[01] Dereje Dobocha, Agronomy and Crop Physiology Program, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Kulumsa Agricultural Research Center, Asella, Ethiopia. [02] Zenebe Mulatu, Agronomy and Crop Physiology Program, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Kulumsa Agricultural Research Center, Asella, Ethiopia. [03] Debela Bekele, Agronomy and Crop Physiology Program, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Kulumsa Agricultural Research Center, Asella, Ethiopia. [04] Almaz Admasu, Agronomy and Crop Physiology Program, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Kulumsa Agricultural Research Center, Asella, Ethiopia. [05] Fasil Shimeles, Agronomy and Crop Physiology Program, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Kulumsa Agricultural Research Center, Asella, Ethiopia. [06] Wegayehu Worku, Agronomy and Crop Physiology Program, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Kulumsa Agricultural Research Center, Asella, Ethiopia.

The decline in soil fertility is one of the main barriers to yield restrictions in wheat production and productivity. The experiments were carried out with the aim of evaluating the comparative advantage of NPS fertilizer over the traditional N and P fertilizer recommendations in terms of yield and yield attributes of bread wheat varieties at Lemu Bilbilo district, Oromia regional state, Ethiopia on two farm sites during 2017 main cropping season. The tests were carried out in a randomized, complete block design in a split-plot arrangement consisting of 3 bread wheat varieties (V1 = Danda’a, V2 = Digelu and V3 = Hidase) from the main plot and 4 fertilizer quantities (FR1 = recommended NP (100 kg / ha urea + 150 kg / ha DAP) (73N, 69 P₂O₅), FR2 = 150% RNP, FR3 = 200% RNP, FR3 = Recommended NPS (100 kg / ha) (19 N 38 P₂O₅ + 7S) assigned to the partial area with 3 repetitions. Results indicated the major factors varieties showed significant differences for all tested parameters in the study centers whereas fertilizers had significant effect on plant height, grain and above ground dry biological yields. Danda’a variety resulted in pick plant height, the highest grains spike^-1 (82.38), grain yield (5869.72 kg ha^-1) and above ground dry biological yield of (10.20 t ha^-1). The difference in ear length and thousand grain weight of the Danda’a variety was significantly on par with that of the Hidase variety, while the harvest index of Digelu was significantly the same with Hidase variety. Significantly higher grain and above ground dry biological yields were gained from the use of 200% RNP compared to 150% RNP, RNP and RNPS but, plant height recorded from 200% RNP was significantly at par with150% RNP. The grain and above ground dry biological yields difference among RNP and RNPS were significantly at par. Therefore, based on the study results and considering farmers cost of production 150% RNP (109.5 N and 103.5 P₂O₅) as 1^st option and RNPS as the 2^nd option were recognized and could be recommended for the production and productivity of Danda’a and Hidase bread wheat varieties in study sites and similar agroecologies.

Bread Wheat, Fertilizers, Yield, Varieties

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