Effect of Farmyard Manure and Blended Fertilizer Rates on Yield and Yield Components of Hot Pepper (<i>Capsicum annuum</i> L.) in East Wollega Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

Hot Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is an important spice and vegetable crop in Ethiopia. However, soil fertility depletion (nutrient deficiency) is one of the vital yield limiting factors in production. This experiment was conducted with the objective of determining the effects of combined use of different levels of Farmyard manure and blended fertilizer (NPSZnB) rate on yield and yield components of hot pepper and to identify the optimum combination of two fertilizers levels that give a higher yield of hot pepper. Mareko Fana variety was used for experiment. The treatments consisted of three levels of farmyard manure (0, 2, and 4 t/ha) and five levels of bended fertilizers (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 kg/ha) combined factorially and arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Analysis of the results showed that the interaction of farmyard manure and blended fertilizer significantly (p<0.05) affect most of the parameters studied. Application of 4t/ha farm yard manure and 100kg/ha blended fertilizers results showed that higher plant height 67.05cm, number of primary branches (7.82), number of leaf (331.72), number of fruit per plant (29.61), fruit length (10.49cm), total fresh fruit yield (5.60 t/ha), marketable yield (2.34 t/ha), total dry fruit yield (2.46 t/ha), biomass yield (4.96 t/ha) and harvest index (0.39) whereas lowest marketable yield (1.13 t/ha) and total dry fruit yield (1.25 t/ha), were recorded from unfertilized treatment. Therefore, the result of this study has showed that levels of farmyard manure and blended fertilizer in the study areas could be significantly enhances yield and yield components of hot pepper if 4 t/ha of Farmyard manure and 100 kg/ha of blended fertilizer are integrated and applied to hot pepper. Moreover, farmers in the study area should be encouraged to use integrated nutrient management system rather than inorganic fertilizer alone since such system helps not only supply nutrients but also improves physicochemical properties of the soil, thereby significantly enhances yield and yield component of hot pepper. Furthermore, as the study was conducted only at one location for a single season, it is also recommended to repeat the study across representative locations of the district both under rain fed and irrigated conditions.