EFFECTS OF NPS FERTILIZER RATES ON GROWTH, YIELD COMPONENTS AND YIELD OF COMMON BEAN (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) VARIETIES UNDER IRRIGATION AT GEWANE, NORTH-EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract:

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is one of the most important cash crops and source of protein for farmers in many lowlands and mid-altitude area of Ethiopia. However, appropriate management practice that combines high yielding varieties with balanced fertilizers are lacking in the study area under irrigation. Thus, a field experiment was conducted to assess the effects of NPS fertilizer rates on growth, yield components and yield of common bean varieties, and to evaluate cost-benefit of NPS fertilizer rates for production of common bean at Gewane under irrigation. Treatments consisted of factorial combinations of three common bean varieties (Awash-1, Awash-2, and Awash Melka,) with five NPS fertilizer rates (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg ha-1) laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The main effects of NPS fertilizer rates and variety had highly significant (p