Growth and bulb yield garlic varieties affected by nitrogen and phosphorus application at Mesqan Woreda, South Central Ethiopia

Abstract

In Ethiopia, particularly at Mesqan Woreda appropriate fertilizer management was the major problem accounted for low productivity of garlic. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted with the objective to investigate the effect of nitrogen and phosphorus levels on growth and bulb yield of two garlic varieties at Beressa watershed, Mesqan Woreda, South Central Ethiopia under supplemental irrigation from November to April 2010 to 2011. The treatments consisted of two garlic varieties Local (farmers’ variety) and Tsedey92 (G-493), 4 levels of Nitrogen (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg N/ha) and 3 levels of Phosphorus (0, 50 and 100 kg P2O5 ha-1 ) arranged in randomized complete block design. Data on growth and bulb yield were collected. Varieties differed significantly on plant height, leaf area index, shoot dry weight and bulb yield. Nitrogen significantly affected bulb yield along with all the growth parameters. Phosphorus had significant influence on number of leaf per plant and bulb yield. Number of leaf per plant and bulb yield were significantly affected by the interaction of N and P. The highest bulb yield of 3.34 t/ha was achieved at 100 kg N + 100 kg P2O5/ha, and was 244% higher than the control and statistically similar to the yield of 3.27 t/ha obtained from 100 kg N and 50 kg/ha P2O5 application for variety Tsedey92. Hence, it may be tentatively concluded that the farmers at Beressa watershed should apply 100 kg N and 50 kg P2O5 /ha using variety Tsedey92 to improve bulb yield of garlic.