The Effect of NP Fertlizer Rates on the Yield and Yield Components of Ginger (Zingiber Offcinale Rosc.) in Kindo-Koysha Woreda; Wolaita, South Ethiopia

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at  Kindo-Koyisha, Wolaita Zone, South Ethiopia during the 2012/2013 cropping season to evaluate the influences of different rates of NP on yield, yield components. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatments consisted of five levels of N (0, 23, 46, 62 and 92kg/ha) and four levels of P (0, 10, 20 and 30 kg/ha). Duncan’s multiple range tests were employed to compare means at 5% probability levels. The analysis revealed that increase in N level had very highly significant (p<0.001) effect on average leaves number per plot,  plant height, leaf length, leaf width, leaf area, tiller number per hill, and number of plants per plot  in  Kindo-Koyisha woreda. The level of P for Kindo-KoyishaWoreda had very highly significant (p<0.001) effect on average  plant height, leaf length , and leaf area, tillers number per hill and number of plants per plot; and it showed highly significant (p<0.01) effect on average leaf significant effect (p<0.05) on leaf width.NP interaction highly significantly (p<0.01) affected the average leaf area, and number of plots per plot whereas, very highly (p<0.001) affected average number of leaves per plant, plant height, and leaf length.  The highest record of data obtained at 92kg/ha of nitrogen and 30kg/ha of phosphorous levels in experimental sites. The future studies should articulate towards and studies involving more cultivars, multi-location and additional rates of N and P application, under diverse management practices such as farmers, irrigated or rained conditions, which may facilitate fine-tuning of fertilizer recommendations.

Keywords:   Ginger, yields, growth, interaction, fertilizer