Role of Integrated Nutrient Management on Soil Fertility Improvement and Selected Crop Production in Ethiopia: Review Study

Abstract

Ethiopia's most significant industry, accounting for 46% of the country's GDP and 90% of its export revenues, is agriculture. A decline in soil fertility is the major constraint to agricultural production and food security in Ethiopian farming systems. The ability of farmers to invest in soil conservation techniques or fertilizers is quite limited. Because of low yields, many farmers must use fallow and marginal areas for crops to fulfill their food demands. The first stage in preserving soil fertility should focus on preserving the soil's organic matter level. This may be achieved by adding organic compost or manure in addition to mineral fertilizers while employing the proper crop husbandry techniques. This review was focused on production of five selected crops namely barley, maize, teff, wheat, and onion through application of organic and inorganic fertilizers. Accordingly, different Authors stated that the application of (integrated nutrient management) INM with various components increases plant nutrient uptake by improving the availability of nutrients for them. Under acidic soil conditions incorporating liming materials also played a dominant role to raise the Power of Hydrogen (pH) and other cations like potassium, calcium, magnesium, and others of the soil from the initial point. On the other hand, application of INM play a great role in increasing the yields and yield components of crops and is economically more beneficial compared to using sole use of either organic or inorganic fertilizers.