Evaluation of Avocado (Persea americana) for Growth and Yield at Teppi, Southwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

ABSTRACT Avocado is a member of the Lauraceae family. It is a crop with enormous economic significance all over the world. The aim of this work was to evaluate the performance of avocado cultivars for yield and yield components. Six avocado cultivars and one local check cultivar were compared in Teppi Agricultural Research Center. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. The analysis of variance showed that, for most growth traits except girth above union and girth below union, significant variation has been recorded. The combined analysis over seasons revealed that significant difference between cultivars for most of the characters tested. The over years combined analyses of variance revealed that there was significant difference (P < .05) among cultivars for yield performance. Among the cultivars, the highest yield (29.13 tha−1) was recorded for Ettinger. In contrast, the lowest yield was recorded for local (6.20 tha−1). The cultivars, Ettinger, Hass and Fuerte performed better as compared to other cultivars. Therefore, these cultivars should be multiplied and disseminated for further popularization. The gaps in cultivar improvement, agronomic management and post-harvest handling also need due attention to improve the productivity of avocado in target area.