Abstract

The main objective of the study was to characterize the soils on the basis of selected soil physicochemical properties and to evaluate the effects of blended fertilizer (YaraMila cereal) applications on yield and yield components of bread wheat on the major soil types in the study area. The field experiment involved 5 treatments (control, three rates of blended fertilizer and recommended nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers) laid down in randomized complete plot design with three replications. Soil samples were collected from the experimental field before planting and from 2 freshly opened soil profiles to study selected soil physicochemical properties. The results showed that the textural classes for both profiles were clay. The bulk density of the surface composite soil for sites was 1.18 g cm-3 and that of profiles increased consistently with depth. The particle density value of the surface composite soils was 2.31 g cm-3. The pH value of the composite surface soils was neutral and increased with profile depth. Low organic matter and total nitrogen, very low to high available phosphorus (0.06 to 19.17 mg kg-1) and very high available potassium, cation exchange capacity and percent base saturation was obtained at the experimental site. The applied fertilizers significantly influenced most of the crop parameters. The grain yield (4383.3 kg ha-1) was obtained due to the application of the highest rate of blended fertilizer while the minimum was from the control.

Key words: Soil, composite soils, profiles.