Teff is the only cultivated cereal crop from the genus Eragrostis and it is the major staple food of Ethiopians. In Ethiopia, the quality of teff and its market price are primarily determined by its grain color. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of soil physicochemical characteristics across multiple locations in the two main teff growing regions of Amhara and Oromia states in Ethiopia on teff grain color and nutritional quality of a single variety. Grain and soil samples were collected from 24 field sites cultivated with the popular teff variety ‘Quncho’ (DZ-Cr-387/RIL-355). The teff grain samples collected from the 24 locations were evaluated for grain color, proximate composition, amino acid composition, and grain mineral concentration and the soil samples were analyzed for their physicochemical properties. Sample location means were considered different p < 0.05. Teff grain color indices of hue (H), saturation (S), and brightness (V), grain proximate composition, amino acid composition, and mineral concentration differed among locations (p < 0.05). There were significant negative correlations between grain S color value and soil pH, SOC, Ca, Mg, S, and Na. Soils with greater pH, SOC, Ca, Mg, and S generally had lower S values and thus, whiter color teff grains. There were considerable variations in the measured parameters for soil and teff grain physicochemical properties. The results indicated an opportunity for management interventions necessary to obtain uniformity in grain color and chemical composition for the same variety of teff grown in the two major regions in Ethiopia.

Declining soil fertility and dependence on inorganic fertilizers threaten sustainable wheat production in Ethiopia. A three-year field experiment at Adet Agricultural Research Center evaluated the effects of integrating vermicompost (VC) with NP fertilizer on bread wheat productivity, soil fertility, and economic returns. The experiment used a randomized complete block design with five VC rates (0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 t ha-1) and three NP levels (0, 50%, and 100% of the recommended rate). The VC × NP interaction significantly affected biomass and grain yield. The highest biomass (6,859.6 kg ha-1) and grain yield (4,125.5 kg ha-1) were obtained with 9 t ha-1 VC plus 50% NP. Vermicompost also increased soil organic carbon. This treatment produced the highest net benefit (ETB 192,305.9 ha-1) and marginal rate of return (240.3%). Integrating VC with NP fertilizer enhanced wheat productivity, improved soil fertility, and increased economic returns under Ethiopian conditions.