Effect of Organic and Inorganic Phosphorous on Growth of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.)

To investigate the performance of organic and inorganic phosphorous on growth of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.), an experiment was carried out at Newly Developmental Farm (NDF), Horticulture Section, the university of Agriculture Peshawar, Pakistan, during 2012. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with split plot arrangement and replicated three times. The chemical fertilizer Single Super Phosphate (SSP) was used as inorganic source of phosphorus, while Organic Phosphate (OP) from organic product produced by Niha corporation containing 20% organic mineralized P2O5, was used as the source of organic phosphorous. Both the sources of fertilizer were applied at the rate of 10, 20, 30 40 and 50 kg · hm−2 and control. The statistical analysis of data revealed that both the sources and levels of phosphorus significantly affected most of the growth parameters of Roselle except germination percentage and survival percentage. Plant height (112.09 cm), numbers of leave plant−1 (177.87), numbers of branch plant−1 (4.08), leaf areas (126.60 cm2), days to flowering (142.83), fresh flower weight (2.56 g), fresh calyx weight (1.70 g), dry calyx weight (0.43 g), numbers of calyces (94.10), numbers of root plant−1 (11.03), root length (22.67 cm) and root weight (27.50 g) were observed in plants fertilized with organic source of phosphorous. Phosphorous levels significantly affected all of the parameters except germination percentage and survival percentage. The maximum plant height (124.39 cm), numbers of branches (5.32), numbers of leave plant−1 (204.89), leaf areas (148.14 cm2), fresh flower weight (3.32 g), fresh calyx weight (2.04 g), dry calyx weight (0.51 g), numbers of calyces (105.30), numbers of root plant−1 (12.78), root length (24.50 cm) and root weight (29.94 g) were observed in plants fertilized with 40 kg · hm−2 phosphorous and the maximum numbers of days to flowering (148.17) were observed in the control plants. It was concluded from the experimental results that organic phosphorous at the rate 40 kg · hm−2 would be used for better production of Roselle under agro-climatic condition of Peshawar.