Integrated vermicompost and nitrogen management to improve bread wheat productivity in Northwestern Ethiopia

Depletion of soil fertility remains a major constraint to sustainable wheat production in Ethiopia, requiring the balanced use of organic and inorganic nutrient inputs. This study assessed the combined effects of vermicompost (VC) and nitrogen (N) fertilizers on wheat yield and yield components over two consecutive cropping seasons (2021 and 2022). Five VC rates (0, 1.5, 3, 4.5 and 6 t ha−1) and three N rates (0, 69, and 138 kg ha−1) were arranged in a factorial randomized complete block design with three replications and, a total of 45 plots. Prior to the experiment, soil sample was collected and analysed. The result indicated that soil texture was sandy loam, strongly acidic (pH 4.49), with low organic carbon (1.09%), total nitrogen (0.19%), and available phosphorus (2.60 ppm), and moderate CEC (15.25 cmol ( +) kg−1), highlighting the need for integrated nutrient management. The interaction between VC and N significantly improved key agronomic traits. Full-dose application of both inputs resulted in the tallest plants (75.76 cm) and longest spikes (4.91 cm). Biomass yield increased markedly, reaching 5.61 t ha−1 under the highest combined VC and N rates, compared with 1.62 t ha−1 in the control. Grain yield similarly improved, with the maximum (3.33 t ha−1) obtained from full-dose VC and N, while the lowest (0.99 t ha−1) was recorded in untreated plots. Economic analysis revealed that full-dose of N combined with half-dose of VC generated the highest marginal rate of return. The integration of organic and inorganic fertilizers is recommended to enhance soil fertility, improve wheat productivity, and support sustainable land management in Ethiopia.