Soil Characterization and Response of Triticale : (X Triticosecale Wittmack) to Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilizer Rates at Debretabor Area, Northwestern Ethiopia

Low and declining soil fertility are among the major factors responsible for the poor productivity of the small scale rainfed crop farming in most of the Ethiopian highlands. Thus, soil characterization and field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of applied N and P fertilizer rates on grain yield and yield components for triticale (Triticosecale wittmack L.) production on soils of Wabela, around Debretabor area, Amhara National Regional State (ANRS). The experiment involved factorial combinations of four rates of N (0, 23, 46 and 69 kg ha-1) and P (0, 10, 20 and 30 kg ha-1) laid down in RCBD with three replications. The moist soil color of the profile was very dark brown (7.5YR 3/3), at the surface and dark grayish brown (10YR 3/3) at the bottom, with clay loam to clayey texture. The bulk density values varied with depth of the profile from 1.01 g cm-3 at the surface layer to 1.23 g cm-3 at the bottom layer. Soils of the profile indicated that the soil of the site was moderately to slightly acidic in reaction, high to medium in its total N and high in available P from the surface to the subsurface horizons.