acidic in reaction. On average, the
soil is deep and highly weathered well-drained,
sandy clay in texture and strong to moderately
acidic in a reaction as reported by Wispelaere et al.
(2015).
2.2. Soil sampling and laboratory analysis
procedures
One representative composite soil sample (0-20cm
depth) was collected using an auger before
treatment application. The collected sample was
analyzed for soil pH, organic carbon (OC), total
nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (Av. P),
available potassium (K), available sulfur (S), cation
exchange capacity (CEC), and micronutrients (B
and Zn) at Jimma Soil and Tissue Analysis
Laboratory based on procedures described in Van
Reeuwijk (2006). The pH-H
2
O was measured at
1:2.5 soils to solution suspension using a pH meter.
The Walkley and Black method functioned to
determine the OC content while the Kjeldahl
method was employed to determine total nitrogen
Bremner and Mulvaney (1982). Available P was
determined using the Bray II method by Bray and
Kurtz (1945). Available S, B, and Zn and
exchangeable K of the soil were extracted by the
Mehlich-III multi-nutrient extraction method
Mehlich (1984) and measured with their respective
wavelength range by Inductively Coupled Plasma
Optical Emission Spectrometer.
2.3. Treatments and experimental design
Ten treatments of different rates of six single
nutrients (N
120,
P
40,
K
40,
S
20,
Zn
5
and B
2.5
kg ha
-1
)
were used in the present study. Each fertilizer rate
was set based on the recommendation given by
Tesfaye et al. (2019) and the rate of each nutrient
indicated in Table 2. Even though farmers are not
growing maize without fertilizer, control treatment
was included for comparison among the rest of the
treatments. The treatments were laid out in a
randomized complete block design in four
replications. The gross plot area was 18 m
2
(6 m x
3 m), which accommodated 8 rows and 10 plants
per row while the net plot area was 10.8 m
2
(4.5 m
x 2.4 m).
J. Agric. Environ. Sci. Vol. 7 No. 1 (2022) ISSN: 2616-3721 (Online); 2616-3713 (Print)
Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 32
Table 1: Soil Physicochemical properties of experimental site before treatment application
Soil Properties
Value
Rating
Reference
pH (1:2.5 H
2
O)
5.40
Moderately acidic
Tekalign, 1991
Soil BD (g cm
-3
)
1.23
Optimum
Hunt and Gilkes,1992
CEC (cmol(+)Kg
-1
)
16.06
Medium
Hazelton and Murphy, 2007
Total N (%)
0.18
Medium
Tekalign, 1991
Available P (mg kg
-1
)
8.18
Low
FAO, 2008
Available K (mg kg
-1
)
249.62
High
Horneck et al. (2011)
Available S (mg kg
-1
)
6.10
Medium
Horneck et al. (2011)
B (mg kg
-1
)
0.61
Medium
Horneck et al. (2011)
Zn (mg kg
-1
)
1.47
Marginal
Jones, 2003
OC (%)
2.83
Medium
Tekalign, 1991
OM (%)
4.88
Medium
Tekalign, 1991
Sand (%)
60
Soil Textural Class:
Sandy clay loam,
which is ideal
Onwueme and Sinha, 1991
Silt (%)
5
Clay (%)
35
Table 2: Treatments used in the present study
Treatments
N (kg ha
-1
)
P (kg ha
-1
)
K (kg ha
-1
)
S (kg ha
-1
)
Zn (kg ha
-1
)
B (kg ha
-1
)
T
1
= Control
0
0
0
0
0
0
T
2
= NP
120
40
0
0
0
0
T
3
= PKS (-N)
0
40
40
20
0
0
T
4
= NKS (-P)
120
0
40
20
0
0
T
5
= NPS (-K)
120
40
0
20
0
0
T
6
= NPK (-S)
120
40
40
0
0
0
T
7
= NPKS
120
40
40
20
0
0
T
8
= NPKSZn (-B)
120
40
40
17.6
5
0
T
9
= NPKSB (-Zn)
120
40
40
20
0
2.5
T
10
= NPKSZnB
120
40
40
17.6
5
2.5
2.4. Experimental materials and planting
procedures
High yielding (BH-661) maize variety was used as
a test crop in the study, which was released from
Bako Agricultural Research Center. The variety is
popularly accepted and grown by farmers. The full
doses of all fertilizers in the respective treatments
except the nutrient to be omitted were applied at
planting. Urea was applied in splits where the half
rate at planting and the remaining half rate was
applied (3-4 weeks after planting) when the plant
attains at knee height stage. Urea, Triple Super
Phosphate (TSP), Murata of Potash (KCl), Calcium
Sulfate (CaSO
4
.2H
2
O), Zinc Sulfate (ZnSO
4
.
7H
2
O) and Borax (Na
2
B
4
O
7
.5H
2
O) were used as
sources of N, P, K, S, Zn and B, respectively. All
cultural practices were done uniformly for all
treatments, as per the recommendation for maize
production in the area. Harvesting was done
manually from the net plot area when the crop
physiologically matured.
2.5. Data collection
2.5.1. Maize yield and yield components
Data on a plant basis was recorded from the six
central harvestable rows (3.75mx2.4m=9m
2
). The
collected data include leaf area index (LAI), grain
yield, ear length, number of kernel rows cob
-1
,
number of kernels cob
-1
and biomass yield. The
LAI was calculated as the ratio of the total leaf area
of ten plants (cm
2
) per area of land occupied by
these plants. Cob length was measured from ten
randomly selected cobs per plot at harvesting and
the average value was recorded for each plot. The
number of kernel rows cob
-1
was counted from ten
randomly selected ears and the average value was
recorded for each plot. The number of kernels cob
-1
was determined by counting the number of kernels
cob
-1
from ten randomly taken cobs and the average
value was registered. Grain yield (economic yield)
was determined from the entire net plot and
converted into kilogram per hectare where the
actual grain yield was adjusted to 12.5% moisture
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Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 33
level, which is the standard moisture content of
cereal crops. Above-ground biomass (Biological
yield) was measured from the weight of above-
ground biomass for plants in a net plot area and
converted to kilogram per hectare. Harvest Index
(%) was determined as a ratio of grain yield to
above-ground biological yield on a dry weight
basis in percentage Singh and Stoskopf (1971) as
described in the following formula.
[1]
2.5.2. Determination of agronomic efficiency
Agronomic efficiency (AE) refers to the additional
produce obtained in kg kg
-1
of an applied nutrient
which was calculated using the formula of Fageria
et al. (2010) as follows:
[2]
2.5.3. Apparent nutrient recovery efficiency
The apparent nutrient recovery efficiency of
nutrients was determined as the quantity of nutrient
uptake per unit of nutrient applied then finally
changed to a percentage using the formula
indicated below [3]. Grain and straw samples were
collected randomly from the net plot area during
harvesting from each plot and bulked over
replication to determine N, P, K, S, and Zn
contents.
[3]
Where
ARE = Apparent nutrient recovery efficiency
Nf = total nutrient uptake (grain plus straw) of the
fertilized plot (kg ha
-1
)
Nu = total nutrient uptake (grain plus straw) of the
unfertilized plot (kg
-1
)
Na = quantity of nutrient applied (kg ha
-1
)
2.6. Data Analysis
The collected data were subjected to analysis of
variance (ANOVA) appropriate to RCBD using
SAS Institute (2012) 9.3 version software and the
interpretations were made following the procedure
described by Gomez and Gomez (1984). The least
significant difference (LSD) test at a 5%
probability level was used for treatment mean
comparison when the ANOVA showed significant
differences among treatments.
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Grain yield response of maize to different
nutrients
3.1.1. Nitrogen
Compared with tested nutrients highest grain yield
response was obtained from the application of 120
kg ha
-1
N indicating N is the most yield-limiting
essential plant nutrient for maize production hence
it needs special attention. This condition happened
whenever the soil contains appropriate moisture
because soil moisture is the solvent and medium of
nutrient transport to the absorbing root zoon and
plays a key role in influencing crop response to
fertilizer application. This might be attributed due
to the availability of N forms in the soil solution
owing to sufficient soil moisture. When the soil
contains optimum moisture there is high water flux
both of which increase the mass flow of N ions to
the root surface enhancing N uptake since mass
flow rate is a function of both water flux in the root
rhizosphere and nutrient concentration in the soil
solution. The current result was in agreement with
the findings of Tesfaye et al. (2019), who reported
that the maximum yield response was recorded
from plots treated with 120 kg ha
-1
nitrogen.
3.1.2. Phosphorous
Yield response to P was significantly higher at a
rate of 40 kg ha
-1
however, not as high as the yield
response to N application and such a lesser yield
response to P application can be attributed due to
the P fixing nature of the weathered Nitisols and
calcareous soils of the high rainfall areas. In areas
having appropriate moisture conditions, a higher
fraction of available P goes to the soil solution and
is hence transported to the root surface via
diffusion since the rate of diffusion depends on
both water availability in the root rhizosphere and
the concentration of the nutrient ions in the soil
solution. The current result was in line with the
finding of Tesfaye et al. (2019) who reported that
the maximum yield response was obtained from
plots treated with 40 kg ha
-1
P.
3.1.3. Potassium
Concerning K, 1470.8 kg ha
-1
maize grain yield
response was recorded when supplying 40kg ha
-1
K
even though the response was not as higher as
compared to NP. The result showed that to increase
the production of cereal crops including maize,
increasing the appropriate use of all essential
nutrients containing K is an option. Since plant
growth and crop production require an adequate
A
J. Agric. Environ. Sci. Vol. 7 No. 1 (2022) ISSN: 2616-3721 (Online); 2616-3713 (Print)
Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 34
supply and balanced amounts of all nutrients to
maximize productivity by optimizing the plant
nutrient uptake, adding K fertilizer can increase
fertilizer use efficiency and grain yield for different
cereal crops. Therefore, improving the nutrient
content of the fertilizer that fits the needs of the
crops is required to improve the productivity of
maize due to the presence of synergetic interaction
of K with macronutrients (N and P) and
micronutrients (Zn) but it has antagonistic
interaction with B which was in confirmed with the
finding of Malakouti (2008).
3.1.4. Sulfur
The remarkable grain yield response to the
application of S cannot attribute compared to other
major macronutrients. This might be due to the
presence of magnesium and calcium that hides the
effects of sulfur as supported by Sumner (1981).
However, the result of pre-planting soil samples
showed that soil S content as medium critical soil
sulfur level of 6.10 mg kg
-1
, which may confirm
that the grain yield response is less likely due to S
application compared to other major
macronutrients.
3.1.5. Micronutrients (Zn, B)
The grain yield response due to micronutrients
especially (Zn) was observed even if it is not as
remarkable as compared with macronutrients.
However, the application of B does not give a yield
response, which might be the presence of an
optimum level of B in the soil. Thus, the grain
yield response could be due to Zn application since
the Zn content of all fields was below the critical
level (1.5 mg kg
- 1
) soil as suggested by Horneck et
al. (2011) for maize. However, there is need for a
further study to understand the impact of each of
the secondary macronutrients and micronutrients
on maize production.
3.2. Effects of nutrient omitting on yield and
yield components of maize
3.2.1. Growth parameters
Leaf area index values ranged from 2.3 to 4.6,
recording the lowest value from control while the
maximum from the application of (NPKSZn). The
reason for an increase in LAI might be due to the
development of more expanded leaves produced in
response to the balanced application of nutrients
that enhanced vegetative growth. This showed that
the balanced application of mineral nutrients on
maize increased leaf size (to maximize light
interception) and maximize the overall plant
economy of the crop. Fertilization of balanced
nutrients to crops up to optimum level helps
efficient utilization of nutrients that leads to high
photosynthetic productivity and accumulation of
high dry matter. This ultimately increases plant
growth and development, which may result in
improved yield attributes like leaf length and leaf
size, thereby increasing production as supported by
(Mikos-Szymańska, 2018). The result was in line
with the finding of Kumar et al. (2005).
The ANOVA result showed that fertilizer
treatments had a highly significant effect (P < 0.01)
on the number of rows cob
-1
. The highest number
of rows cob
-1
(14.0) was recorded from the
application of NPKSZn while, the lowest (12.9)
was obtained from the control, N and P-omitted
plots (Table 3). Application of major
macronutrients (NPKS) in combination with
micronutrients (Zn) increased the number of rows
cob
-1
by 8.5% compared to control, N and P-
omitted plots. In agreement with this result,
Adediran and Kogbe (2003) reported that maize
production depends mainly on the availability of
essential nutrients. On the other hand, there was no
significant difference observed between numbers of
rows cob
-1
due to the application of B indicating B
did not bring a significant difference, which might
due to the presence of a medium quantity of B in
the soil of study sites.
The maximum cob length (20.0cm) was obtained
from the application of NPKSZn, which is
statistically at par with plots treated with NPK
(19.3cm), and NPKS (19.98cm), NPKSB (19.6cm)
and NPKSZnB (19.6cm). The minimum cob length
(12.5cm and 12.8cm) was obtained from control
and N-omitted plots respectively. The highest ear
length development might be due to an increase in
photosynthetic activities on the account of an
adequate supply of N and P. The current result was
in agreement with the finding of Ahmad et al.
(2018) who reported that a significant increase in
cob length with increased rates of N and P.
Nitrogen is required for ear growth if the soil is
nourished through mineral fertilizer which had an
impact on yield. To do so the maximum assimilates
supply should be available during maize grain
filling with a split application of N Arif et al.
(2010). Moreover, when the environmental
condition allows for optimum utilization of solar
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Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 35
radiation, there is higher assimilation production
and its conversion to starches results in higher cob
length as reported by Derby et al. (2004).
The highest number of grains of cob-1 (589.8) was
recorded from the application of NPKSZn, while
the lowest number (355.5) was obtained from the
control (Table 3). Application of NPKSZn
increased the number of grains per row by65.9%,
58.8% and 16.8%, over control, N-omitted and NP,
respectively. This might be due to an increase in
the number of grains row
-1
, ear length and a
number of rows cob
-1
with higher and balanced
fertilization. The optimum availability of synthetic
fertilizers, which might boost growth indices and
consequently increase ear length as reported by
Chapagain and Gurung (2010) which produced
more grains cob
-1
. The current result confirmed the
findings of Redai et al. (2018) who reported that
the maximum grain was recorded from the
application of macronutrients (NPK) in
combination with Zn.
The highest ear diameter (4.7cm) was recorded
from the application of NPKS, which was
statistically at par with NPK, NPKSZn and
NPKSZnB treated plots (Table 3). On the other
hand, the lowest cob diameter (4.1cm) was
recorded from the control. The availability of
essential nutrients from NPKS leads to improved
cell activities, enhanced cell multiplication,
enlargement and luxuriant growth. The result was
in agreement with the finding of Baharvand et al.
(2014) who reported that the ear diameter of maize
increased due to the increasing rate of chemical
fertilizers.
The highest HI (47.2%) was recorded from the
application of NPKSZnB which was statistically at
par with the value obtained from the application of
NPKSB (47%). The lowest HIs (37.3% and 39.7%)
were recorded from the control and N-omitted
plots. The current result was in the acceptable
range of HI (40 to 60%) for maize Hay (1995).
Thus, an adequate supply of balanced nutrients
including micronutrients is important in optimizing
the partitioning of dry matter between grain and
other parts of a maize plant. Optimum utilization of
solar radiation, higher assimilation production and
its conversion to starch results in higher biomass
and grain yield leading to a higher harvest index.
This finding was supported by Obsa et al. (2021)
who reported that the highest HI (47.36%) was
obtained from the application of NPK +
CaMgSZnB while the lowest HIs (33% and 34%)
were recorded from the control and N-omitted plots
from the same soil type.
Table 3: Effect of nutrient omission on number of rows and grains, ear length, and ear diameter of maize
Treatments
LAI
Rows cob
-1
Ear Length (cm)
Grain cob
-1
Ear Diameter (cm)
HI (%)
Control
2.28
f
12.90
b
12.50
d
355.50
d
4.10
c
37.30
c
NP
3.83
cd
13.50
ab
16.80
c
505.00
c
4.30
bc
42.10
b
PKS (-N)
2.70
e
12.90
b
12.80
d
371.50
d
4.10
c
39.70
bc
NKS (-P)
3.73
d
12.90
b
17.90
b
502.90
c
4.50
ab
43.30
ab
NPS (-K)
4.13
bc
13.40
ab
18.00
b
515.10
c
4.40
ab
43.70
ab
NPK (-S)
4.48
ab
13.40
ab
19.30
a
567.50
ab
4.60
a
43.30
ab
NPKS
4.38
ab
13.70
ab
19.98
a
576.70
ab
4.70
a
44.00
ab
NPKSZn (-B)
4.63
a
14.00
a
20.00
a
589.80
a
4.70
a
43.90
ab
NPKSB (-Zn)
4.35
ab
13.60
ab
19.60
a
567.20
ab
4.50
ab
47.10
a
NPKSZnB
4.35
ab
13.40
ab
19.70
a
565.80
b
4.60
a
47.20
a
Mean
3.89
13.37
17.66
511.70
4.45
43.16
LSD (0.05)
0.38
0.90
0.90
23.60
0.30
4.56
CV (%)
6.82
4.46
3.68
3.18
4.14
7.28
Means followed by a common superscript letter within a column are not significantly different from each other
at P<0.05
3.2.2. Grain Yield
It is evident from the result that the grain yield of
maize ranged from 2028.5 to 8702.6 kg ha
-1
,
recording the lowest yield from the control and N-
omitted treatment while the highest yield from the
application of (NPKSZn) nutrients up to optimum
level (Figure 2). There were 329.0% and 29.8%
grain yield advantages obtained due to the
application of NPKSZn compared to control and
existing NP recommendations. Application of
NPKSZn produced grain yield advantage 350 kg
ha
-1
compared to the application of NPKS, which is
J. Agric. Environ. Sci. Vol. 7 No. 1 (2022) ISSN: 2616-3721 (Online); 2616-3713 (Print)
Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 36
obvious associated with the application of 5 kg ha
-1
Zn. Thus, one can conclude that adding
micronutrients such as Zn results a significant grain
yield difference whereas adding up B on NPKS
have no significant grain yield advantages. This
might probably be due to the optimum content of
boron on the initial soil of the experimental site.
Treatments omitting N, P, K, S or Zn resulted in a
marked yield loss compared to the full application
of NPKSZn, indicating the significance of
replenishment of these nutrients for achieving a
high yield target. Compared to the NPKSZn, which
recorded the highest yield, yield reductions were
5910, 2540, 1470, 1200 and 500 kg ha
-1
in the
omission of N, P, K, S, and Zn plots, respectively.
Although treatments receiving the existing
recommended NP dose of fertilizer had higher
grain yield over control, it showed 2000 kgha
-1
yield reduction compared to the NPKSZn
treatment. The lowest yield from the control plot
indicates that the indigenous soil is unable to
supply a sufficient amount of nutrients while the
lower yield of N - omitted plots indicates that
application cannot be substituted by any other
nutrient and has the highest contribution to maize
yield. This confirms that N is the most limiting
nutrient for maize production. It could be due to the
effect of N on chlorophyll formation,
photosynthesis and assimilated production because
N stress reduces crop photosynthesis by reducing
leaf area development and leaf photosynthesis rate
by accelerating leaf senescence thereby reducing
the final yield Diallo et al. (1997). Unlike the
current study, Tesfaye et al. (2019), however, did
not observe any significant positive effect of
micronutrients on maize grain yield from the same
district and this could probably be due to the soil
application, especially of higher boron doses.
The second most yield-limiting nutrient following
N was P. Phosphorus omitted treatments gave
numerically lower yield compared to other
treatments except control and N-omitted plots,
meaning that P deficiency also limits maize yield.
Its deficiency is a common crop growth and yield-
limiting factor in unfertilized soils and affects leaf
growth dynamics in maize (Ibrikci et al., 2005;
Rehman et al., 2011). The present result revealed
that P-omitted plots showed reduced maize growth
characters compared to NPKSZn treated plots and
2540kgha
-1
yield reduction was recorded indicating
that the soil might be unable to supply sufficient
amount of P that is required for proper growth and
development of plants.
Figure 2: Effect of nutrient combination on maize grain yield at Jimma area
Note: Different small letters denote significant differences between treatments at P<0.05
2029h
6705ef
2794g
6162f
7232dc
7499cd
8353ab
8703a
8206ab
8080bc
0.0
1000.0
2000.0
3000.0
4000.0
5000.0
6000.0
7000.0
8000.0
9000.0
10000.0
Grain Yield (kg/ha)
Treatments (nutrient combination)
Mean = 6576.2, LSD = 593.24, CV = 6.23
J. Agric. Environ. Sci. Vol. 7 No. 1 (2022) ISSN: 2616-3721 (Online); 2616-3713 (Print)
Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 37
3.3. Total nutrient uptake
The highest total N uptake (87.38 kg ha
-1
) was
recorded from the application of NPKSZn, which
was statistically at par with the application of
NPKSB (83.29). Due to the application of
NPKSZn, 659.83% and 374.12% of total N uptake
increments were recorded compared to unfertilized
and N-omitted plots. The increment in total uptake
might be due to the efficient use of N from
fertilizer applied. Total uptake of N supplied from
fertilizer can increase by increasing yield and
efficient use of N Haney et al. (2015). A higher
amount of N uptake or accumulation in grain is
important because crop yield is directly associated
with N accumulated in grain. Higher N uptake in
straw is also desirable because if straw has a higher
N concentration, during crop growth N is
translocate to grain when plant demand increases,
thereby improving yield. A similar finding was also
obtained by (Lopez-Bellido et al. 2003; Dagne
2016) for Nitisols of Western Ethiopia who
reported that the application of macronutrients in
combination with micronutrients produced the
highest N concentration and uptake.
The maximum total P-uptake (40.40 kgha
-1
) was
obtained from the application of NPKSZn, while
the lowest (8.07 kgha
-1
) was recorded from the
control. Application of NPKSZn improved total p
uptake by 400.62% and 59.32% compared to
control and P-omitted plots, respectively. These
results showed that there was a positive effect of P
on maize grain and straw yields and the
improvement of grain and straw P contents by
application of balanced fertilizers including P
containing sources. Moreover, the highest nutrient
uptake recorded might be due to the positive
interaction of P with other nutrients, because the
existence of synergetic nutrient interactions is an
important factor in improving the yield of field
crops where the presence of one element facilitates
the uptake of other Wilkinson (2000). Phosphorus
has a positive significant interaction with N, K and
S. This positive interaction gives rise to
improvement in growth and yield of crop plants
with P fertilization. Phosphorus also has synergistic
interaction with micronutrients. Among
micronutrients, P-Zn interaction is widely reported
by Wilkinson (2000) where, Zn deficiency in this
situation is associated with the rapid growth of
plants, and soil-available Zn cannot fulfill the
demands of rapidly growing plants, which makes
Zn deficiency, induced P toxicity.
Total nutrient uptake of K ranges from 20.43 to
114.95kgha
-1
recording the lowest uptake from
unfertilized plots, while the highest K uptake is
from plots treated with NPKSZn. The highest
nutrient uptake is based on the concept that the
concentration of an essential nutrient in a plant or
part of a plant indicates the soil’s ability to supply
that nutrient and the positive interaction that exists
among the nutrients applied Hillel (2005).
Maximum total K uptake enhanced under NPKSZn
fertilization is an indication of synergetic
interaction of K with macronutrients (N and P) and
micronutrients (Zn) but it has antagonistic
interaction with boron. Kalpana and Krishnarajan
(2002) noticed that the application of increasing
levels of K up to 50 kg ha
-1
significantly increased
N and K uptake in baby corn. This illustrated that
NPKSZn fertilization was better for improving N,
P and K accumulation. The lower K uptake and
concentrations from the control and K - omitted
plots might therefore be due to low K availability
in the experimental soil, as was confirmed by soil
analysis results before planting.
Concerning S, the maximum total S uptake (22.22
kg ha
-1
) was obtained from the application of
NPKSZn, while the minimum (4.74 kgha
-1
) was
obtained from the control. This evidence indicates
that the application of macronutrients (NPKS)
including Zn improves S uptake by 368.78% and
299.79% advantages compared with control and S
omitted plots respectively. An increase in the
availability of S in soil and its absorption by the
crop due to NPKSZn might be the release of more
soil S from the absorption site because of ion
exchange synergistically as reported by Gowda et
al. (2001). Moreover, maximum S uptake in grain
and straw was higher at a high N rate compared to
the low rate of N, indicating improvement in S use
efficiency with the integrated application of N. The
efficiency of nutrient absorption is often
determined by the ability of the plants to absorb a
certain element at a low level of soil stocks or the
nutrient medium Dawson et al. (2008).
The maximum total Zn uptake (2.67kgha
-1
) was
obtained from the application of NPKSZn which
was statistically at par with treated NPKS (2.47),
while the minimum total Zn uptake (0.67kg ha
-1
)
was obtained from control. The current result was
confirmed by the finding of (Jain and Dahama,
2005) who noticed that N, P, K, S and Zn contents
and uptake in maize were significantly higher at
J. Agric. Environ. Sci. Vol. 7 No. 1 (2022) ISSN: 2616-3721 (Online); 2616-3713 (Print)
Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 38
9kgha
-1
. Azab (2015) also proved that combined
application of Zn and NPK fertilizer significantly
improved N, P, K and Zn content and uptake as
compared to plots fertilized only NPK.
Boron uptake in grain ranged from 0.04 to 0.28kg
ha
-1
, recording the lowest value from unfertilized
crops and N - omitted plots while the highest value
from the application of NPKS, NPKSZn and
NPKSZnB. Comparing the average B uptake
values from the application of NPKS, NPKSZn and
NPKSZnB no significant difference was observed,
but there is a slight numerical B uptake difference
between treatments. From this, it can be concluded
that adding up B has a small but non-significant
difference observed, which might be an overdose
of this nutrient and antagonistic interactions among
the applied elements.
Table 4: Total nutrient uptake of maize as affected by nutrient combinations
Treatments
Total nutrient uptake (kgha
-1
nutrient applied)
N
P
K
S
Zn
Control
11.50
g
8.07
e
20.43
e
4.74
f
0.67
f
NP
48.56
d
30.38
c
72.55
d
17.14
cd
2.02
bc
PKS
18.43
f
11.14
e
27.67
e
6.80
e
0.79
f
NKS
43.72
e
25.57
d
74.06
d
15.20
d
1.80
cd
1.25
e
NPS (-K)
60.68
c
29.47
c
88.60
c
17.37
c
NPK (-S)
63.44
c
32.39
c
100.64
b
18.95
bc
1.84
cd
NPKS
74.12
b
36.56
b
102.70
b
19.81
b
2.47
a
NPKSZn (-B)
87.38
a
40.40
a
114.95
a
22.22
a
2.67
a
NPKSB (-Zn)
83.29
a
36.04
b
93.19
bc
20.40
ab
1.41
de
NPKSZnB
70.26
b
37.53
ab
97.61
b
20.55
ab
2.35
ab
Mean
56.14
28.75
79.39
16.18
1.73
LSD (0.05)
4.52
3.16
8.30
1.97
0.45
CV (%)
5.54
7.57
7.22
8.33
18.02
Means followed by a common letter/s within a column are not significantly different at P<0.05
3.4. Agronomic efficiencies
Agronomic efficiency (AE) of each nutrient was
highly significantly (P < 0.01) affected due to
nutrient combination where the application of
NPKSZn resulted in the highest value. Nutrient use
efficiency was increased via increasing crop
nutrient uptake and use efficiency by decreasing
nutrient losses from the soil-plant system. This
improvement was attributed due to nutrient uptake
increment through the integrated application of
macronutrients with micronutrients in nutrient
deficient soil as a result enhanced nutrient use
efficiency of crops thereby boosting yield and
productivity Redai et al.( 2018).
Accordingly, the highest agronomic efficiency of
nitrogen (AEN) (55.6 kg kg
-1
) was obtained from
the application of NPKSZn. The lowest AEN (34.5
kg kg-1) was recorded from the application of NKS
(-P) indicating the combined application of N and P
is especially very important since the absence of
one of these nutrients remarkably reduced the AE
of other nutrients (Table 5). Selecting a fertilizer
combination that confers the highest AE of each
nutrient is quite important, which is in agreement
with the findings of Kurwakumire et al. (2014). On
the other hand, the highest AEN might be attributed
due to the synergetic interaction effect of N with P,
K, S and Zn. Even though, N interaction with
micronutrients depends on the forms of N absorbed
and the soil pH changes in the rhizosphere. If N is
absorbed in the form of NH
4
+
, soil pH may
decrease, and uptake of most micronutrients
increases. If N is mainly absorbed as NO
3
–
, soil pH
may increase, and uptake of most micronutrients
decreases Wilkinson (2000).
The highest agronomic efficiency of phosphorus
(AEP) (166.9 kg kg
-1
) was obtained from the
application of NPKSZn and the least (19.1 kg kg
-1
)
was recorded from N-omitted plots. Application of
NPKSZn increased ATP by 42.7% and 772.7%
compared with NP and N-omitted plots,
respectively. Omitting N (i.e. PKS treatment)
extraordinarily reduced AEP, which might be
reduced root growth and negatively influences the
absorption of water and nutrients. This showed that
the application of P in the absence of N cannot
J. Agric. Environ. Sci. Vol. 7 No. 1 (2022) ISSN: 2616-3721 (Online); 2616-3713 (Print)
Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 39
improve the AEP which was confirmed by the
finding of Tesfaye et al. (2019).
The highest agronomic efficiency of potassium
(AEK) 166.5kgkg
-1
was obtained from the
application of NPK indicating positive interactions
of K with N and P, while the lowest AEK (19.1 kg
kg
-1
K) was recorded from plots treated with PKS (-
N) indicating N-deficiency negatively affects AEK
of crops. Similarly, the same trend was observed in
the case of S and Zn agronomic efficiencies.
Higher AE is generally obtained if the yield
increment per unit of nutrient applied is high
(Obreza and Rhoads, 1988) which supports the
finding of the current study. On the other hand, a
lower yield response indicates higher soil
indigenous nutrient supply or higher soil fertility,
resulting in lower agronomic efficiency.
In general, higher agronomic efficiencies would be
obtained if the yield increment per unit of nutrient
applied were high, nevertheless what amount can
be considered as high AE is not exactly identified
Robert (2008). Further increasing nutrient levels
beyond crop requirement may decrease agronomic
efficiency of a nutrient by the crops, which
indicates a higher amount of fertilizer application
over optimum dose in luxury nutrient uptake might
not contribute to physiological processes and hence
yield.
Table 5: Agronomic efficiency of N, P, K, S, Zn and B as affected by omitted nutrients
Treatments
Agronomic Efficiency (kg grain kg
-1
nutrients applied)
N
P
K
S
Zn
Control
-
-
-
-
-
NP
38.97
f
116.9
g
-
-
-
PKS (-N)
-
19.1
h
19.1
f
38.3
g
-
NKS (-P)
34.50
g
-
103.3
e
206.7
f
-
NPS (-K)
43.40
e
130.1
f
-
260.2
e
-
NPK (-S)
45.60
d
136.8
e
136.8
d
-
-
NPKS
52.70
b
158.1
b
158.1
b
316.2
b
-
NPKSZn (-B)
55.60
a
166.9
a
166.9
a
333.7
a
1359.8
a
NPKSB (-Zn)
51.50
bc
154.4
c
154.4
bc
308.9
c
-
NPKSZnB
50.40
c
151.3
d
151.3
c
302.6
d
1210.3
b
Mean
46.58
129.20
127.13
252.36
1285.06
LSD (0.05)
1.36
2.36
4.12
4.42
42.64
CV (%)
4.25
3.41
4.52
5.36
6.88
Means followed by a common letter/s within a column are not significantly different at P<0.05
3.5. Apparent recovery of nutrients
The apparent recovery efficiency of each nutrient
showed a positive response due to the inorganic
fertilizer combination. The highest recovery
fraction of N (0.64), P (80.2), K (236.32), S (87.40)
and Zn (40.10) was recorded from the application
of NPKSZn. The increment of recovery fraction
might due to the integrated use of macronutrients
(NPKS) with micronutrients (Zn) in the appropriate
form of fertilizer. The result was in line with the
finding of Jones et al. (2011) who reported that
matching appropriate essential macronutrients in
combination with micronutrients with crop nutrient
uptake could optimize nutrient use efficiency
thereby apparent recovery of nutrients.
4. Conclusion and Recommendation
Based on the results, we conclude that rational
fertilizer promotions and recommendations based
on actual limiting nutrients for a given crop are not
only revealed to supply adequate plant nutrients but
also helped to understand the long-term ecological
and economic benefits of the studied crop.
According to the result, it is possible to conclude
that the inherent N supplying capacity of soil is
very low and highly limits grain yield of maize
followed by P in the study area. Therefore, the use
of an optimum dose of N and P should take great
attention to efficient nutrient uptake, which
ultimately increases maize productivity. The wider
variability in maize yield response to the
application of different nutrient combinations
observed in this study, suggests that site-specific
nutrient management is fundamental to intensifying
maize production and productivity. Therefore, we
can conclude that N is the most yield-limiting
nutrient followed by P in the study area.
J. Agric. Environ. Sci. Vol. 7 No. 1 (2022) ISSN: 2616-3721 (Online); 2616-3713 (Print)
Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 40
Moreover, the results of this experiment have
substantiated the importance of micronutrients (Zn)
in combination with macronutrients NPKS for
improving nutrient concentration and uptake and
have confirmed the significant yield increase in
maize. The highest total nutrient uptake, agronomic
efficiency and apparent recovery of nutrients were
obtained from plots treated with fertilizer
containing NPKSZn. Therefore, it can be
concluded that the application of macronutrients in
combination with micronutrients increased maize
yield and concomitantly improved N, P and K
uptake and its nutrient use efficiency.
Further researches need across different locations
and soil types and nutritional quality analysis are
also recommended.
Conflict of Interest
The authors declared that there is no conflict of
interest.
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the Ethiopian Institute of
Agricultural Research for funding of this study.
Staffs of Natural Resource Management of Jimma
Agricultural Research Center (JARC) are highly
acknowledged for their support during the study.
Soil and Plant Tissue Analysis Laboratory of
Jimma Agricultural Research Centers is also duly
acknowledged for the analysis of experimental
samples.
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