Abstract:
Shallot (Allium ascalonicum L.) is an important horticultural crop in Ethiopia, valued for its
economic and culinary versatility. However, its productivity remains low due to inadequate
agronomic practices, particularly improper nitrogen fertilizer rate and intra-row spacing. A
field experiment at Debark district was conducted during the 2024 main season to evaluate the
effects of nitrogen fertilizer rates (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg ha⁻¹) and intra-row spacing (5,
10, and 15 cm) on the growth, yield, and yield components of shallot. The experiment was laid
out in 4x3 factorial arrangement using Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three
replications using R software. The results indicated that nitrogen fertilizer had a highly
significant (P <0.001) influence on plant height, bulb diameter, bulb weight, and marketable
yield. The highest marketable and total bulb yield of 32.22 and 33.77 t ha⁻¹ were obtained at a
nitrogen application rate of 150 kg ha⁻¹, respectively representing to a 32.45% increase
compared to the control treatment. Similarly, a wider intra-row spacing of 15 cm significantly
improved a bulb diameter (5.01 cm), bulb weight (48.81 g), and dry matter content (8.64%)
compared to narrower spacing of 5 cm. The interaction of 150 kg ha⁻¹ with 15 cm intra-row
spacing produced the highest total bulb yield (38.62 t ha⁻¹), while the lowest bulb yield (16.71 t
ha⁻¹) was recorded under the control treatment (0 kg ha-1) combined with 10 cm spacing. The
partial budget analysis identified the combination of 150 kg ha⁻¹ with 15 cm intra-row spacing
as the most economically viable treatment, providing the highest net benefit of 776,950 ETB
ha⁻¹ with a MRR of 3147%. To enhance yield and maximize profit, it is recommended that
farmers in the study areas use nitrogen application rate of 150 kg ha⁻¹ in combination with
intra-row spacing of 15 cm. However, is advised to repeat the experiment and future research
should explore various fertilizer combinations, including organic and inorganic blends, and
their interactions with different intra-row and inter-row spacing strategies.