Drainage,sowing date and variety effects on chickpea grown on a Vertisol in Ethiopia

A field experiment was conducted for three years at Ginchi in Ethiopia to study the effects of three drainage methods [broad-bed-and-furrow (BBF), ridge-and-furrow (RF) and flat beds (FB)] arranged as main plots. Sub-plots comprised a factorial combination of four sowing dates (18 and 31 August, and 14 and 28 September) and three Desi-type chickpea varieties (Worku, Akaki and a landrace) in a split-plot design with three replications. Improved drainage methods (BBF and RF) increased chickpea seed yield by an average of 45% over the flat seedbed. There was a quadratic relationship between seed yield and sowing date with a peak yield in mid-September. Improved varieties (Worku and Akaki) yielded 15–19% more than the local check. Improved varieties were significantly more yielding than the landrace variety under the improved drainage system but not under the flat bed system. Also, improved varieties yielded significantly more than the landrace variety in the first three sowing dates when waterlogging was a problem but not in the last sowing date after which drought stress normally sets in. Sowing of improved chickpea varieties in mid-September using BBF could markedly increase productivity of chickpea on Vertisols in Ethiopia.     

Distribution and association of faba bean gall (Olpidium viciae) disease with agro-ecological factors in northwestern Ethiopia

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is an important food legume crop used for various dishes due to its high protein and essential nutrients content. In recent...     

Cropping sequence and nitrogen fertilizer effects on the productivity and quality of malting barley and soil fertility in the Ethiopian highlands

The productivity and quality of malting barley were evaluated using factorial combinations of four preceding crops (faba bean, field pea, rapeseed, and barley) as main plots and four nitrogen fertilizer rates (0, 18, 36, and 54 kg N ha^?1) as sub-plots with three replications at two sites on Nitisols of the Ethiopian highlands in 2010 and 2011 cropping seasons. Preceding crops other than barley and N fertilizer significantly improved yield and quality of malting barley. The highest grain yield, kernel plumpness, protein content, and sieve test were obtained for malting barley grown after faba bean, followed by rapeseed and field pea. Nitrogen fertilizer significantly increased yield, protein content, and sieve test of malting barley. All protein contents were within the acceptable range for malting quality. Inclusion of legumes in the rotation also improved soil fertility through increases in soil carbon and nitrogen content. We conclude that to maximize yield and quality of malting barley, it is critical to consider the preceding crop and soil nitrogen status. Use of appropriate break crops may substitute or reduce the amount of mineral N fertilizer required for the production of malting barley at least for one season without affecting its quality.