Review on Opportunities and Constraints of Turmeric Production in Ethiopia (Published)
Turmeric (Curcuma longa.) is One of exported spice in Ethiopia, Southwest Ethiopia produce this spice as a cash crop and many lively hoods had been depend on it for a living. Turmeric production in Ethiopia mainly concentrated at southwest part of the country (Sheka, bench-maji and keffa zones) however, recently major ginger producing areas including wolayta zone shifts the land to turmeric production because of ginger bacterial wilt and good demand for turmeric. Even though turmeric production plays an important role in the producer’s livelihood, its trend of production, productivity and quality has declined continuously for the last ten years. The market situation is characterized by anti-competitiveness and the producers were forced into the role of price takers. Its production and marketing are highly constrained by high price of fertilizer, seed shortage, pesticide shortage, labor and boiling raw materials like (wood and water) , traditional processing practices, lack of market, low price of the product, large number of intermediaries, absence (weakness) of marketing institutions, Absence of formal and structured marketing information dissemination. Therefore, these constraints require special attention if the production is to be increased.
Keywords: Constraints, Production, Turmeric, opportunities, spice
Growth, Yield and Quality of Turmeric (Curcuma Longa Linn.) As Influenced By Nitrogen Fertilizer Rates and Nitrogen Split Application in Obubra, South-South Nigeria (Published)
Most of southern parts of Nigeria normally receives high annual rainfall. Even under best management practices, approximately 30-50% of applied nitrogen is lost through leaching thereby making it unavailable during the critical stages of crop growth. The objective of this research was to investigate the optimum rates of Nitrogen fertilizer and Nitrogen split application that will support maximum growth, yield and quality of turmeric. Field experiments were conducted in 2016 and 2017 in the research farm of Cross River University of Technology, Obubra. Treatments consisted of five Nitrogen rates (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg N ha-1) and five Nitrogen split applications (Sp1; Sp2; Sp3; Sp4 and Sp5)). The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replicates. Growth and yield attributes were significantly (P<0.05) affected by Nitrogen rates and Nitrogen split application. The fresh and dry rhizome yield, oleoresin content and essential oil content were highest at 200 kg N ha-1and 150 kg N ha-1 in three equal split application (SP3) in both years.
Keywords: Turmeric, nitrogen fertilizer rate, rhizome yield., split application