Effects of Soil Moisture and Fertilization Treatments on the Agronomic Traits of Teff (Eragrosis tef) in Southern Kyushu, Japan

This study investigated the agronomic characteristics of pot-cultured teff (Eragrostis tef) under soil moisture and fertilization treatments in southern Kyushu, Japan. In experiments examining the effects of soil moisture and fertilization, growth of teff and Setaria (Setaria sphacelata) as a reference species was compared under six treatments combining two soil moisture regimes, control (C) and high moisture (H) treatment, and three fertilizer applications, chemical fertilizer with manure (CF + M), chemical fertilizer (CF) and doubled level of manure (DM). H treatment did not decrease dry matter yield in teff two months after transplanting, except when combined with CF + M, compared with a decreasing tendency in Setaria. Top and underground dry matter yields and harvest index in teff increased significantly (P -2); 6.2 gN m-2 is the standard level in the USA. Dry matter yield in teff did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) at CF application levels above 6.2 gN m-2 two months after sowing, suggesting that the optimum CF level of teff in southern Kyushu was comparable with that in the USA, and that teff had potential as an early-harvest forage crop two months after planting to replace summer forage in paddy fields of this region.