Wole, A and Nebiyu, A and Agegnehu, G and Ousman, Y (2026) Enhanced grain quality of malt barley (Hordeum distichon L.) in response to mixed use of organic compost and mineral nitrogen rates. PLoS ONE (TSI), 21 (2). pp. 1-27. ISSN 1932-6203
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Abstract
Declining soil fertility status and poor agronomic management practices are major factors of declining quality for malt barley in the Ethiopian highland area, particularly in the study area. To address these major challenges, a two-year (2022−2023) field experiment was conducted in experimental fields in the Welmera district to evaluate the effects of mixed-use mineral N fertilization and compost rates on malt barley quality parameters. A randomized complete block design with factorial arrangements of five N rates (0, 23, 46, 69, and 92 kg ha-1) and four compost rates (0, 2.5, 5, and 7.5 t ha-1) was tested in three replications. According to the results, both compost and mineral nitrogen fertilizer were significantly influenced thousand-seed weight, protein content, malt extract, beta-glucan content, malt friability and germination energy of malt barley grain, with seasonal variations. Increased mineral N levels enhanced seed weight and grain protein content but reduced malt extract yield and malt friability, while compost improved grain protein content and malt beta-glucan. These influences were improved by organic compost and mineral fertilization, which enhanced multiple quality parameters. The results clearly demonstrated that application of 69 kg N ha-1 and 5 t ha-1 of compost rate in moderation, which optimized the malt quality parameters, met industry standards without increasing protein concentration or diminishing malt extract yield of malt barley grain. These mixed management approaches not only enhance the quality of malt barley grain for the beer industry but also help soil fertility restoration and guarantee long-term production sustainability for smallholder farmers in the Ethiopian highlands. For robust and wide applicability, subsequent multiple-seasons and multiple-locations studies with additional quality assessments are recommended.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Divisions: | Research Program : East & Southern Africa |
| CRP: | UNSPECIFIED |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | grain quality, barley, organic compost, soil fertility |
| Subjects: | Others > Smallholder Farmers Others > Soil Fertility Others > Sustainable Development |
| Depositing User: | Mr Nagaraju T |
| Date Deposited: | 20 May 2026 11:09 |
| Last Modified: | 20 May 2026 11:09 |
| URI: | http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/13632 |
| Official URL: | https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.13... |
| Projects: | UNSPECIFIED |
| Funders: | UNSPECIFIED |
| Acknowledgement: | We thank the ministry of Education for financial Support for this Study. We express deep thanks to Holota Agricultural Research Center for their invaluable facilities and resources during the field work as well as laboratory works (lab assistances). Our deep thanks goes University of Gondar for invaluable supervision throughout the research work. Finally, we truly thank all members of the Co-operatives of this study. |
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