In order to investigate the effect of plant spacing and harvesting age on growth, biomass and oil yield of rose-scented geranium; a study was carried out at the research field of Wondo Genet Agricultural Research Center in the 2013/14 cropping season. The study was a 4 x 5 factorial combination based on randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The experiment was consisted of four levels of plant spacing (30 x 30, 30 x 40, 30 x 50 and 30 x 60 cm, which result in 111111, 83333, 66666 and 55555 plants/ha, respectively) and five levels of harvesting age (90, 105, 120, 135 and 150 days after transplanting (DAT)). Main effects of plant spacing and harvesting age significantly influenced plant height, number of internodes, internodes length, leaf area and dry leaf weight/plant. While interaction effect of the two factors significantly influenced number of branches/plant, number of leaves/plant, leaf area index, fresh leaf weight/plant, aboveground biomass/ha, fresh leaf yield/ha, dry leaf yield/ha, dry stem yield/ha, harvest index, essential oil content and essential oil yield/ha. The finding revealed that higher number of branches and leaves were recorded at 30 x 60 cm spacing combined with 90 and 135 DAT and higher leaf area, dry leaf weight and fresh leaf weight were recorded at 30 x 60 cm along with 120, 135 and 120 DAT, respectively. At 30 x 30 cm spacing combined with 150, 120 and 150 DAT, highest plant height, leaf area index and number of internodes were obtained; while, the highest aboveground biomass, fresh leaf yield, dry stem yield and dry leaf yield were produced at 30 x 30 cm spacing with 120, 135, 150 and 135 DAT, respectively. Significantly higher essential oil content and harvest index were produced at the treatment combination of 30 x 40 cm spacing when harvested at 90 DAT. On the other hand, the essential oil yield (21.01kg/ha) at 30 x 30 cm plant spacing when harvested at 135 DAT was relatively higher than those of all treatment combinations, which, however it did not statistically different with that of 30 x 30 cm combined with 120 DAT (20.87 kg/ha). In total, it can be recommended to use 30 x 30 cm spacing level with harvesting age of 120 to 135 DAT for essential oil yield production at Wondo Genet area.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1. An Overview of Rose-Scented Geranium Plant
2.1.1. Botany, origin and distribution
2.1.2. Ecology and production status
2.1.3. Weed management, water and nutrient requirements
2.1.4. Diseases and pests
2.1.5. Chemotypes/Cultivars
2.1.6. Nature, composition and uses of essential oils
2.1.7. Oil distillation methods
2.2. Factors Influencing Growth, Biomass and Oil Yield
2.2.1. Environmental factors
2.2.2. Agronomic factors
3. MATERIALS AND METHODS
3.1. Description of the Experimental Site
3.2. Treatments and Experimental Design
3.3. Cultural Practices
3.4. Data Collected
3.4.1. Growth component traits
3.4.2. Yield and yield component traits
3.5. Statistical Analysis
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
4.1. Growth Characters of Rose-scented geranium
4.1.1. Plant height
4.1.2. Number of internodes per plant
4.1.3. Internodes length
4.1.4. Number of branches per plant
4.1.5. Number of leaves per plant
4.1.6. Leaf area
4.1.7. Leaf area index (LAI)
4.2. Agronomic and Chemical Traits of Rose-scented geranium
4.2.1. Fresh leaf weight per plant
4.2.2. Dry leaf weight per plant
4.2.3. Leaf to stem ratio
4.2.4. Aboveground biomass
4.2.5. Fresh leaf yield
4.2.6. Dry leaf yield
4.2.7. Dry stem yield
4.2.8. Harvest index (%)
4.2.9. Essential oil content (%)
4.2.10. Essential oil yield
5. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
6. REFERENCES
Research Objectives and Focus Areas
This thesis aims to assess the effects of different plant spacing levels and harvesting ages on the growth, biomass, and essential oil yield of the rose-scented geranium (Pelargonium graveolens L. Herit). The study seeks to optimize agronomic practices to enhance the production of high-value essential oil as a cash crop in the Wondo Genet region of Ethiopia.
- Evaluation of plant spacing impacts on growth parameters and biomass production.
- Investigation of optimal harvesting age for maximizing essential oil content and yield.
- Analysis of the interaction effects between plant density and harvesting timing on yield quality.
- Standardization of production technologies for rose-scented geranium under specific agro-ecological conditions.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1. Description of the Experimental Site
The field experiment was carried out at Wondo Genet Agricultural Research Center (WGARC) in 2013/14 main cropping season. The center is situated at about 264 km south of the capital, Addis Ababa. Geographically it is located at 07° 19' North latitude and 38° 38' East longitude with an altitude of 1876 m.a.s.l. According to the records from 1983 to 2012, the site receives mean annual rainfall of 1182 mm (Appendix Table 1) with an average minimum and maximum temperature of 9.86 and 28.28 °C, respectively (Appendix Table 2 and 3). The soil textural class of the experimental area is sandy clay loam (Nitosol) with pH of 6.4 (Abayneh et al., 2006).
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Provides an overview of rose-scented geranium as an aromatic shrub, its economic importance, and the rationale for the research in the Ethiopian context.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW: Reviews existing knowledge on botany, ecological requirements, agronomic factors like plant spacing and harvesting age, and the nature of essential oil production.
3. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Details the site location, the 4x5 factorial experimental design, cultural practices, data collection methods, and statistical analysis procedures used.
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS: Presents and analyzes data regarding growth characters, agronomic traits, and chemical yield, highlighting the significant influence of spacing and harvesting age.
5. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION: Summarizes the key research findings and provides recommendations for optimal plant spacing and harvesting age for farmers in the Wondo Genet area.
Keywords
Pelargonium graveolens, rose-scented geranium, plant spacing, harvesting age, biomass, essential oil, Wondo Genet, agricultural productivity, agronomic practices, essential oil yield, harvest index, growth characters, Ethiopia, crop management.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The research focuses on the cultivation of rose-scented geranium, specifically investigating how plant spacing and the age at which the plants are harvested influence their growth, biomass, and the yield of essential oil.
What are the key thematic areas addressed?
Key areas include plant density effects, optimal harvesting intervals, environmental adaptation, secondary metabolite production, and agronomic management practices.
What is the main goal or research question?
The primary goal is to determine the optimal plant spacing and harvesting age to maximize the biomass and essential oil yield of rose-scented geranium under the specific agro-ecological conditions of the Wondo Genet region.
Which scientific methodology was utilized?
The study employed a 4x5 factorial randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications, using statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) to evaluate 17 different quantitative growth and yield traits.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body presents a detailed review of botanical and agronomical literature, describes the experimental design and data collection methods, and provides an in-depth statistical analysis and discussion of the results.
Which keywords characterize this work?
The core keywords include Pelargonium graveolens, plant spacing, harvesting age, essential oil, biomass, and agronomic optimization.
What does the study suggest for planting density?
The study concludes that a plant spacing of 30 x 30 cm is recommended for high essential oil yield production in the tested region.
How does harvesting age impact the results?
The results demonstrate that essential oil yield is significantly influenced by harvesting age, with optimal results observed between 120 and 135 days after transplanting.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Haileslassie Gebremeskle (Autor:in), 2015, Effect of plant spacing and harvesting age on growth, biomass and oil yield of rose-scented geranium (Pelargonium graveolens L. Herit), München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/288955
