EFFECT OF SEEDING AND HERBICIDE APPLICATION RATES ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF FOOD BARLEY (Hordeum vulgare L.) IN CHEHA DISTRICT, GURAGE ZONE, CENTRAL ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Barley is a major cereal crop in the highlands of Ethiopia and serves as a vital source of food, animal feed, and alcohol. However, weed infestation poses a significant challenge, leading to substantial yield reductions. Hence, to address this issue, a study was conducted during the main cropping season in 2022 in Cheha District. The objective was to assess the effect of seeding and herbicide application rates on the growth and yield of barley. The experimental setup consisted of three seeding rates (75kg/ha, 100kg/ha, and 125kg/ha) and three herbicide rates/AXIS 50EC (0.75l/ha, 1l/ha, 1.25l/ha, twice hand weeding, weed-free, and weedy). The study utilized a randomized complete block design with a factorial arrangement, and each treatment was replicated three times. The study revealed that broadleaved weed species dominated the studyarea, accounting for 82.6% of relative density, while grasses constituted 17.4%. The interaction between herbicide application and seeding rates significantly (p<0.05) influenced number of days to heading and maturity, total number and productive tillers per plant, thousand grain weight, number of grains per spike, aboveground biomass yield, and grain yield of barley. The highest yield and yield components of barley were observed with a seed rate of 125 kg, combined with two hand weeding and the application of 1.25l/ha AXIS 50EC. Treatments involving the application of0.75l/ha AXIS 50EC with75 kg seed rate resulted in the highest dry biomass weight for both broad-leaved and grass weed species. The maximum grain yield (5030 kg/ha) was achieved with twice hand weeding when sown with a seed rate of 125 kg. In contrast, the lowest grain yield (1600 kg/ha) was recorded with the application of 0.75l/ha AXIS 50EC and a seed rateof 75 kg. The economic analysis indicated that the combination of a 125 kg seed rate with the application of 1.25l/ha AXIS 50EC produced the highest net benefit and MRR (604.01%). In conclusion, sowing barley at a seed rate of 125 kg and applying AXIS 50EC at 1.25l/resulted in optimal growth and grain yield for the crop. Since the experiment was conduction one location and season, it should be repeated over season and location for further recommendation.