Abstract:
Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an important legume food with multiple uses. Its
productivity is low especially in acidic soil of Dorze Tegecha Kebele, Southern Ethiopia.
Liming and phosphate fertilization hold promise in amelioration of these soils and
enhancing crop productivity. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted to evaluate the
effect of lime and phosphorus fertilizer application rates on growth, yield components
and yield of common bean during the 2021 Belg season in the area. The experiment
comprised two lime rates (no lime and lime @ 3t ha-1
) and five rates of P2O5 (0, 23, 46,
69 and 92 kg ha-1
) which was laid out in randomized complete block design in a factorial
arrangement with three replications. Data for crop growth, nodulation, phenology, yield
components and yields were collected and analyzed. Maximum plant height (78.55 cm)
and branch number plant-1
(9.26) were obtained with treatment having lime and P2O5 @
69 kg ha-1
application. The longest days to 50% flowering (47.5) and 90 % maturity
(93.67) were recorded from treatment having no P2O5 application. Maximum total nodule
number (156.11), effective nodule number (100.44) and number of pods plant-1
(15.39)
were recorded with treatment having lime and P2O5 @ 92 kg ha-1
application. The highest
number of seeds pod-1 (6.08) and hundred seed weight (55.05 g) were obtained with P2O5
@ 69 kg ha-1
application. Highest above ground dry biomass yield of 8852.6 kg ha-1 and
highest grain yield of 3029.3 kg ha-1 were recorded with treatment having lime and P2O5
@ 92 and 69 kg ha-1
application. The treatment combination of lime @ 3t ha-1
and P2O5
@ 69 kg ha-1 gave maximum grain yield (3,029.3 kg ha-1
), net benefit (59,632.88birr ha-1
)
and marginal rate of return (840.14%). Therefore, lime @ 3t ha-1
and P2O5 @ 69 kg ha-1
may be recommended for higher productivity and profitability of common bean in Dorze
Tegecha. But, it needs its multi-season and multi-location investigation for further
validation of lime and P rates
