Effect of vermicompost and NPSB with urea fertilizer rates on finger millet yield and soil physico-chemical properties at Gobu Sayo district, Ethiopia

In Ethiopia's highlands and middle lands, finger millet is a significant food and beverage crop; but, poor farming practices and ineffective fertilizer use have led to nutrient depletion and declining crop yields. In light of this, a study was done to determine the integrated effect of vermicompost and inorganic fertilizer on yield and soil physico-chemical properties of finger millet. The four levels of vermicompost, three recommended rates of NPSB and urea are integrated in the treatment with recommended and fertilizer alone. A Randomized Complete Block Design was used to set up the experiment, with fifteen treatments and three replications. The application of 100:25 integration resulted in the greatest dry biomass weight and straw with the application of 25:50 % vermicompost, NPSB and urea, the greatest harvest index and grain yield of finger millet. The application of 25:50% integrated fertilizers 50 and 45 kg ha(-1) produced the maximum net benefit, Ethiopian birr 56,475.9 ha(-1), with a marginal rate of return of 93.63%. Therefore, to boost the productivity of finger millet, farmers in the research region are advised to apply 25:50% vermicompost (1.16 tons ha(-1)), and NPSB and urea fertilizer (50 kg NPSB ha(-1) and 45 kg urea ha(-1)).