Determination of Optimum Nitrogen Fertilizer and Seed Rates on Yield and Quality of Malt Barley in North Eastern, Ethiopia

Low soil fertility and inappropriate plant populations were the major factors affecting malt barley production in high land areas of North Eastern Ethiopia. To adders these issues the experiment was conducted in major malt barley growing areas of North Eastern Ethiopia at Kone , Estayish and Legambo in two cropping seasons of 2019 and 2020. The objective was to determine optimum and economical nitrogen rate for yield and quality of malt barely; and to determine optimum seed rate for yield and quality of malt barley. The experiment was designed in factorial arrangement of randomized complete block consisting of four nitrogen fertilizer rates (0, 60, 120 &180 kg ha ^− 1 ) and four seed rates (75, 100, 125 & 150 kg ha ^− 1 ) were used. Basal applications of phosphorus fertilizer of 69 kg ha ^− 1 as P ₂ O ₅ were applied. Results revealed that N fertilizer rates had a significant effect on growth, yield and grain quality of malt barley. Generally, the highest grain yield (3.28 ton ha ^− 1 ) of malt barley positively responded with application of 180 kg ha ^− 1 N fertilizer. Grain protein contents were analyzed and showed that it is in the acceptable ranges from 9.3 to 11.2%. Hence, N fertilizer rates of 180 kg N ha ^− 1 and 100 kg ha ^− 1 seeding rates of malt barley were economically optimum and recommendable rates for malting barley production in Kone , Estayish and Legambo areas and in similar agro-ecologies.