Calibration of phosphorus fertilizer for barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) on cambisols of Endamekhoni, Northern Ethiopia

Calibration of soil test P is a stage in determining P fertilizer rates to meet plant P requirement and soil nutrient availability. The objective of this study was to determine the critical phosphorous (Pc) and phosphorous requirement factor (Pf) for food barley production. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with two replications. Barley response to different levels of Phosphorus was conducted on Cambisols of Enda mekoni at 10 sites in the Northern Ethiopia during the 2013 and 2014 cropping seasons. The treatments, comprising five levels of P fertilizer (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 kg P ha(?1)), were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The critical concentration and requirement factor of Phosphorus on barley in the study area were 10.5 mg kg(?1) and 16.27 mg kg(?1), respectively. Hence, it could be concluded that the highest grain yield, P requirement factor and P critical obtained could serve in areas where the rainfall distribution and soil type are similar with study district where this experiment was conducted. Further studies should be done on phosphorous use efficiency and other related plant nutrition parameters.