[01] Tibebu Solomon, School of Post-Graduate Studies, Faculty of Agriculture, Wollega University, Nekemte, Ethiopia. [02] Hirpa Legesse, School of Post-Graduate Studies, Faculty of Agriculture, Wollega University, Nekemte, Ethiopia. [03] Negash Geleta, School of Post-Graduate Studies, Faculty of Agriculture, Wollega University, Nekemte, Ethiopia. [04] Desalegn Negasa Soresa, Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Wollega University, Shambu, Ethiopia. [05] Beka Biri, Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Wollega University, Shambu, Ethiopia. [06] Pichiah Gomathinayagam, Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Wollega University, Shambu, Ethiopia.

Quality protein maize (QPM) is one of the maize varieties being used to sustain food for developing country. BH-545 a QPM variety contains double the amount of protein than conventional maize. The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effect of rate of blended fertilizer and compost application on growth of QPM at Uke research site of Wollega University. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design as factorial combinations of five levels of compost (0, 1, 2, 3 and 4-tons ha^-1) and four levels of blended (0, 50,100 and 150 kg ha^-1) fertilizers, which were replicated three times. In this experiment, the phenological parameters days to emergence, days of 90% maturity, days of physiological maturity, were affected by blended fertilizer but not affected by compost and their interaction. Increasing application of blended fertilizers significantly decreased emergence day from 7.80 to 6.20 days and increase days to 90% maturity from 121.13 to 122.80, and days to physiological maturity from 132.13 to 133.80 days respectively. Days of flowering and days of silking were affected slightly by compost and blended fertilizer but their interaction was not significantly affected. Combined application of blended and compost fertilizer has shown significant (p≤0.05) differences for growth parameters viz., number of leaves per plant, plant height and leaf area index. The highest mean value is recorded as 14.86, 231.80 cm and 5.81 from the combination of 150kg/ha and 1ton ha^-1, 150kg/ha and 4 tons ha^-1, 100kg/ha blended and 4 tons ha^-1 of compost fertilizer respectively. From this study it is possible to conclude that integrated application of compost and blended fertilizers increase the growth of QPM. Combined application of compost and blended fertilizers improves physical and chemical property of soil and effective than using alone.

Blended Fertilizer, Compost, Leaf Area Index, QPM

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