Performance Evaluation of Faba Bean and Field Pea Rotation Systems and Inorganic Fertilizer on Yield and Yield Component of Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the Highlands of Bale South Eastern Oromia
Author : Tamiru Meleta and Reta Dargie
Abstract :
Grain legume production offers multiple environmental benefits and can enhance the sustainability of farming. This study investigated the impacts of introducing grain legumes faba beans (Vicia faba L.)] in cereal-dominated crop production systems typical for south eastern Ethiopia. Nitrogen has becoming the most limiting nutrient in the South Eastern highlands of Ethiopia due to continuous cropping with application of limited external inputs. To improve soil nutrient availability, farmers have been using legumes in crop rotation. However, the roles of various legumes on subsequent wheat (Triticum aestivum) crop are unknown in South Eastern Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to investigate impacts of legumes on yield of subsequent wheat crop. Experiment was conducted at farmer's field with faba bean (Vicia faba L.), ‘field pea (Pisum sativum) and wheat (Triticum spp.) in the first season and all plots were rotated by wheat in the second season. Yield of subsequent wheat crop was recorded and analyzed. The result revealed that grain yield and dry biomass yields of subsequent wheat crop were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the legume-wheat rotations than in the wheat-wheat rotation. The findings indicated that legumes improved yield and N uptake of the subsequent wheat crop. Thus, soil fertility management policy need to consider legume crop rotations as nutrient management option to improve sustainable soil fertility and yield.
Keywords :
Crop rotation, Grain yield, Legumes, Subsequent wheat crop.
