INTERACTION EFFECT OF BLENDED (NPSB) FERTILIZER RATES AND SEED SOURCES ON YIELD COMPONENTS AND SEED QUALITY OF BREAD WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L) VARIETIES IN SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Low soil fertility and poor quality seed sources are the major yields and seed quality limiting constraints of bread wheat in Ethiopia. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted in the Doyogana district during the 2020 cropping season to determine the interaction effect of blended fertilizer rates and seed sources on yield and seed quality of bread wheat varieties. Factorial combinations of four blended NPSB levels (0, 75, 100, and 125 kg ha^-1), three seed sources (Research, C₂, and C₃), and three wheat varieties (Hidase, Digalu, and Ogolicho)  were laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. Combined analysis of the results revealed that days to 50% heading, days to maturity, and germination percentage were significantly affected by the main and their interaction effects of fertilizer rate and seed sources. Grain filling period, plant height, and the number of kernels were significantly affected by the main effects of fertilizer and their interaction with seed sources whereas spike length, grain yield, 1000 kernels weight, speed of germination, seedling dry weight, seedling length, vigor  index i and ii were significantly affected by 3-way interaction. The maximum values of grain yield were recorded in the interaction of 125 kg ha^-1 NPSB fertilizer rates, seeds obtained from the research center, and Hidase variety. Therefore, it could be concluded that the application of 125 kg blended NPSB fertilizer rate, seeds obtained from the research center and Hidase variety were economically profitable in the study area.