{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,8]],"date-time":"2026-09-08T18:10:40Z","timestamp":1788891040144,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,8]],"date-time":"2026-09-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788825600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is a critical component of Ethiopian cuisine, widely consumed in both its green and red stages. Despite its importance, the productivity of hot pepper in the Amhara region remains suboptimal, primarily due to degraded soil fertility and the depletion of soil organic matter. To address these challenges, a two-year field experiment (2021\/22\u20132022\/23) was conducted in Jabithenan District to evaluate the impact of liquid bio-slurry (LBS) and nitrogen (N) fertilizer combinations on soil chemical properties and hot pepper yield. The study employed a randomized complete block design with six treatments: (1) control (no N), (2) recommended nitrogen (RN), (3)75% LBS\u2009+\u200925% RN, (4) 50% LBS\u2009+\u200950% RN, (5) 25% LBS\u2009+\u200975% RN, and (6) 100% LBS. Each treatment was replicated three times. Hot pepper seedlings (variety Mareko Fana) were transplanted into plots measuring 4.2 m\u2009\u00d7\u20093 m, with spacing of 0.3 m between plants and 0.7 m between rows. Soil samples were collected pre-planting and post-harvest to analyze particle size distribution, pH, total nitrogen, organic carbon, available phosphorus, and cation exchange capacity (CEC). Yield and yield components were also evaluated. Data were analyzed using ANOVA in SAS software. The results revealed that integrating LBS with RN significantly improved soil chemical properties and hot pepper yield. The 50% LBS\u2009+\u200950% RN and 25% LBS\u2009+\u200975% RN treatments exhibited superior performance, enhancing soil nutrient content and achieving higher yields compared to the control. These treatments also delivered the highest economic benefits, with a marginal rate of return exceeding 100%. Among the tested combinations, 50% LBS\u2009+\u200950% RN is recommended for farmers with access to sufficient LBS resources and livestock.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0357581","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,8]],"date-time":"2026-09-08T17:55:58Z","timestamp":1788890158000},"page":"e0357581","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Optimizing nitrogen fertilizer via liquid bio-slurry equivalent ration for hot pepper (Capsicum annum L.) and soil productivity in Amhara Region, Ethiopia"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"21","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1869-8596","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Zelalem","family":"Addis","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Adet Agricultural Research Center","place":["Bahir Dar, Ethiopia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zelalem","family":"Ayalenh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Adet Agricultural Research Center","place":["Bahir Dar, Ethiopia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zimie","family":"Ambaw","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Adet Agricultural Research Center","place":["Bahir Dar, Ethiopia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tesfaye","family":"Feyisa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Amhara Regional Agricultural Research Institute","place":["Bahir Dar, Ethiopia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bitewelegn","family":"Kerebeh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Adet Agricultural Research Center","place":["Bahir Dar, Ethiopia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,8]]},"reference":[{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0357581.ref001","first-page":"21","article-title":"Proximate composition and physical properties of major spicy ingredients used in Ethiopian traditional foods","volume":"16","author":"G Daba","year":"2023","journal-title":"Ethiopian J Sci Technol"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0357581.ref002","first-page":"45","article-title":"The role of horticultural crops in food security and poverty alleviation in eastern Africa","volume":"14","author":"Z Asfaw","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Agricultural Sci Food Res"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0357581.ref003","first-page":"55","article-title":"Growth, yield, and profitability of hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) as influenced by variety and NPS fertilizer rates in Arba Minch, Ethiopia","volume":"17","author":"G Tolesa","year":"2023","journal-title":"East African J Sciences"},{"key":"pone.0357581.ref004","author":"M Alemitu","year":"2011"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0357581.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8","DOI":"10.18488\/journal.70.2019.61.8.20","article-title":"Pepper Disease Assessment and Identification in Major Growing Districts of West Gojam Zone in Northwestern Ethiopia","volume":"6","author":"A Abebe","year":"2019","journal-title":"International J Sustainable Agricultural Res"},{"key":"pone.0357581.ref006","author":"CSA CESA","year":"2018"},{"key":"pone.0357581.ref007","author":"L Groot","year":"2013"},{"key":"pone.0357581.ref008","article-title":"Bio-slurry Ultimate Choice of Bio-fertilizer. Mymensingh, Bangladesh","volume":"738","author":"H Aminul","year":"2013","journal-title":"Available from"},{"key":"pone.0357581.ref009","author":"O Warnars","year":"2014"},{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0357581.ref010","first-page":"722","article-title":"Combined organic and inorganic fertilization enhances soil quality and increased yield, photosynthesis and sustainability of sweet maize crop","volume":"4","author":"A Efthimiadou","year":"2010","journal-title":"AJCS"},{"key":"pone.0357581.ref011","first-page":"1323","article-title":"Physical properties and organic carbon content of a Rhodic Kandiudox fertilized with pig slurry and poultry litter","volume":"36","author":"P Luize","year":"2012","journal-title":"JRBCS"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0357581.ref012","first-page":"78","article-title":"Improvement of rice production through combined use of organic manures and bio-slurries with chemical fertilizers","volume":"1","author":"B Kapil","year":"2016","journal-title":"AAJBB"},{"key":"pone.0357581.ref013","author":"U Takele","year":"2014"},{"key":"pone.0357581.ref014","author":"G Mekonnen","year":"2015"},{"key":"pone.0357581.ref015","volume-title":"Procedures for sol and plant analysis","author":"S Sahlemedihn","year":"2000"},{"key":"pone.0357581.ref016","volume-title":"From agronomic data to farmer\u2019s recommendation: an economic training manual","year":"1988"},{"key":"pone.0357581.ref017","volume-title":"Statistical procedures for agricultural research","author":"KA Gomez","year":"1984","edition":"2"},{"key":"pone.0357581.ref018","unstructured":"Olsen SR, Cole CV, Watanabe FS, Dean LA. Estimation of available phosphorus in soils by extraction with sodium carbonate. 1954."},{"key":"pone.0357581.ref019","author":"T Tekalign","year":"1991"},{"key":"pone.0357581.ref020","volume-title":"Booker tropical soil manual: a handbook for soil survey and agricultural land evaluation in the tropics and subtropics","author":"JR Landon","year":"1991"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0357581.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"207","DOI":"10.1080\/17429145.2020.1781270","article-title":"Effect of liquid bio-slurry and nitrogen rates on soil physico-chemical properties and quality of green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) at Hawassa Southern Ethiopia","volume":"15","author":"ZA Musse","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Plant Interactions"},{"issue":"33","key":"pone.0357581.ref022","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1685","DOI":"10.5897\/AJAR2019.14372","article-title":"Effects of dry bioslurry and chemical fertilizers on tomato growth performance, fruit yield and soil properties under irrigated condition in Southern Ethiopian","volume":"14","author":"B Geremew","year":"2019","journal-title":"Afr J Agric Res"},{"issue":"19","key":"pone.0357581.ref023","article-title":"Comparative study on the effect of applying biogas slurry and inorganic fertilizer on soil properties, growth and yield of white cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. alba)","volume":"6","author":"D Yalemtsehay","year":"2016","journal-title":"Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0357581.ref024","first-page":"257","article-title":"Integrated nutrient management for potato production","volume":"158","author":"B Tsegaye","year":"2020","journal-title":"Journal of Agricultural Science"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0357581.ref025","first-page":"123","article-title":"Enhancing plant growth and soil properties through integrated fertilization strategies","volume":"48","author":"A Kumar","year":"2024","journal-title":"Journal of Sustainable Agriculture"},{"issue":"51","key":"pone.0357581.ref026","first-page":"570","article-title":"Hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) growth, fruit yield, and quality using organic sources of nutrients","volume":"25","author":"J Z. C","year":"2017","journal-title":"Compost Science & Utilization"},{"key":"pone.0357581.ref027","first-page":"102345","article-title":"Nutrient cycling in integrated crop-livestock systems","volume":"113","author":"X Liu","year":"2022","journal-title":"Journal of Environmental Science"},{"key":"pone.0357581.ref028","first-page":"115924","article-title":"Balancing organic and inorganic fertilizers for sustainable agriculture","volume":"331","author":"S Singh","year":"2023","journal-title":"Journal of Environmental Management"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0357581.ref029","first-page":"1","article-title":"Farmyard manure and mineral fertilizers for maize production","volume":"93","author":"R Sharma","year":"2024","journal-title":"Journal of Agricultural Research"},{"issue":"03","key":"pone.0357581.ref030","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.4172\/2329-8863.1000277","article-title":"Correlation and Path Coefficient Analysis of Hot Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Genotypes for Yield and its Components in Ethiopia","volume":"05","author":"A Shumbulo","year":"2017","journal-title":"Adv Crop Sci Tech"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0357581.ref031","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"203","DOI":"10.1080\/26895293.2022.2037472","article-title":"Correlation and path coefficient analysis of green pod yield and yield attributing traits of chili (Capsicum annum L.) genotypes in Ethiopia","volume":"15","author":"T Tilahun","year":"2022","journal-title":"All Life"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0357581.ref032","first-page":"541","article-title":"Varietal performance, genetic variability and correlation studies in chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)","volume":"21","author":"BV Tembhurne","year":"2008","journal-title":"Karnataka J Agric Sci"}],"container-title":["PLOS One"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0357581","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,8]],"date-time":"2026-09-08T17:56:06Z","timestamp":1788890166000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0357581"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Pramod K","family":"Pandey","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"University of California Davis","place":["UNITED STATES OF AMERICA"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,8]]},"references-count":32,"journal-issue":{"issue":"9","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,8]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0357581","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,8]]}}}