Data in Brief (Dec 2023)
Data on the effects of brewery sludge and blended NPS fertilizer rates on yield and yield components of maize (Zea Mays L.) in North Mecha District, Northwestern Ethiopia
Abstract
Maize is one of the most important cereal crops in Ethiopia. However, its yield is lower than its potential mainly due to low soil fertility problems. Therefore, this field experiment was conducted during 2021 main rainy season with the objective of improving maize production through application of brewery sludge and blended NPS fertilizers in North Mecha district, Northwestern Ethiopia. Factorial combination of three levels of brewery sludge (0, 10 and 20 t ha−1) and four levels of blended NPS fertilizer rates (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg ha−1) were laid out in RCBD with three replications. The remaining necessary agronomic practices and crop management activities were undertaken uniformly. The data presented under this dataset article includes phenological Parameters (i.e. Days to 50 % emergence, Days to 50 % tasseling, Days to 50 % silking and Days to 90 % physiological maturity), growth parameters (i.e. Plant height, leaf area and leaf area index) and yield and yield component parameters (i.e. Number of ears plant−1, Above ground dry biomass yield, Ear length, Number of rows ear−1, Number of kernels row−1, Number of kernels ear−1, Grain yield, Thousand kernels weight, Stover yield and Harvest index). All the collected data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the analysis was carried out using the SAS version 9.0 software computer program's General Linear Model (GLM) procedure [1]. As described in Montgomery [2], the residuals were examined to verify the normal distribution and homogeneous variance model assumptions on the error terms for each response variable. Because the twelve treatment combinations were randomized within each block, the independence assumption is valid. When a treatment effect was significant, multiple means comparison was performed at a 5 % level of significance using the least significant difference (Fisher's LSD) method to generate letter groupings and correlation analysis was performed using the Pearson correlation procedure found in SAS. This dataset article, therefore gives information about the effects of brewery sludge and blended NPS fertilizer rates on maize productivity. Additionally, it provides the economic feasibility of brewery sludge integrated application with blended NPS fertilizer than sole application of blended chemical fertilizers. Hence, this information can allow other researchers to review the supplement data, methods, and make detailed analysis, which possibly giving rise to new lines of inquiry. This can also give rise to new collaborations and boost the reputation of the present research data within the scientific community and to make it available to everyone around the subject matter to use as they wish.
