Effects of inter and intra row spacing on growth, yield and yield components of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.)

A field experiment was conducted to assess the optimum inter- and intra-row 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). Two inter-row spacing (60 and 90 cm) and three intra-row spacing (30, 60 and 90 cm) were evaluated using two varieties, WG-Hibiscus-Jamaica and WG-Hibiscus-Sudan 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. The results revealed that varieties differed markedly in most of the studied parameters. Of the two varieties tested, variety WG-Hibiscus-Jamaican 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 WG-Hibiscus-Sudan matures earlier and had heavier 1000 seed weight than variety WG-Hibiscus-Jamaican. The present study demonstrated that, the highest total fresh and dry calyx yield/ha were recorded when WG-Hibiscus-Jamaica and WG-Hibiscus-Sudan were planted at inter-row spacing of 60 cm and intra-row spacing of 30 cm.