Academic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Research
 

Academic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Research 

Vol. 6(6), pp. 328-335. July, 2018.

ISSN: 2360-7874 

 DOI: 10.14662/ARJASRD2018.037

Full Length Research

Determination of Appropriate Planting Space and Vertical Numbers for Hybrid Arabica Coffee at Yeki District, Southwestern Ethiopia

Behailu Mekonnen^1*, Shiferaw Temeteme¹, Essubalew Getachew², Habtewold Kifelew³, Tesfaye Shimber⁴

¹Tepi National Spices Research Center, Tepi, Ethiopia

²Jimma University College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Jimma, Ethiopia.

³Holetta Agricultural Research Center, Holetta, Ethiopia

⁴Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

*Corresponding author: Behailu Mekonnen, Tepi National Spices Research Center, P.O.Box, 34, Tepi, Ethiopia, Tel: +251-92-091-82-78; E-mail: behailumekonnenba@gmail.com

Accepted 23 July 2018

An experiment was conducted at Tepi National Spices Research Center for five years, to determine the optimum planting space and vertical numbers that promote growth and yield of hybrid Arabica coffee variety. The treatments consisted of three levels of planting space (2.5 m x 2.5 m, 2.5 m x 2.0 m, 2.0 m x 2.0 m) and three vertical numbers (single stem, two stem, free growth). The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The recorded data on yield and yield attributes like internode length of primary branches, number of bearing and non-bearing primary branches, number of nodes of primary branch and the main stem were significantly influenced by the interaction effects of planting space and vertical numbers. Similarly, the coffee yield was also significantly influenced by the interaction of planting space and vertical numbers. The highest plant height and internode length of primary branches were recorded at the same planting space of 2.0 m x 2.0 m with two stem and free growth habit, respectively. Whereas, the maximum node number on primary branches and main stem were recorded from treatments which had the same planting space (2.5 m x 2.0 m) with single stem and two stem, respectively. The maximum number of bearing primary branches was recorded from trees which treated with 2.0 m x 2.0 m with free growth habit. Likewise, the highest coffee yield was found in a planting space of 2.0 m x 2.0 m with free growth habit. Therefore, it could be concluded that using of an optimum planting space of 2 m x 2 m with free growth habit enhanced the growth, yield and yield components of hybrid coffee. However, it is important to repeat the study using other coffee varieties in their respective adaptable locations, and cup quality parameters also need to be done.

Key Words: Hybrid coffee, Pruning, Clean coffee, Planting space

How to cite this article: Mekonnen, B., Temeteme, S., Getachew, E., Kifelew H., Shimber T., (2018). Determination of Appropriate Planting Space and Vertical Numbers for Hybrid Arabica Coffee at Yeki District, Southwestern Ethiopia. Acad. Res. J. Agri. Sci. Res. 6(6): 328-335

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