Effect of Organic Manure on Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) Yield, Runoff and Soil Loss at Tahitay-Adiabo District, Tigray, Ethiopia

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out in Tahitay Adiabo district, Tigray, Ethiopia to study the impact of organic manure on soil erosion, runoff, and sorghum yield during the cropping seasons of 2019 and 2020. The experiment utilized a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with tri replicates. The treatments included control, compost, animal manure, compost with mulch, animal manure with mulch, and recommended NP fertilizer. Each plot measured 6m x 4m and was situated on a 4% sloped terrain. The findings indicated significant differences (P<0.01) among the treatments in terms of their influence on runoff volume, soil erosion, and sorghum yield. The application of compost with mulch and animal manure with mulch was particularly effective in reducing soil erosion and runoff compared to treatments using inorganic fertilizer and manure without mulch. Moreover, the control, animal manure, and inorganic fertilizer (NP-fertilizer) treatments exhibited high levels of soil loss and runoff volume, highlighting the effectiveness of compost with mulch and animal manure with mulch in mitigating soil erosion and runoff under the prevailing slope and rainfall conditions of the study area.