Nitrogen and Phosporus Fertilizers Rate as Affecting Common Bean Production at Areka, Ethiopia

A field experiments were conducted for two year (2011and 2012) at Areka Agricultural Research Center, in the South Region of Ethiopia to evaluate the response of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) to N and P fertilizers. Four levels of N (18, 27, 36 and 45 kg N/ ha) and three levels of P (46, 69 and 92 kg P2O5 /ha) with control were arranged in RCBD with three replications. Application of nitrogen increased significantly grain yield of common bean up to 116% than the control. And phosphorus application at a rate of 69 kg P2O5/ha increased significantly grain yield by 113% than control. The highest grain yield was obtained by the application of 45 kg N /ha and 69 kgP2O5/ha, though 45 kg N /ha rate had not cause statistically significant different grain yield than the preceding lower rates (36 and 27 kg N/ha). The economic analysis also supported that the highest net benefit of 23,110 Ethiopian Birr ETB/ha with marginal rate of return of 1270% was obtained by the application of 27 kg N/ha. Net benefit of 21,070 ETB/ha with marginal rate of return of 80% were obtained by the application of 69 kgP2O5/ha. As a result, a combined application of 27 kg N/ha and 69 kgP2O5/ha are optimum and economical for better common bean production at Areka and similar areas.