Effect of Phosphorus Application on Yield of Sweet Potatoes in Embu West Sub-County, Kenya

Abstract:

Sweet potato is a crop that plays a great role in food security in Kenya since it is a drought resistant crop, takes a short time to mature and is highly flexible. The main economic activity in Embu West Sub County is agriculture, which is the economic pillar of Embu County with most farmers there being small scale farmers and depending on this sector for their livelihood. Phosphorus as a plant nutrient is a key component of several chemical compounds necessary for metabolic activities, flowering, and root development; hence, it is essential for proper plants growth including sweet potatoes. This study purposed to evaluate how P application affects yield of three sweet potato varieties in Embu West Sub County. The sweet potato varieties used were SPK004 (V1), Kenspot 3 (V2) and Kenspot 4 (V3). The P fertilizer levels used were 0 kg/ha (P1), 25 kg/ha (P2), 50 kg/ha (P3), and 75 kg/ha (P4). Data on two specific yield parameters was collected at harvest; the collected data was summarized using excel. Analysis of variance of the data was done using SPSS version 23, at α=0.05. For treatment means that were significantly different, LSD as Post hoc test was used to separate them. The study showed significant yield potential difference in the yield parameters among the three sweet potato varieties with Kenspot 4 being the highest producer of both total and marketable tubers yield. The study showed that the amount of P applied significantly affected yield of sweet potatoes with a P level of 50 kg/ha producing significantly higher yields.