Response of Red Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) to intra-row spacing and blended NPS fertilizer rates at Wolaita Sodo Zuria district, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Beetroot [(Beta vulgaris L.), Detroit Dark Red] is one of the root crops that is widely cultivated in the Wolaita Zone,  southern Ethiopia. The crop is utilized as a vegetable to contribute the food and nutritional security of the farmers.  Despite its economic importance, the crop yield productivity is very less in the study area due to inappropriate row  spacing and lack of ideal fertilizer application rate. Therefore, this research was conducted to determine the effect of  blended NPS fertilizer and intra-row spacing on red beetroot growth, yield components, and root yield in the study area.  A total of 15 treatments were used as factorial combinations of three intra-row spacing’s (10, 15 and 20 cm) and five  blended NPS fertilizer rates (0, 60.5, 121, 181.5 and 242 kg NPS ha^-1 ) in three replications. Selected growth, yield components, and root yield parameters were collected and analyzed procedurally. The result revealed that blended NPS  fertilizer rate application and intra-row spacing had shown a significant effect on growth, yield component, root yield,  and marketable and unmarketable root yield of the Detroit dark red beetroot variety. The interaction had shown a  significant effect on fresh and dry shoot weight. The highest total fresh and dry root weights were obtained from plants  at 15 and 20 cm intra-row spacing and a 181.5 kg blended NPS ha^-1 fertilizer application rate. The highest marketable  root yield (32.74 t ha^-1 ) was obtained at 15 cm intra-row spacing and by 181.5 kg ha^-1 NPS fertilizer application rate. The  highest marginal rate of return (4219.5) coupled with the highest net benefit of 93717.08 Birr per hectare was obtained  from plants received 181.5 kg ha^-1 NPS at 15 cm intra-row spacing. Thus, it was possible to conclude that the growing of  the Detroit dark red beetroot variety with an application of 181.5 kg ha^-1 blended NPS fertilizer and using 15 cm intra- row spacing at the study area had a significant effect on the production of Detroit dark red beetroot.