Effects of Nutrient Management on Growth, Agronomic Efficiency, and Economic Yield of Barley in Kandahar, Afghanistan

Barley (Hordeum vulgare) is a major grain crop in the world, and Afghanistan. Indigenous nutrients are frequently the most limiting factors for crop output in the world's major agricultural areas, therefore good fertilizer use tactics generally result in significant financial gains for farmers. A field experiment was carried out at the research farm of Afghanistan National Agricultural Science & Technology University (ANASTU) Kandahar, Afghanistan. The experiment consisted of two barley varieties viz., Takhar Barley 013and Darulaman Barley 013 combined with 6 indigenous nutrient supply treatments. The set of treatment combinations were replicated three times in a factorial randomized block design. Among indigenous nutrient supply, agronomic use efficiency (AUE) of N (12.88 kg kg-N-1), P (25.75 kg kg-P-1), K (40.0 kg kg- K2O -1) and Zn (367.9 kg kg-Zn-1), PFP of N (29.2 kg kg-N-1), P (58.3 kg kg-P-1), K (116.7 kg kg- K2O -1) and Zn (833.4 kg kg-Zn-1), gross returns (109085.4 AFN ha-1) and net returns (50089.5 AFN ha-1) were significantly higher with application of recommended rates of fertilizer application (NPKZn) as compared to omission of nutrients. Whereas, N omitted plots recorded significantly, whereas AUE over other nutrient omitted plots. Therefore, Takhar Barley 013 genotype along with recommended rate of fertilizers was found more productive and economically remunerative for cultivation in Kandahar, Afghanistan.