The potential yield of improved maize varieties usually cannot be fully realised mainly due to inappropriate soil nutrient management practices in most parts of Ethiopia. Site-specific fertiliser recommendations are rarely used in the farming systems of Ethiopia. There is also a lack of data to develop or validate decision support tools for targeting specific crop production. A study was conducted for three consecutive rainy seasons (2016–2018) in the maize belt of the north-western parts of the Amhara National Regional State of Ethiopia. The objectives were to obtain the maximum achievable yield potential of maize, determine the most yield-limiting nutrients and create a database of maize responses to applied nutrients so that decision support tools could be developed for the study areas. Treatments were individual nutrients (nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K)) and combinations of the three. In some treatments, NPK was also combined with sulphur, zinc, lime and compost. Two hybrid maize varieties (BH-540 and BH-660) adaptable to the study areas were used. BH-540 was used for the Mecha district, while BH-660 was used for the south Achefer, Jabitahnan–Burrie–Womberma districts. Maize yield increased by more than 50% due to fertiliser applications compared to without fertiliser. The study showed that the possibility of increasing maize productivity to more than 12 t ha-1 for the study sites. The most yield-limiting nutrient in the study sites was N, followed by P; K was not a yield limiting. Without N the yield of both varieties was non-significant from the control (without added nutrients). Maize grain yield did not respond to application of lime, compost, zinc and sulphur. The result also showed very high variability across sites, indicating that it is important for policymakers, farmers and investors to consider site-specific fertiliser recommendations. Finally, a database containing intensive plant response to NPK for maize was generated and could be used as input in site-specific decision support tools development.

改良玉米品种的潜在产量通常无法完全实现，这主要是由于埃塞俄比亚大部分地区的土壤养分管理做法不当。埃塞俄比亚的农业系统很少使用针对特定地点的肥料建议。还缺乏数据来开发或验证针对特定作物生产的决策支持工具。在埃塞俄比亚阿姆哈拉国家地区西北部的玉米带连续三个雨季（2016-2018 年）进行了一项研究。目标是获得玉米可实现的最大产量潜力，确定最限制产量的养分，并创建玉米对应用养分的反应数据库，以便为研究区域开发决策支持工具。处理是单独的营养素（氮（N），磷 (P) 和钾 (K)) 以及三者的组合。在一些处理中，NPK 还与硫、锌、石灰和堆肥结合使用。使用了两个适应研究区域的杂交玉米品种（BH-540 和 BH-660）。BH-540 用于 Mecha 区，而 BH-660 用于南部 Achefer、Jabitahnan-Burrie-Womberma 区。与不施肥相比，施肥使玉米产量增加了 50% 以上。研究表明，将玉米产量提高到 12 吨/公顷以上的可能性 Jabitahnan-Burrie-Womberma 区。与不施肥相比，施肥使玉米产量增加了 50% 以上。研究表明，将玉米产量提高到 12 吨/公顷以上的可能性 Jabitahnan-Burrie-Womberma 区。与不施肥相比，施肥使玉米产量增加了 50% 以上。研究表明，将玉米产量提高到 12 吨/公顷以上的可能性-1用于研究地点。研究地点最限制产量的养分是 N，其次是 P；K 不是产量限制。在没有 N 的情况下，两个品种的产量与对照相比不显着（不添加养分）。玉米籽粒产量对石灰、堆肥、锌和硫的施用没有反应。结果还显示，不同地点的差异非常大，这表明政策制定者、农民和投资者考虑针对特定地点的肥料建议非常重要。最后，生成了一个包含植物对玉米 NPK 的密集响应的数据库，并可用作特定地点决策支持工具开发的输入。