Growth and Yield Performance of Garlic (Allium sativum L.) Varieties to Application of Vermicompost at Koga Irrigation Site, Northwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is an important cash and spice crop produced for home consumption and as a source of income to many smallholder farmers in many parts of the Ethiopia. Field experiment was conducted at Adet Agricultural Research Center, Koga irrigation trial site in 2015/2016 cropping season. Three garlic varieties (Bishoftu Nech, Tsedey and a local cultivar) and three levels of vermicompost fertilizer (0, 2500, 5000 kg ha^-1) were tested in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Bishoftu Nech variety gave significantly the highest total and marketable bulb yield 8.50 and 8.10 ton ha^-1, respectively, that exhibited 24 and 57% advantages over Tseday and the local cultivar, respectively. The highest values of mean bulb weight (37.85 g), mean clove number (9.92), mean clove weight (5.65 g), total fresh biomass yield (47.82 g/plant) and bulb dry matter (19.62%) was recorded from Bishoftu Nech variety with application of 5000 kg ha^-1 vermicompost. Therefore, based on the current study, it can be concluded that producers in the study area could use Bishoftu Nech variety using 5000 kg ha^-1 vermicompost for optimum garlic production.

Keywords: Variety, vermicompost, yield, optimum garlic production, maximum economic benefit

DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/10-23-01

Publication date: December 31^st 2020