EFFECTS OF INTER ROW SPACING AND VARIETIES ON GROWTH YIELD COMPONENTS AND YIELD OF COMMON BEAN (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) IN NEDJO DISTRICT, WESTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Common bean is becoming an important pulse crop in Ethiopia due to its use as sources of food security and generated income. However, crop management practice that combine high yielding varieties with inter row spacing are lacking at Nejo. Thus, a field experiment was conducted to assess effect of inter row spacing and varieties on yield components and yield of common bean.It was conducted during 2018 cropping season at Nejo, western Ethiopia. Treatments consisted of factorial combinations of three common bean varieties (Awash-2, Nasir and Seri -125) and four inter row spacing (30cm, 35cm, 40cm and 45cm ) laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The main effects of varieties was highly significant (P<0.01) on day to 50% flowering, physiological maturity, leaf area, leaf area index, number of seed per plant, 100 seed weight and above ground dry biomass. Variety Seri-125 gave the highest day to 50% flowering (42.33), physiological maturity (92.18 day), leaf area (964.5m2), leaf area index ( 2.52 ), number of seed per plant (4.72), 100 seed weight (28.94g) and above ground dry biomass (7315kgh1).Varieties had significantly (P<0.05) affected stand count, number of pod per plant and harvest index. The highest stand counts (92.01), number of pod per plant (17.44) were recorded from Awash-2 and Seri-125 respectively, while the highest harvest index (58.11%) was recorded from variety Awash-2. Inter row had highly significant (P<0.01) effect on leaf area, leaf area index, stand count, number of seed per pod, 100 seed weight, harvest index and above ground dry biomass. The 45 cm inter row spacing resulted it the highest leaf area (1251.5 m2), leaf area index (2.78), stand count (96.62), number of seed per pod (5.35), 100 seed weight (30.79g),) and harvest index (71.34), while the 30 cm spacing produced the highest above ground dry biomass (8423kg/ha). Inter row had significant (P<0.05) effect on physiological maturity and number of pod per plant. The 45 cm inter row spacing indicates late physiological maturity (91.07), while the highest number of pod per plant (17.87) at inter row space (45cm). Interactions of varieties with inter row spacing showed highly significant (P<0.01) effect on number of branch per plant and significant (P<0.05) effect on plant height and seed yield. The highest number of branch per plant (2.65), tallest plant (56.60cm) and highest seed yield (3202kgh1) were recorded from variety Seri-125 at 45 cm, at 30 cm and 40 cm, respectively. From the results of this study it can preliminary concluded that there was no significant yield difference of Seri-125 at all spacing; of Nasir at 30, 35 and 40cm and of Awash-2 at 30 and 35 cm. Therefore, all spacing can be used for variety Seri-125. However, as this result is for one season and location; the study has to be repeated over locations and seasons to reach at a more reliable conclusion and recommendation for Nejo.