Phosphorus Requirement Mapping for Teff at Debre Libanos District, North Shewa Zone, Oromia

Phosphorus is an important plant nutrient affecting the growth and production of crop in the study area. Most crops require significant quantities of P during the early stages of growth and phosphorus requirements for optimum yields vary with different crop types. Fertilizer requirement mapping is related to the system of determining fertilizer required by specific crop production type for specific area on the basis of soil sample testing results. In order to make efficient fertilizer application for Teff at Debre Libanos district, the study was conducted to map phosphorus requirement for Teff crop. Starting from soil sample collection, laboratory analysis and interpretation and mapping standard methods were used. The total soil samples collected for Teff potential kebeles were 95 and phosphorus requirement mapping was done based on collected and analyzed soil samples. Based on the laboratory result, phosphorus requirement was calculated by subtracting initial soil phosphorus from phosphorus critical for Teff crop at the study area. Based on the laboratory results and spatial analysis done to map p-requirement, Teff potential kebeles in the study area require high (25 to 36.7ppm) at P-value ranged between 10.9-9.0 (medium) and low (4.6-10) at P-value ranged between 14.2-13.4 (high) phosphorus fertilizer. Accordingly, phosphorus fertilizer application rate for Teff crop might be very efficient by using the map, otherwise using the mean rate (21.6ppm) suitable than blanket phosphorus fertilizer application.