Pre-Extension Demonstration of Soil Test Based Recommended P-Fertilizer Rate for Bread Wheat at Gechi Districts of Buno Bedele Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Wheat is a major crop grown in the highlands of Ethiopia, especially in the study area, which is a key food source. In 2020, a pre-extension demonstration was carried out in Gechi district of Buno Bedele Zone to show how soil testing can help decide the right amount of phosphorus fertilizer for bread wheat. The study aimed to look at how much wheat is produced and how profitable it is when using phosphorus fertilizer based on soil testing results, and to teach farmers about using fertilizer rates that are specific to their fields. Two types of fertilizer plans were tested: one based on general recommendations that farmers usually follow, and another based on soil testing results. The improved bread wheat variety called Liban was used. The demonstration took place on one FTC and 10 fields owned by farmers, with each treated area being 12 meters by 20 meters. The rows were spaced 20 cm apart and the right amount of seeds and nitrogen fertilizer was used as recommended for the area. A field visit was held for 59 people when the wheat was ready to be harvested. The best yield came from the method that used soil test results, giving more than a 49.54 increase in grain production compared to the general recommendation. Also, the economic analysis showed that, the highest average profit was made with the soil testing method, earning 40,112.7 Ethiopian birr. Therefore, it is important to start scaling up the use of soil test based phosphorus fertilizer recommendations for bread wheat in the study area, and similar agro ecology.