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 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). Methods: Two inter-row spacings (60 and 90 cm) and three intra-row spacings (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. Results: 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. Number of capsules/plant, fresh and dry calyx yield/plant were influenced by interaction effects of variety; inter- and intra-row spacing. Moreover, fresh and dry calyx yield/plant, total fresh and dry calyx yield/ha were influenced by interaction effects of variety, inter- and intra-row spacing.