Determination of Optimum Macro- and Micro-nutrients Combination Rate for Hydroponic Fodder Production of Barely

A greenhouse experiment was[-14pc]AU: Please specify the corresponding author name. conducted to determine the optimum macro and micronutrient combination rate for hydroponic fodder production of barley at Haramaya University. The experiment was laid out in a CRD design comprised of five nutrient combinations in four replications using the HB1307 barley variety. The seeds were cleaned, washed, disinfected with 1.5% NaOCl, and sprouted. The sprouts were spread on aluminum trays and grown for ten days through the application of nutrient solutions twice a day. Every ten days the required agronomic data were collected for four growing cycles. Total fresh and dry biomasses, separate shoot and root fresh and dry biomass yields, shoot and root lengths showed highly significant (P < 0.0001) differences in response to the treatments. The highest total fresh and dry biomasses of 7.26 and 0.67 kg kg–1 and fresh shoot and root biomasses of 2.36 and 4.90 kg kg–1 seed were obtained at the highest nutrient combination rate, respectively. Similarly, shoot and root dry biomass yields of (0.115 and 0.571 kg kg–1) were recorded at the same treatment. The same treatment also showed significant differences (P < 0.0001) in shoot and root lengths. Opposite to the shoot, the root lengths decreased as the nutrient concentration increased. The laboratory analysis showed the highest mineral contents of the fodder at the highest fertilizer rate applied. Thus, it could be concluded that the use of the highest nutrient combination rate used in this experiment is reasonable and substantial to get the highest biomass[7pc]AU: Please provide the publication history dates. yield with better nutritional quality and mineral content of hydroponic fodder.