Abstract            Volume:7  Issue-9  Year-2019         Original Research Articles

Online ISSN : 2347 - 3215 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcret@gmail.com

Growth and leaf quality are influenced by nitrogen fertilizer management in cassava. Hence, a field experiment was conducted at Jimma in 2016 with the objective of determining the effect of nitrogen on agronomic performance and leaf quality. A 2 × 5 factorial experiment arranged in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications was used. Treatments consisted of two cassava varieties (Kello and Qulle) and five levels of N (0, 40, 80, 120 and 160 kg N ha-1). Variety Kello gave higher leaf area (164.75 cm2), leaf fresh weight (2.61 g), leaf dry weight (1.46 g), longer branch length and stem length (61.23 and 85.81 cm). Higher number of leaf per plant (164) was obtained from Qulle variety. Application of 160 kg N ha-1 gave the largest leaf number (186), widest leaf area (184.64 cm2), highest leaf fresh weight (3.10 g), and leaf dry weight (1.65 g). In terms of biochemical composition, kello leaves had higher moisture content (0.43%), ash (18.54%) and crude fat (16.69%). Higher crude fibre (16.24%) and total carbohydrate (27.234%) were obtained from Qulle variety. 160 kg N ha-1 gave the highest moisture (0.46%) and the lowest crude fibre (14.12%). The highest leaf nitrogen content (4.802%) and crude protein (30.012%) was gained from the combination of Kello and 160 kg N ha-1. In conclusion, variety Kello and 160 kg N ha-1 gave better growth and leaf quality. Similar experiments are suggested at different seasons and locations to draw sound conclusions.

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