Effect of Row Spacing on Yield and Yield Components of Teff [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] Varieties in Gonji Kolela District, North Western Ethiopia

Abstract

Low productivity of tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] in Ethiopia is mainly attributed to lack of improved agronomic practices. Row planting should be in place to increase the productivity of the crop. An experiment was done at Gonji kebele, with the objectives of evaluating the effect of row spacing on yield and yield components and to determine the appropriate row spacing for maximum productivity of teff varieties. It was designed in RCBD consisting of four levels of row spacing (15, 20, 25 and 30cm) and four teff varieties (Buseye, Quncho, Etsub and Tsedey) a total of 16 treatments with three replications. The analysis of variance showed that days to 50% panicle emergence, lodging percentage, total number of tillers, number of effective tillers, grain yield, biomass yield, straw yield, and harvest index were influenced by both the main effects (P<0.01) and the interaction of row spacing and variety (P<0.05). On the other hand 90% physiological maturity, plant height, panicle length and thousand kernel weights were influenced by  the main effect of row spacing and variety, whereas number of panicles per plant was influenced only by the main effect of variety (P<0.01). The highest grain yield was recorded from 20cm row spacing with Etsub (3148.1 kg ha^-1) and the lowest grain yield was obtained  from 15cm with Buseye (2108.3 kg ha^-1). Even if there were no significance mean difference between 20 and 25cm for Etsub and between 20,25 and 30 cm for Buseye, Quncho and Tsedey varieties, it may be tentatively concluded that a combination of 20cm with Estub, 25 cm with Quncho and Tsedey and 30cm spacing with Buseye responded favorably in attaining higher grain yield of teff.

Keywords:  Row spacing , Teff , Grain yield