Abstract:
Hot pepper is an important spice and vegetable crop in Assosa, western Ethiopia, however, its production is low due to several constraints of which low accessibility of improved varieties and poor cultural practices including soil fertility management. This research was conducted to asses the effect of blended NPS fertilizer on yield related and, green pod yield of hot pepper varieties and estimate cost-benefit of blended NPS fertilizer rates for hot pepper production. The research consisted of five rates of NPS fertilizer (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg ha-1), 100 kg ha-1 Urea uniformly and four varieties (Melka zala, Marko fana, Bako local and Tejo of farmers cultivar).in factorial combination in randomized complete block design with three replications conducted at Assosa, western Ethiopia under irrigation during 2017 off season. Analysis of variance results revealed that variety, blended NPS fertilizer and the interaction of the two factors had significant effect on phenology of the crop (days to 50% flowering and pod setting, days maturity and first harvest, and duration of harvest), growth of the crop (plant height and number of primary branches per plant however, the interaction of the two factors had nonsignificant effect on canopy diameter) and. The two main factors, variety and blended NPS fertilizer the interaction of the two factors had significant effect on number of pod per plant, weight of pod and pod yield. The farmers’ cultivar (Tejo) without fertilizer and 50 kg ha-1 blended NPS fertilizer had delayed days to 50% flowering and pod setting and significantly to maturity, days to first harvest and long duration of harvest. Marako Fana with 100 kg ha-1 blended NPS fertilizer application had significantly early days to 50% flowering and pod setting, days to maturity, days to first harvest and short duration of harvest. Melka Zala (70 cm) followed by Marako Fana (62.67 cm) with the application of 200 kg ha-1 blended NPS fertilizer had significantly taller plants while Tejio without fertilizer application produced significantly shortest plants whereas. Tejio with 200 kg ha-1 blended NPS fertilizer produced significantly highest number of primary branches per plant and this cultivar had also the widest canopy diameter. Marako Fana and Bako Local without fertilizer application had significantly lower number of primary branches and these varieties also had narrower canopy diameter of plants. Plants received 200 kg ha-1 blended NPS and no fertilizer had widest and narrowest canopy diameter, respectively. Melka Zala in plots received 100 kg ha-1 NPS fertilizer produced significantly highest number of fruits per plant (29.79/30) while Tejio followed by Backo Local without fertilizer application produced lower number of pods per plant. Melka Zala with 200 and 150 kg ha-1 blended NPS ferilizer produced green pods of significantly higher weight than other varieties with all rates of fertilizer combination while Tejio whether not received fertilizer or supplied with all rates of blended NPS fertilizer produced podss of significantly lower weight. Melka Zala produced significantly highest green fruit yield of 11.699 t ha-1 with supplied 100 kg ha-1 NPS fertilizer while farmer’s varieties without fertilizer produced significantly lowest pod yield of 3.06 t ha-1. Moreover, the highest net benefit of 204422.00Birr and marginal rate of return of 8010.56% was obtained from Melka Zala due to 100 kg ha-1 blended NPS and Urea fertilizer. Therefore, this variety with the application of 100 kg ha-1 blended NPS fertilizer could be recommended for production of green pods to be used as vegetable in the study area.