Abstract
The application of appropriate fertilizer sources and the optimization of nitrogen management are key strategies for increasing crop yield and nutrient use efficiency. An on-farm experiment was conducted in five districts of the North Shewa Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia, to evaluate three phosphorus sources (NPS, DAP, and TSP) and nitrogen application times (100% and 75% of the recommended rate, with split applications) for wheat and tef production. The experiments for bread wheat were conducted on contrasting soil types (Cambisols, heavy Vertisols, and light Vertisols), whereas the experiments for tef were conducted on heavy Vertisols. A randomized complete block design was used, with a farm considered a replication (only a single replication with all treatments was planted at a farm). Data on growth and yield were analyzed using R software version 4.3. All phosphorus sources significantly increased yields compared to the control, with wheat yields increasing from 1,898 to 4,640-5,360 kg ha-1 and tef from 1,376 to 2,382-2,591 kg ha-1. Notably, the 75% N rate with split application improved the agronomic efficiency of nitrogen (AEN) by 38.8% and the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) by 19.5% compared with the previously recommended two-split applications, suggesting a cost-effective and efficient N management approach. Farmer preferences, assessed via Likert scales, aligned with the observed biological yield trends. These findings suggest that NPS, DAP, and TSP perform similarly from an agronomic perspective, and fertilizer choice can be guided by local availability and cost. Reduced, split nitrogen applications offer a cost-effective way to improve wheat and tef productivity and nutrient use efficiency, supporting sustainable fertilizer management.
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Data availability
The data sets used during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the staff of the soil and water management department at Debre Birhan Agricultural Research Center for their invaluable support in input provision, data collection, and field assistance.
Funding
This work was supported by the OCP Ethiopia Fertilizer Manufacturing PLC (OCPEFM PLC) (no grant number).
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Y.G.: Data curation, Formal analysis, Writing – original draft, Writing – review and editing. B.S., K.K., S.A., T.A., T.F., G.S., L.G., D.M., G.L., and G.T: Investigation, Supervision, Validation, Writing – review and editing.
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This experiment was performed in accordance with the Debre Birhan Agricultural Research Center and Amhara Region Agricultural Research Institute review protocol. Based on this annual review, it has permission to do the experiment on the farms. The study involved on-farm fertilizer trials with volunteer farmers in North Shewa, Ethiopia. All participants gave informed consent for participation and for publication of photographs, and no personal or identifiable information was collected or disclosed.
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Gete, Y., Shewangizaw, B., Kassie, K. et al. Evaluation of phosphorus fertilizer sources and nitrogen optimization for wheat and tef in Ethiopia’s central highlands.
Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-34369-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-34369-6
Keywords
- DAP
- NPS
- TSP
- North Shewa
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