Abstract

A field experiment was conducted for five consecutive main cropping seasons (2016-2020) in Horro district of Shambu sub-site for field pea, Western Oromia. The aim is to determine long-term effect of organic and inorganic fertilizers on soil physico-chemical properties, plant nutrient availability and crop productivity for sustainable agricultural development. Moreover, to compare the performance of organic materials with inorganic counterpart (FYM, lime and NPS) and to examine their combined effect in alleviating aluminum toxicity in acidic soils. Treatments (NPS, Farm Yard Manure, Lime and the control) were integrated to evaluate their performance on crop yield and soil fertility dynamics. Treatments were designed in RCBD replicated three times on an area of 2.8 x 2.4m for each plot of the experimental site. Field layout and fine seed bed was prepared according to the design. FYM and lime were applied in three different levels 0, 2 tha-1, 4 tha-1and 0, 2.23 tha-1 4.46 tha-1 respectively. 0, 60.5 kgha-1, and 121 kgha-1 NPS was applied for field pea at Shambu sub-site. Lime was incorporated to the soil on plots which receives the treatment a month before sowing to buffer the soil while the experiment was started (2016) and a full dose of FYM also applied once in the first year during planting according to its levels. Then, NPS was applied year after year for the crop until the experiment was terminated. Field pea was sown in Horro district of Shambu sub site; the interaction of 4 tha-1 FYM+4.46 tha-1 Lime+121 kgha-1 NPS and the control gave the highest pooled mean grain yield 1.84 tha-1 and the lowest 0.86 tha-1 respectively. Eventually, the collected and analyzed post-harvest soil results revealed that there is a progressive change on soil physico-chemical properties in the experimental sites for consecutive years as compared to composite pre-sowing soil samples collected while the experiment was launched (2016). Partial budget analysis indicated that integrated application of NPS, FYM and lime at justifiable rate is economically feasible for field pea production in the study area and in similar agro ecologies.