January 2016 Vol. 4 No.1

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Inoti S
Dodson R

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Original Research Article

Effect of some Agricultural Practices on Field Performance of Jojoba (Simmondsia Chinensis L.) Seedlings in Semi-Arid Areas of Voi, Kenya

Shadrack Inoti^1*, Lulther Lulandala², Shabani Chamshama², Wilson Thagana³ and Rob Dodson⁴

¹Department of Natural Resources, Egerton University, Box 536-20115, Egerton, Kenya
²Department of Forest Biology, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Box 3010, Morogoro, Tanzania
³Department of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kenyatta University, Box 43844, Nairobi, Kenya
⁴Wildlife Works Ltd, Box 593, Maungu, Voi, Kenya

*Corresponding Author's E-mail: inotikinyua@ yahoo.com

Accepted December 21, 2015

Abstract

Low Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis L.) seed production is partly due to inappropriate management practices. An experiment was conducted to select the best agricultural practices of Jojoba seedlings in semi-arid areas. The experiment was a randomized complete block design carried out for 10 months in 2013. Data was collected on survival %, plant height, root collar diameter, number of leaves and number of shoots. The results showed that a combination of manure, irrigation and micro catchment was the best agricultural practice since it gave significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) root collar diameter (17.1 mm) compared with the micro catchment (12.2 mm) alone which was the least. Similarly, micro catchment and irrigation combination showed the highest growth in height (86.4 cm) compared with the control (61.5 cm). The most ideal agricultural practice for field planted seedlings is a combination of manure, irrigation and micro catchment as opposed to single agricultural practices. This study recommends application of manure and supplemental watering during the early stages of Jojoba field establishment for improved growth.

Keywords: Agricultural practices, Jojoba seedlings, semi-arid areas