Haile, G and Muanenda, M and Kibatu, T and Debebe, N and Abrar, S and Kebede, F and Lemenih, M and Agegnehu, G (2026) Growth, biomass productivity, nitrogen uptake and use efficiency of selected enset clones in southern Ethiopia. Scientific Reports. ISSN 2045-2322 (In Press)
Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)Abstract
Enset (Ensete ventricosum) is a staple food crop for over 20 million people in southern Ethiopia. As climate change intensifies, its importance for food security increases, and its cultivation is also expanding into new territories such as the warmer and drier lowlands. This study evaluated the responses of two enset clones (Ganticho and Nifo) to six different integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) alternatives on establishment, vegetative growth, biomass production, nitrogen uptake, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), biomass partitioning, and soil chemical properties. A factorial experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with three replications. The ISFM treatments comprised: control, 100% recommended inorganic nitrogen (N), 100% recommended vermicompost (VC), 75% VC + 25% N, 50% VC + 50% N, and 25% VC + 75% N. Enset establishment traits were not significantly affected by clone, ISFM, or their interaction, although treatments with vermicompost improved plant survival. In contrast, vegetative growth, biomass yield, nitrogen uptake, and NUE were significantly influenced by both clone and ISFM. Ganticho produced greater biomass and corm development than Nifo, indicating the clone’s better adaptation and productivity under lowland conditions. Significant Clone × ISFM interactions were observed for stem, corm, root, and total dry matter, demonstrating genotype-specific responses to nutrient management. Ganticho allocated more biomass to corm development, whereas Nifo invested relatively more in root growth, reflecting contrasting resource-use strategies. Clone × ISFM interactions also significantly affected NUE components, confirming differences in nutrient utilization between clones. In addition, ISFM treatments improved soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, pH, and cation exchange capacity. These findings demonstrate that enset productivity in lowland environments is strongly influenced by genotype × nutrient management interactions, highlighting the importance of integrating vermicompost-based fertilization with suitable clone selection to enhance biomass production, nitrogen use efficiency, and sustainable soil fertility.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Divisions: | Research Program : East & Southern Africa |
| CRP: | UNSPECIFIED |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | enset clones, biomass productivity, southern Ethiopia, food security, nitrogen use efficiency, sustainable soil fertility |
| Subjects: | Others > Soil Fertility Others > Ethiopia |
| Depositing User: | Mr Nagaraju T |
| Date Deposited: | 10 Nov 2026 06:43 |
| Last Modified: | 10 Nov 2026 06:43 |
| URI: | http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/13713 |
| Official URL: | https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-74301-0 |
| Projects: | UNSPECIFIED |
| Funders: | Dilla University Applied Science, Research, and Development Office |
| Acknowledgement: | We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Dilla University Applied Science, Research, and Development Office for its financial and technical support through its thematic research fund. Special thanks are extended to the Botanical Garden and Ecotourism Garden Center for providing the experimental site and to the garden security staff for protecting the Enset experimental plants from wildlife damage. We are also grateful to the garden workers for their valuable assistance in various field activities, including pit preparation, cultivation, weeding, fertilizer application, and data collection—particularly Mr. Temesgen, the botanical the garden foreman, for his dedicated support. We also acknowledge the Gedeb District Agriculture Office and its experts for their support during the collection of Enset seedlings. Finally, we thank Dilla University and Wenago District Agriculture Office for supplying vermicompost from their demonstration farms. |
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