Effects of Inter and Intra Row Spacing on Growth, Yield and Yield Components of Roselle (Hibiscus Sabdariffa L.) at Wondo Genet, Southern Ethiopia

Objective: A field experiment was conducted to assess the optimum inter and intrarow spacing on growth, yield and yield component of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) in 2014/15 cropping season at Wondo Genet Agricultural Research Center experimental site (at Wondo Genet station). Methods: Two interrow spacings (60 and 90 cm) and three intrarow spacings (30, 60 and 90 cm) were evaluated using two varieties, WGHibiscusJamaica and WGHibiscusSudan on a plot size of 3.6 m length x 4.2 m width. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design in factorial arrangement with 12 treatments in three replications. SAS (version 9) software was used to compute the analysis of variance. Results: The results revealed that varieties differed markedly in most of the studied parameters. Of the two varieties tested, variety WGHibiscusJamaican showed greater plant height, number of branches per plant, number of leaves/plant, leaf area, leaf area index, days to 50 % flowering, days to 95 % maturity, number of capsules/plant, fresh calyx yield/plant, dry calyx yield/plant, seed yield/plant, total number of capsules/ha, total fresh calyx yield/ha, total dry calyx yield/ha and total seed yield/ha. In contrast, variety WGHibiscusSudan matures earlier and had heavier 1000 seed weight than variety WGHibiscusJamaican. Number of capsules/plant, fresh and dry calyx yield/plant were influenced by interaction effects of variety; inter and intrarow spacing. Moreover, fresh and dry calyx yield/plant, total fresh and dry calyx yield/ha were influenced by interaction effects of variety, inter and intrarow spacing.