Growth and seed yield response fenugreek(Trigonnella foenum graecum L.) To NBSP fertilizer Rate and row spacing i leka Dulecha district, western Ethiopia

Fenugreek is an annual herbaceous and self-pollinating legume crop. In Ethiopia, the productivity of fenugreek was low as compared to its potential yield. Being limited by inappropriate agronomic management including poor nutrient and plant spacing management the productivity of the crop was very low. Research on Blended NPSB fertilizer practices for the fenugreek crop is given little attention in study area. Hence, the objective of this study was to determine the optimum NPSB rate and best spacing for Fenugreek production. The field experiment was conducted during 2022/23 cropping season at Leka Dulecha district, East Wollaga, Ethiopia. The treatments consist of four NPSB fertilizer rates (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg ha-1 ) and three row spacing (20, 30 and 40 cm) that gave 12 treatments with three replication. The treatment was laid out in a randomized complete block design in factorial arrangement with three replications. Analysis of variance revealed that days to 50% flowering, days to 90% physiological maturity, plant height, number of secondary branches plant-1- , number of nodules plant-1 , nodule dry weight plant-1 , number of pods plant-1 , number of seeds pod-1 , and biological yield were significantly affected by the main effect of NPSB fertilizer. The number of primary branches plant-1 , thousand seed weight, and grain yield of fenugreek were significantly affected by the interaction effects of NPSB rates and row spacing. The 30 cm row spaced and applied with 100 kg NPSB ha-1 resulted in the highest number of primary branches plant-1 (5.8) and the highest thousand seed weight (18.47g). The highest grain yield (1160.67 Kg ha-1 ) was achieved from 100 kg NPSB ha-1 with 40 cm row spacing. The highest marginal rates of return (13564) were recorded from treatment combination 50 kg NPSB ha-1 with 20 cm row spacing. Based on economic analysis growing Chala variety along with 50 kg ha-1 rate of NPSB fertilizer with 20 cm row spacing recommended. However, the study needs to be repeated in a different year and location in order to provide comprehensive recommendations in the study area and areas with similar agro-ecology.