Influence of Rooting Media on Nursery Performance of Korarima (Aframomum corrorima) in Southwest of Ethiopia

Abstract

Korarima (Aframomum corrorima) is native crop to Ethiopia, herbaceous, perennial and aromatic spice.
Production is much lower mainly due to constraints such as lack of improved variety and poor agronomic practices.
Thus, the current study was conducted with the objective of determining rooting media on nursery performance. The
experiment was executed at Teppi National Spice Research Center. The treatments arranged in RCBD in three
replications, with the seven level of rooting media (FS, ForS, DCH, FS+ForS, FS+DCH, ForS+DCH and FS+ForS
+DCH) were assigned as rooting media respectively. Analysis of the results revealed that the plant height, leaf
length, leaf area, leaf number fresh and dry biomass of the shoot were highly responded to the growth rooting media
but tiller production, fresh and dry biomass of the root were not responded to the growth rooting media. The most
reliable and recommendable rooting media on best nursery performance of Korarima was forest soil in South west,
Ethiopia.

Full text

Influence of Rooting Media on Nursery Performance of Korarima
(
Aframomum corrorima
) in Southwest of Ethiopia
Agere Lupi1*,Tesfaye Mitiku2, Shiferew Temeteme3, Behailu Mekonen3, Benaim Yeziz3, Girma Hailmecheal3 and Mulisa Wedajo3
1Melkassa Agricultural Research Center, Melkassa (Adama), Ethiopia
2Oromia Irrigation Development Authority, North Shoa Branch, Fiche, Oromia, Ethiopia
3Teppi National Spice Research Center, Teppi, Ethiopia
*Corresponding author: Agere Lupi, Melkassa Agricultural Research Center, Melkassa (Adama), Ethiopia, Tel: +251-222250225; E-mail: agere79@yahoo.com
Received date: February 20, 2016; Accepted date: March 17, 2016; Published date: March 25, 2016
Copyright: © 2016 Lupi A, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Abstract
Korarima (Aframomum corrorima) is native crop to Ethiopia, herbaceous, perennial and aromatic spice.
Production is much lower mainly due to constraints such as lack of improved variety and poor agronomic practices.
Thus, the current study was conducted with the objective of determining rooting media on nursery performance. The
experiment was executed at Teppi National Spice Research Center. The treatments arranged in RCBD in three
replications, with the seven level of rooting media (FS, ForS, DCH, FS+ForS, FS+DCH, ForS+DCH and FS+ForS
+DCH) were assigned as rooting media respectively. Analysis of the results revealed that the plant height, leaf
length, leaf area, leaf number fresh and dry biomass of the shoot were highly responded to the growth rooting media
but tiller production, fresh and dry biomass of the root were not responded to the growth rooting media. The most
reliable and recommendable rooting media on best nursery performance of Korarima was forest soil in South west,
Ethiopia.
Keywords: Rooting media; Performance of korarima
Introduction
Korarima (
Aframomum corrorima
(Braun) P.C.M. Jansen) also
called Ethiopian cardamom [1] and a close relative of the widely
known Indian cardamom (
Elettaria cardamom
Maton.) [2,3]. It is
mainly known to grown in southern, south-western and western
Ethiopia, and belongs to the family Zingiberaceae, the genus
Aframomum
[4,5].
Korarima is a tropical perennial, shade loving, aromatic herb, oen
of large size, bearing owers either terminally on aerial leaf shoots or
from the ground level. It grows usually with strong brous
subterranean scaly rhizomes and with leafy stems reaching 1 m to 2 m
height [1,2]. It is economically important species used as traditional
medicine and food preservative, to avor coee and bread, as source of
income from local and export markets, for soil conservation and as
substitute of Indian cardamom [4].
From the report of Baiyeri and Mbah [6], nursery rooting medium
has been found to be the most critical factor determining seedling
quality in the nursery and acting as a reservoir for nutrients, moisture
and oxygen supply to the growing plant. Nursery rooting media
mixtures play a key role in improving soil physical and chemical
properties and, thereby, increasing, the rate of seed germination and
seedling growth and penetrating capacity of roots, suitable
environment with proper aeration, sucient water and nutrient supply
was oered by the medium, excellent root system developed, which, in
turn, resulted in luxurious growth of plants [7].
e encouragement of farmers to cultivate Korarima has not been
successful due to several production constraints like nursery rooting
media in southern and south west Ethiopia [8]. Lack of improved
varieties and agronomic practices is major production constraints,
those farmers emphasized on. According to the report of Eyob, the
basic agronomic practices which need major emphasis involve nursery
rooting media performance [8]. e objective of this nding is to
determine the ecient rooting media at nursery level for Korarima in
south western Ethiopia.
Materials and Method
Description of the study area
e experiment was executed at Teppi National Spice Research
center during 2013/2014 at nursery condition. Teppi National Spice
research center is situated to south west of Ethiopia at 611 km from the
Addis Ababa at latitude: 73N, longitude: 350E, altitude 1200 m,
temperature: maximum 30C and minimum 15C and annual rainfall
1591 mm. According to the report of Abayeneh and Ashena [9], the
type of soil at Teppi center dystric nitisols, eurtiric vertisols and vertric
gleysols which is dominated by forest soil. In general the area
characterized by high rain fail, temperature and humidity and
represented by wet dry low land [10].
Preparation of rooting media
e ne sandy (FS) 2.5 mm and was purchased from the local
market, Forest soil was collected from the upper 10 cm layer under the
canopy of forest of the center (ForS), decomposed coee husk (DCH)
was collected from Teppi Town coee processing private sector, All
rooting media were sieved through a wire mash of 2.5 mm and to
remove the soil particle and undesired material the ne sand
thoroughly washed.
Journal of Horticulture Lupi et al., J Hortic 2016, 3:1
http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2376-0354.1000174
Research Article Open Access
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ISSN:2376-0354 Horticulture, an open access journal Volume 3 • Issue 1 • 1000174

Rooting Media type pH 1:2.5
FS 7.1
ForS 6.4
DCH 5.8
FS+ForS (1:1) 6.7
FS+DCH (1:1) 6.1
ForS+DCH (1:1) 5.9
FS+ForS+DCH (1:1:1) 6.1
FS=Fine Sandy, ForS=Forest Soil, DCH=Decomposed Coffee Husk, FS+ForS=Mixture of Sandy Soil and Forest Soil, FS+DCH=Mixture of Sandy Soil and
Decomposed Coffee Husk, ForS+DCH=Mixture of Forest Soil and Decomposed Coffee Husk
Table 1: pH analysis of the rooting media used in potting mix.
Experimental design
e treatment consists of seven rooting media type arranged in
Randomized complete block design (RCBD) in three replication. e
treatments are: Fine sand (FS), Forest soil (ForS), Decomposed coee
husk (DCH), FS+ForS, DCH+FS, DCH+ForS, and FS+ForS+DCH
using polythene bag with the size of 12 cm × 21 cm. Each plot consists
of 16 seedlings in polythene bag per plot and were set street.
Data collection and analysis
e parameter were evaluated in this ndings were plant height (h
in cm), leaf length (l in cm), tiller number (TN), number of leaf (NL),
fresh and dry weight of shoot and root biomass (g), root length (cm)
and volume (ml) based on dry mass and leaf area (cm2).
In general, total leaf area was measured using leaf area metre (ADC
bio-scientic ltd area metre AM 200 UK) in cm2. Aer washing
thoroughly the root volume was measured by displacement method
using graduated cylinder half lled with water, for dry mass
determination both root and shoot were brought to oven dry for about
48 h at 75C until the sample attains consistent mass.
e collected data on dierent growth parameters were analyzed by
analysis of variance (ANOVA). Finally the measured variables were
subjected to GenStat v15 computer soware.
Results and Discussion
Plant height and leaf length
As indicated in Table 2 the plant height and leaf length of Korarima
were signicantly (P ≤ 0.05) responded to forest soil. e highest mean
values of plant height and leaf length of Korarima was recorded 45 cm
and 14.25 cm respectively for seeds sown in frost soil (Table 2). e
minimum value of plant height was recorded on sand soil at 32.42 cm,
similarly 10.79 cm for the leaf length also.
Soil of high organic matter has excellent water holding capacity and
media needed as growth of seedling increase to escape from the stress
to get tolerant and high number of transplanting seedling and this
show that seeds sown in forest soil. is result agrees to the work of
Dawid et al. [11] and Mohammed [12]. e rate of vegetative growth
of plant height was enhanced by increasing in available soil water
content in the root zone, reduction in plant height and leaf length was
observed due the less water content and available nutrients of sand soil.
Tiller production, leaf area and leaf numbers
On the other side the tiller production of Korarima is not
signicantly dierent in forest soil, decomposed coee husk and
mixing of ne sand and forest soil. e leaf area of Korarima variety
signicantly aected to the rooting media as a whole, with recorded
the highest value 56.37 cm2 and lowest one recorded in 37.6 cm2 on
forest and ne sand soil respectively. Whereas, the number of leaf
signicantly responded to the frost soil was observed with highest
value of 23.83 and the lowest value was observed in sand soil 15.25
(Table 2).
Treatments Plant height (cm) Leaf length(cm) Tiller Number Leaf area (cm2) Number of leaf
FS 32.42d10.79c1.75 37.6c15.25b
ForS 45a14.25a3.58 56.37a23.83a
DCH 40.67bc12.56ab 3.65 49.75ab 19.25ab
FS+ForS 40.62bc12.42b3.62 43.33bc 20.89ab
Citation: Lupi A, Mitiku T, Temeteme S, Mekonen B, Yeziz B, et al. (2016) Influence of Rooting Media on Nursery Performance of Korarima
(Aframomum corrorima) in Southwest of Ethiopia. J Hortic 3: 174. doi:10.4172/2376-0354.1000174
Page 2 of 4
J Hortic
ISSN:2376-0354 Horticulture, an open access journal Volume 3 • Issue 1 • 1000174

FS+DCH 37.5c12.58ab 1.92 40.58c15.83b
ForS+DCH 41.09bc12.69ab 2.58 45.43bc 18.78ab
FS+ForS+DCH 42.17ab 13.03ab 3.67 45.57bc 21.75ab
LSD (0.05) 3.84 1.76 2.13 8.67 6.53
CV 5.4 7.91 40.36 10.71 18.96
** ** ns ** **
FS=Fine Sandy, ForS=Forest Soil, DCH=Decomposed Coffee Husk, FS+ForS=Mixture of Sandy Soil and Forest Soil, FS+DCH=Mixture of Sandy Soil and
Decomposed Coffee Husk, ForS+DCH=Forest Soil and Decomposed Coffee Husk
Table 2: Eects of rooting media performance on plant height, leaf length, tiller production, leaf areas and leaf number of Korarima.
Fresh and dry weight of shoot and root biomass
e fresh and dry weight of shoot biomass signicantly responded
to the dierent rooting media except the weight of fresh and dry root
biomass. e fresh and dry biomass of the root of Korarima non-
signicantly responded to the rooting media but the fresh and dry
biomass of the shoot signicantly responded to the frost soil rooting
media. e highest value was recorded for fresh and dry shoot biomass
59.83 g and 5.88 g on frost soil rooting media respectively, whereas the
lowest value was recorded on sand soil rooting media for fresh and dry
biomass (Table 3).
Root length, volume and root to shoot ratios
As shown in Table 3 the length and volume of the root of Korarima
signicantly aected by dierent rooting media. Mean values given in
Table 3 revealed that maximum seedling root length (35.08 cm) and
root volume (8.48 mm) was recorded for seeds sowing in decomposed
coee husk and forest soil respectively. e highest length of root
recorded due to the low bulk density of decomposed coee husk
allowed for greater root penetration resulted to formation of longer
roots. While minimum seedling root length and volume 26.95 cm and
6.75 mm at the mixture of decomposed coee husk and with forest soil
and sand soil respectively. e shoot to root ratio is used to evaluate
the drought avoidance potential of seedlings [13]. In this work the
shoot to root ratio was not signicantly aected by rooting media.
Treatment Root Fresh weight
(g)
Root Dry Weight
(g)
Shoot Fresh
weight(g)
Shoot Dry weight
(g)
Root length
(cm)
Root volume
(ml)
Shoot to root ratio
FS 6.08 0.92 25.42c2.54c32.16ab 6.75 0.5729a
ForS 6.83 1 59.83a5.88a30.58ab 8.48 0.117a
DCH 6.75 0.92 46.75ab 4.9ab 35.08a6.9 0.2022a
FS+ForS 8.6 1.08 48.67a5ab 30.9ab 8.03 0.1252a
FS+DCH 8.17 1 27.25bc 2.75c34.42a8.1 0.1142a
ForS+DCH 6.17 1 41.97abc 3.88bc 26.95 6.8 0.0992a
FS+ForS+DCH 7.58 1.04 49.5a4.75ab 32.25ab 7.9 0.1345a
LSD (0.05) 3.88 0.33 20.44 1.94 18.9 3.43 0.87
CV 30.41 19.21 26.86 25.67 12.21 25.77 20.912
ns ns ** ** ** ** ns
FS=Fine Sandy, ForS=Forest Soil, DCH=Decomposed Coffee Husk, FS+ForS=Mixture of Sandy Soil and Forest Soil, FS+DCH=Mixture of Sandy Soil and
Decomposed Coffee Husk, ForS+DCH=Forest Soil and Decomposed Coffee Husk
Table 3: Eects of rooting nursery growth media performance on root fresh and dry weight, shoot dry and fresh, root length and root volume of
Korarima.
Summary and Conclusion
Korarima mainly known to grown in southern, south-western and
western Ethiopia It is economically important species used as
traditional medicine and food preservative, to avor coee and bread,
as source of income from local and export markets and also for soil
conservation. e highest mean values of plant height, leaf length, leaf
Citation: Lupi A, Mitiku T, Temeteme S, Mekonen B, Yeziz B, et al. (2016) Influence of Rooting Media on Nursery Performance of Korarima
(Aframomum corrorima) in Southwest of Ethiopia. J Hortic 3: 174. doi:10.4172/2376-0354.1000174
Page 3 of 4
J Hortic
ISSN:2376-0354 Horticulture, an open access journal Volume 3 • Issue 1 • 1000174

area and leaf number of Korarima was recorded 45 cm, 14.25 cm, 56.37
cm2 and 23.83 respectively for seeds sown in frost soil. Whereas the
highest value was recorded for fresh and dry shoot biomass and root
volume 59.83 g, 5.88 g and 8.48 ml for the seed of Korarima sown on
forest soil respectively. But for the fresh and dry biomass of the root is
none signicantly responded to rooting growth media and for root
length due to its low bulk density and high volume the highest value
was recorded on decomposed coee husk (34.42 cm). According to the
results obtained it can be concluded that the best performance of
Korarima were found on rooting media at nursery forest soil are
advised to be used.
Acknowledgement
We would like to thank Teppi National Spice Research Center
(TNSRC) for the nancial support during research work and also Mr
Wondiferw Derib technical assistant of land and water resource
research process at TNSRC for his unreserved support on eld works
from pot preparation up to data collection. Finally we would like to
thank the publishers as well.
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Citation: Lupi A, Mitiku T, Temeteme S, Mekonen B, Yeziz B, et al. (2016) Influence of Rooting Media on Nursery Performance of Korarima
(Aframomum corrorima) in Southwest of Ethiopia. J Hortic 3: 174. doi:10.4172/2376-0354.1000174
Page 4 of 4
J Hortic
ISSN:2376-0354 Horticulture, an open access journal Volume 3 • Issue 1 • 1000174