Tropentag, September 20 - 22, 2017 in Bonn "Future Agriculture: Social-ecological transitions and bio-cultural shifts"

Effect of Organic Manure and Sound Crop Rotation Pattern on Growth and Yield of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in the High Lands of Awi Zone, Ethiopia

¹Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia
²University of Hohenheim, Inst. of Agricultural Sciences in the Tropics (Hans-Ruthenberg-Institute), Germany
³University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Division of Organic Farming, Austria

Abstract

Lack of sustainable soil fertility management system is a critical challenge in the highlands of Ethiopia, wherein population and livestock pressure are high. Thus, an experiment was initiated with the objective of improving the yield of potato through organic treatments and sound crop rotation pattern. Two levels of sound crop rotation patterns and four levels of organic treatments were factorially combined and laid out in a completely randomised block design (RCBD) with four replications. The organic treatments were: V1= 0 t ha^-1 FYM; V2 = 5 t ha^-1 FYM; V3 = 2.5 t ha^-1 FSB; V4 = 5 t ha^-1 FYM +2.5 t ha^-1 FSB. The rotation patterns were: R1 = wheat - clover – potato and R² = clover - wheat undersown lupine – potato. In addition, farmyard manure at 1 t ha^-1 and wheat – fab bean –potato rotation pattern was also included as a check of farmers practice. The experimental results showed that combination of manure (5 t ha^-1 FYM +2.5 t ha^-1 FSB) with potato followed by clover and wheat rotation pattern was significantly improved the tuber yield of potato more than other treatment combinations. The total tuber yield was highest (35.15 t ha^-1) compared to all other treatment combinations. In addition, the tallest plant height (86.41 cm), stem hill^-1 (5.26), leaf area index (4.35), medium sized tubers (17.78 t ha^-1) and large sized tuber (15.50 t ha^-1) were recorded on combinations of manures and potato followed by clover and wheat rotation pattern. Whereas, the lowest tuber yield of 13.02 t ha^-1 was recorded on unfertilised control and rotation pattern potato followed by wheat undersown lupine and clover. Hence, the annual application rate of a combination of manure (5 t ha^-1 FYM +2.5 t ha^-1 FSB) in conjunction with sound rotation pattern (potato followed by clover and wheat) could be recommended as an alternative to inorganic soil fertility management system in improving the yield and profitability of potato without remarkable achievable yield reduction.

Keywords: Manure, rotation pattern, soil fertility, yield

Contact Address: Bernhard Freyer, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Division of Organic Farming, Gregor Mendel Straße 33, 1180 Wien, Austria, e-mail: Bernhard.Freyerboku.ac.at