Abstract

Aberra-Abebe M and Diriba-Shiferaw G*

Barley productivity and quality in Ethiopia is still low compared to Africa and other developed countries due to soil fertility depletion and low rate use of organic and chemical fertilizers below the rate required and unbalanced application of nutrients. Thus, this experiment was conducted to test the effect of integrated use of organic Beer biosludge (0, 5, 10, 15 t ha^-1 BBS) and inorganic blended NPS fertilizer (0, 75, 100, 150 kg ha^-1 NPS) on growth, yield and yield component of malt barley at Lemu-Bilbilo district in Arsi zone in 2019 cropping season. The experiment was arranged in randomized complete block design having sixteen treatments in three replications. The analysis of variance showed that the highest (19.49 t ha^-1) and lowest (12.26 t ha^-1) mean biomass yield per hectare were obtained from plots fertilized with 15 t BBS along with 75 kg NPS ha^-1 and 5 t BBS ha^-1 alone respectively. Similarly, highest grain yield (9.26 t ha^-1) was recorded from 15 t BBS application along with 150 kg NPS ha^-1 and lowest (3.94 t ha^-1) from the control plot. Highest marginal rate of return (3981%) was obtained from plot treated with 100 kg NPS ha^-1 along with 5 t BBS ha^-1 and highest protein content from plot treated with 100 and 150 kg NPS ha^-1. Also growth, yields and quality parameters significantly and positively correlated to each other due to organic and inorganic fertilizers applied. Thus, application of 5 tons ha^-1 of BBS along with 150 kg ha^-1 is better to improve productivity of malt barley and can be used as an alternative soil management option for malt barley production at an experimental area and the like.