Global Advanced Research Journal of Educational Research and Reviews (GARJERR) ISSN: 2315-5132

May 2015, 4(5): pp. 081-089

Copyright © 2015 Global Advanced Research Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Impact of sowing date and plant spacing on yield, quality and disease incidence of Snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris l.) varieties at Jimma Southwestern, Ethiopia

¹Essubalew Getachew, ²Ali Mohammed and  ³Abush Tesfaye 

¹Jimma University, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Department of Horticulture and Plant Science, P.O.Box. 307, Jimma, Ethiopia

²Jimma University, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine Department of Postharvest Management, P.O.Box. 307, Jimma, Ethiopia

³Jimma Agricultural Research Center P.O. Box 192, Jimma, Ethiopia.

Corresponding Author Email: essubalew.getachew@ju.edu.et       

Accepted 04 May, 2015

Abstract

The present study was carried out to determine the effect of sowing date and plant spacing on pod yield, quality parameters and incidence of major diseases in the field of green bean varieties under humid tropical conditions of Jimma southwestern, Ethiopia. The treatments were five level of spacing (50 cm x 7 cm, 40 cm x 15 cm, 40 cm x 10 cm, 40 cm x 7 cm, 30 cm x 15 cm); four level sowing date (July 3^rd, July 18^th, August 2^nd and August 17^th) and two varieties (Melka-1 and Melka-5) in a factorial combination of three factors arranged in randomized complete block design with three replications. Pod yield, quality of green bean (snapping nature, tenderness, straightness and fibreless nature) were significantly affected by the interaction of variety, time of sowing and spacing. The highest total pod yield was obtained due to sowing on the 3^rd of July. Highest value of 1.139 and 1.924 due to time of sowing was recorded on quality of green bean in snapping nature and tenderness, respectively at July 3. Similarly, the relative value of variety Melka-1 showed highest (1.780) on quality of green bean (tenderness) as compared to Melka-5 (1.506). Furthermore, the highest (1.566) average value on the straightness of green bean was recorded when the crop grown at 3^rd July with spacing of 50cm x 7cm. However, the incidence of major diseases (rust, angular leaf spot and floury leaf spot) generally affected by sowing time. The highest (33.78%) and (24.55%) were recorded of angular leaf spot and floury leaf spot, respectively due to sowing date at August 2^nd and July 18^th. Early  sowing of green bean (3^rd July), narrow spacing (40 cm × 7 cm) and variety Melka-1 had a potential to increase the yield, quality and less disease incidence green bean under Jimma condition.

Keywords: Green bean, plant spacing, sowing date, pod yield, pod quality, diseases incidence