Horticultural Science

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://etd.hu.edu.et/handle/123456789/41

Browse

Filters

2020 - 20253

Settings

Subject: search.filters.subject.Variety

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    GROWTH AND BULB YIELD RESPONSE OF ONION (Allium cepa L.) VARIETIES TO VARYING LEVELS OF NITROGEN AND VERMICOMPOST IN BIISHAAN GURACHAA, OROMIA, ETHIOPIA
    (Hawassa University College of Agriculture, 2025) BADEGE AYELE
    Onion is a vital horticultural crop in Ethiopia, supporting both rural livelihoods and urban food systems. However, its productivity remains low due to poor nutrient management, declining soil fertility, and continued reliance on unimproved varieties. Excessive nitrogen use often results in delayed maturity and reduced bulb quality, while organic inputs like vermicompost remain underutilized. This study was conducted to evaluate the combined effects of nitrogen and vermicompost on the growth, yield, quality, and economic performance of improved onion varieties under highland conditions. A field experiment was carried out during the off-season at Shallo Farm, using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Treatments were arranged in a 3 × 4 × 3 factorial combinations comprising three onion varieties (Rio Bravo f1, Nafis, and SV Runagrana f1), four nitrogen rates (0, 75, 150, and 225 kg N ha⁻¹), and three vermicompost levels (0, 5, and 7 t ha⁻¹), giving 36 treatment combinations. Data were collected on phenology, growth, yield, and bulb quality parameters, and subjected to both agronomic and economic analyses. The three-way interaction among variety, nitrogen, and vermicompost significantly (P < 0.01) influenced most growth, yield, and quality traits. SV Runagrana f1 exhibited the best performance, producing the highest total bulb yield (57.48 t ha⁻¹) and marketable yield (51.13 t ha⁻¹) at 225 kg N ha⁻¹ combined with 7 t ha⁻¹ vermicompost. Excessive fertilization (>225 kg N + 7 t VC ha⁻¹) increased unmarketable yield, delayed maturity, and lowered bulb quality. Economic analysis further revealed that SV Runagrana f1 at 225 kg N + 7 t VC ha⁻¹ provided the highest net field benefit (4,471,000 Birr ha⁻¹), benefit–cost ratio (35.1%), and marginal rate of return (15,000 %), indicating strong profitability despite higher input costs. In contrast, moderate fertilization (75 kg N + 5 t VC ha⁻¹) offered a favorable trade-off between yield stability, quality, and input efficiency, making it a more sustainable option for smallholder farmers. Therefore, the study demonstrated that onion yield, quality, and economic returns are highly dependent on the interaction between genotype and nutrient management.Further studies should investigate long-term soil fertility effects and validate the economic sustainability of these practices across diverse agro- ecological zones.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    EVALUATION OF ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZA FUNGI ON MORPHOPHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRIENT UPTAKE OF COMMON BEAN (Phaseolues vulgaris L.) VARIETIES UNDER DIFFERENT MOISTURE CONDITIONS
    (Hawassa University College of Agriculture, 2025) BIRTUKAN AREDA GOFE
    Common bean is a suitable crop for food security due to its short growing cycle and adaptability to different cropping systems. However, its productivity is limited by factors such as moisture stress. To mitigate such effect, soil amendments with beneficial symbiotic rhizosphere microbes such as Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is one of the strateg ies. Hence, this experiment was aimed at evaluating the effect of AMF on moisture stress tolerance and nutrient uptake of three common bean varieties. A pot experiment was conducted from June to September 2024 at Hawassa University College of Agriculture in a Shade house. The experiment used three common bean varieties, SER-119, Dame, and Awash Metene; AMF inoculation and two moisture conditions (80% FC and 40% FC) as a combined treatment. The experiment was executed as a factorial arrangement using a completely randomized design with three replications. The results of this study indicated that the main effect of moisture stress, variety and AMF, and their interaction had a significant impact on most of the phenological, morpho -physiology, nutrient uptake, microbial traits and yield and yield components of common beans. Even though almost all parameters significantly decreased under 40% FC, the AMF inoculation significantly improved seed emergence, days to 50% flowering, pod setting and physiological maturity under moisture stress conditions at 40 % FC. Similarly, the stem and leaf traits are significantly affected by the inoculation of AMF under moisture -stressed conditions. Physiological responses mainly Photosynthesis rate, stomata conductance, chlo rophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, transpiration rate and stomata length were improved by AMF inoculation under 40 % FC. Yield and yield components, specifically pod length, thousand seed weight, seed weight, number of seed s per pod, total above ground biomass fresh weight, total above ground biomass and total below ground fresh weight were enhanced by AMF inoculation under 40 % FC. Tissue nitrogen was also enhanced by AMF under 040%FC. Overall, the study found that even though highest values were recorded under 80% FC with AMF treatment, the presence of AMF significantly improved the response of the verities under stress conditions at 40% FC
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    ASSESSMENT OF SWEETPOTATO (Ipomea batatas L.) PRODUCTION AND EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT STORAGE MATERIALS FOR ROOTS TO BE USED AS A SOURCE OF PLANTING MATERIAL
    (Hawassa University College of Agriculture, 2020) TINSAE ABRHAM AMANUEL
    Sweetpotato is commonly known as the poor man’s crop in Ethiopia and one of the food security crops in the country. However, its production and productivity is constrained by the limited access of quality planting material at the onset of the rainy season. Therefore, a household survey was conducted to determine its major production constraints in the three major sweetpotato growing Kebeles (Gere Bulgita, Tikare Kokere and Wera Boshera) of Misrak Badewacho district. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the households. The result revealed that drought (27%), rodents attack during storage (42%), shortage of planting materials (15%) and lack of suitable storage (30%) were identified as the major sweetpotato production constraints in the study area. Based on the survey result the second experiment was conducted to evaluate the storage and growth performance of roots of selected sweetpotato varieties under different storage types as sources of planting materials. The experiment was consisted of three sweetpotato varieties (Awassa-83, Ogan-Sagan and Wolaita-local) with five storage types (straw, soil, ash, sawdust and sand storage) in Complete Randomized Design in three replications. Result revealed that, the combination of Awassa-83 variety and sand storage were performed better in percentage of decay, weight loss and weevil damage; whereas the main effects of variety and storage types were significantly different in length of vine and number of vine per storage. Thus, Awassa-83 variety stored in sand storage showed better performance after storage and can be recommended for maintaining the storage roots during dry periods and access of quality vines at the onset of the rainy season.