Integrated Soil Fertility Management for Improving Maize Production in Ethiopia

The productivity of maize in potential agro-ecologies has been notified in decreasing trends, mainly because of declining soil fertility. To alleviate this production problem in the country, commercial fertilizers have been relied to boost the productivity of maize that commonly cultivated in continuous production system. The research outputs of various institutions in the country confirmed variable results because of differences in soil types, agro-ecology, varieties used and crop management systems. Maize planted using combinations of FYM, compost, biogas effluent, crops with lower rates of NP fertilizers at Bako and enriching FYM at Chiro with inorganic fertilizers gave comparable yield to the recommended NP rates. The uses of legumes as short fallows and green manuring indicated that mucuna at Bako and sesbania at Jimma, planted Legumes as precursor crop at Bako could partially or fully replace the N-fertilizer need of subsequently sown maize. At Hawassa also nine t ha-1 coffees by product combined with 60 kg N ha-1 enhanced soil fertility and promised sustainable production of maize in respective location.