Horticultural Science

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    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.
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    INFULENCE OF AVOCADO WASTE AND COFFEE HUSK VERMICOMPOST AND VERMIWASH ON SEEDLING GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF COFFEE (Coffe arabica L.)
    (Hawassa University College of Agriculture, 2024) RAHEL MENGISTU
    Coffee is an important cash crop grown all over the world including Ethiopia. But in Ethiopia its production is low due to poor seedling quality and agronomic management. The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of avocado waste and coffee husk vermicompost and vermiwash on seedling growth performance of coffee (Coffea arabica L.) at nursery condition, Hawassa, Ethiopia. A factorial combination of two level of vermiwash (with and without) and three types of vermicompost (coffee husk, avocado waste, 50% Coffee husk+50% avocado waste) and recommended rate of coffee growing media( 3:1 top soil with compost) as positive control and soil alone as (negative control), these were laid out in CRD with three replications. Vermiwash was prepared by 50% of avocado waste plus 50% coffee husk. Whereas vermicompost were prepared by avocado waste, coffee husk and combined of avocado waste and coffee husk) and animal manure and grass were added uniformly for all wastes as starter and bedding material. 200g of VC produced from d/f wastes (avocado, coffee husk and combined of avocado and coffee husk were applied for all experimental units (polyethylene bags) except negative control and positive control. While 100ml of VW was applied for half of the experimental units. All agronomic practice were done as per required until the final growth stage of coffee seedlings. The initial soil, vermicompost and vermiwash sample were well prepared and analyzed for their chemical composition. All coffee seedling growth parameters data were collected properly and analyzed by SAS software and the treatment mean was compared using LSD at 5% probability level. The results showed that all growth parameters (plant height, leaf number, leaf area, number of node, root length, shoot fresh weight, root fresh weight, shoot dry weight and root dry weight) except internode length were significantly(<0.001) influenced by the interaction effect of vermicompost and vermiwash. The result indicated, the highest plant height(21.3cm), leaf number(12), leaf area(75cm 2 ), number node(6), root length (21.3cm ),shoot fresh weight(9.09g), root fresh weight (5.1g), shoot dry weight(2.86g) and root dry weight (0.67g) per plant were obtained from the interaction of coffee husk vermicompost with vermiwash. While the lowest plant height(9.8cm), leaf number(4.2), leaf area (23.94cm 2 ), number of node(2.17), root length(9.67cm), shoot fresh weight(2.55g), root fresh weight (2.57g), shoot dry weight(0.39g) and root dry weight (0.25g) per plant were obtained from soil without vermiwash (negative control). Therefore the interaction application of coffee husk vermicompost along with vermiwash is the best treatment to improving coffee seedling growth performance.