Submitted:
06 June 2024
Posted:
10 June 2024
You are already at the latest version
Abstract
Keywords:
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Description of the Study Area
2.2. Site Selection, Land Preparation and Planting
2.3. Fertilizer Collection, Analysis and Application
2.4. Experimental Treatments
2.5. Morphological Parameter Sampling and Data Collection Methods
2.5.1. Plant Height (PH) (cm)
2.5.2. Number of Tillers per Plant (NTPP)
2.5.3. Number of Leaves per Plant (NLPP)
2.5.4. Leaf Length per Plant (cm)
2.5.5. Leaf Width per Plant (cm)
2.5.6. Leaf-to-Stem Ratio (LSR)
2.5.7. Sampling Methods for Fresh Biomass and Dry Matter Yield (DMY) (t/ha)
2.6. Partial Budget Analysis
2.7. Statistical Data Analysis
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Effect of Fertilizer Levels and Years on Morphological Characteristics and Dry Matter Yield
3.1.1. Plant Height (PH) (cm)
3.1.2. Number of Tillers per Plant (NTPP) (Counts)
3.1.3. Number of Leaves per Plant (NLPP) (Counts)
3.1.4. Leaf Length per Plant (LLPP) (cm)
3.1.5. Leaf Width per Plant (LWPP) (cm)
3.1.6. Leaf to Stem Ratio (LSR)
3.1.7. Dry Matter Yield (DMY) (t/ha)
3.2. Partial Budget Analysis
4. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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| Factors | Parameters | |||||||
| Fertilizer rate | Years | PH | NTPP | NLPP | LLPP | LWPP | LSR | DMY(t/ha) |
| Control | 2021 | 42.57e | 15.40j | 154.20f | 12.75c | 1.26h | 0.68g | 5.88e |
| 100kg N | 2021 | 57.30de | 27.60def | 167.04e | 13.57c | 1.54g | 0.88f | 6.76de |
| 300kg N | 2021 | 58.50d | 28.27def | 172.70e | 14.11d | 1.58f | 1.11d | 7.26d |
| Manure | 2021 | 61.93cd | 30.67def | 172.75e | 17.51c | 1.60e | 1.15b | 7.72d |
| Control | 2022 | 57.30de | 24.00d | 138.12d | 15.95bc | 3.40d | 0.88f | 9.23c |
| 100kg N | 2022 | 73.33b | 75.47c | 394.50c | 16.51bc | 3.71c | 0.96e | 10.13b |
| 300kg N | 2022 | 101.67a | 93.60b | 485.17b | 17.87bc | 3.84b | 1.12c | 10.77ab |
| Manure | 2022 | 102.33a | 120.53a | 527.08a | 45.17a | 3.93a | 1.18a | 11.43a |
| Overall mean | 69.37 | 51.94 | 276.45 | 19.18 | 2.61 | 1.03 | 8.65 | |
| SEM± | 7.26 | 13.92 | 8.57 | 9.9 | 0.003 | 0.002 | 0.77 | |
| CV% | 5.79 | 7.23 | 0.94 | 8.45 | 1.92 | 3.64 | 7.65 | |
| R2 | 0.99 | 0.99 | 0.99 | 0.98 | 0.99 | 0.99 | 0.98 | |
| Frt*yr | <.0001 | <.0001 | <.0001 | 0.0104 | <.0001 | <.0001 | <.0001 | |
| Descriptions | Fertilizer type and levels (Treatments) | |||
| Control | 100 kg urea | 300kg urea | Manure | |
| DMY (Kg) | 5880 | 6760 | 7260 | 7720 |
| ADMY (Kg) (A) | 5290 | 6080 | 6530 | 6948 |
| Cost of urea | 0 | 1800 | 5400 | 0 |
| Cost of manure | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6,000 |
| TVC (B) | 0 | 1800 | 5400 | 6,000 |
| Grass Price (birr/ kg) (C) | 4.03 | 4.03 | 4.03 | 4.03 |
| Gross benefit (A*C)(D) | 21318.7 | 24502.4 | 26315.9 | 28000.44 |
| Net benefit (D-B)(birr) | 21318.7 | 22702.4 | 20915.9 | 22000.44 |
| Change in TVC (∆TVC) | 0 | 1800 | 5400 | 6000 |
| Change in net benefit (∆NR) | 0 | 1473.7 | -402.8 | 681.74 |
| MRR (%) = (∆NR/∆TVC)*100 | ND | 8.19 | D | 11.36 |
| Descriptions | fertilizer type and levels (Treatment) | |||
| Control | 100kg urea | 300kg urea | Manure | |
| DMY (Kg) | 9230 | 10130 | 10770 | 11430 |
| ADMY (Kg) (A) | 8307 | 9117 | 9693 | 10287 |
| Cost of urea ETB Kg-1 | 0 | 4500 | 13500 | 0 |
| Cost of manure in ETB Quintal-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6000 |
| TVC (B) | 0 | 4500 | 13500 | 6000 |
| Grass Price (birr/kg) (C) | 4.03 | 4.03 | 4.03 | 4.03 |
| Gross benefit (A*C)(D) | 33477.21 | 36741.51 | 39062.79 | 41456.61 |
| Net benefit (D-B)(birr) | 33477.21 | 32241.51 | 25562.79 | 35456.61 |
| Change in TVC (∆TVC) | 0 | 4500 | 13500 | 6000 |
| Change in net benefit (∆NR) | 0 | -1234.7 | -7914.42 | 1979.4 |
| MRR (%) = (∆NR/∆TVC)*100 | ND | D | D | 31.96 |
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