Effect of different types of organic manures and mulching materials on growth, yield

and quality of carrot (Daucus carota L.) in Diguna Fango District, South Ethiopia

Author Name: Amanuel Kuma Majamo

Email: amanukuma27@gmail.com
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4787-0616
Affilation: Wolaita Sodo University, P.O. Box 138, Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia

Abstract
Carrot is a root vegetable crop belongs to Umbelliferea family. The management of
agronomic practices is an important factor that strongly affects the growth, yield and
quality of carrots. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of different
types of organic manure and mulching materials on the growth, yield and quality of
carrots in Diguna Fango District, southern Ethiopia. The study consisted of four organic
manures (control, 20 t PM ha-1, 20 t FYM ha-1 and 20 t mixed manure (10 t PM + 10 t
FYM) ha-1) and three types of mulching (no mulching, sawdust mulching and grass
mulching) laid in the RCBD, with four replications in a factorial arrangement. Analysis
was performed using the SAS software package. Root diameter, fresh weight, dry weight,
yield and total yield were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected by the interaction effect of
organic manure and mulching materials. Among the different combinations, 20 t of mixed
manure (10 t PM + 10 t FYM) with grass mulch ha-1 surpassed all the other combinations
in terms of maximum root length (22.45 cm), root diameter (6.60 cm), fresh weight
(179.25 g), dry weight (26.16 g), marketable root yield (27.90 t ha -1) and total root yield
(33.92 t ha-1) during the experimental year. Similarly, PM with grass mulching also
produced better results pertaining to carrot growth and yield. Based on these results, the
greatest net benefit (360,520 Birr ha -1) with an MRR of 3803% was obtained from the
treatment combination of 20 t FYM with grass mulching. Therefore, the use of 20 t FYM
with grass mulching could be recommended for carrot production in the study area. Since
this study is limited by the use of organic manure with mulching materials during one
season and at one location, the results should be repeated across seasons and locations.

Keywords: Cracking, Forking and Sawdust.

1
1. Introduction

Carrot (Daucus carota L.) is one of the most widely consumed, economically important,
nutritious and delicious root vegetables and belongs to the Umbelliferea family (Hossain,
2012). Domestic carrots originate from wild plants in Afghanistan (Iorizzo et al., 2013).
Worldwide, production has approached 44,762,859 tons of carrot and turnips on 1,137,738
hectares on a yearly basis, with an average yield of 37 t ha -1 (FAO-Stat, 2021). The
development of cultivars adapted for cultivation in both the summer and winter seasons on
all continents has allowed for the year-round availability of carrot products with relatively
stable prices to consumers (Semagn et al., 2008). The top three carrot-producing countries
in terms of production are China, Uzbekistan and the United States of America, with total
productions of 21,482,971, 2,769,613 and 2,259,000 tons, respectively (Eagri, 2022). The
three main carrot-producing countries in Africa are Algeria, Morocco, and Kenya, with
total production levels of 419,534, 412,219 and 329,025 tons, respectively (FAO-Stat,
2021). In Ethiopia, the total area under carrot production was approximately 4,135 ha,
16590.56 tons of which were produced in 2021, for an average yield of 6.5 t ha -1 (CSA,
2021). This showed that the production of carrots in Ethiopia is significantly under the
global average (37 t ha-1) (Eagri and FAO-Stat, 2022).
The primary research problem addressed in this study was the lack of comprehensive data
on the performance of carrot cultivation using organic manure with mulching in Diguna
Fango District. Consequently, farmers may be hesitant to shift from using inorganic
fertilizer to using organic fertilizer due to uncertainty about its efficacy and economic
viability. This study focused on data on carrot yield under organic manure with mulching;
however, further studies that include information on the soil before and after the
application of mulching, nutrient status before use, and weather conditions during the
experiment are important, and a lack of such information is considered a limitation of the
study.
Several studies have been conducted to determine the effects of organic manures on the
growth and yield of carrots, but studies on the effect of organic mulching practices with
organic nutrient supplementation on the growth and yield of carrots are rare. Therefore,
the present study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of organic manure on the mulched
and unmulched conditions of carrots.

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2. Materials and methods

Description of the Study Site

The experiment was conducted at Waraza Lasho Kebele of Diguna Fango Woreda,
Wolaita, Ethiopia, during the 2023 main cropping season from February to May. The
experimental site is located 431 km south of Addis Ababa at 6059’0" N latitude and
37059’0" E longitude with an elevation of 1800 m.a.s.l. The area receives annual rainfall
of 1500 mm, and the average minimum and maximum temperatures are 16°C and 25°C,
respectively (Diguna Fango Woreda Information Desk, 2016). The soil is sandy clay loam
in texture and slightly acidic, with a pH of 6.1 (Areka Agricultural Research Center soil
laboratory, 2023).

Fig.1 Study Area Map

Experimental Materials

The Nantes orange-colored carrot variety imported from the Netherlands and certified by
the EIRA was used as the planting material. Poultry manure, farmyard manure and mixed
poultry and farmyard manures were used as mineral sources. Grass and sawdust were used
as mulching materials for the study.

3
Experimental design and treatment combinations

The treatments consisted of four levels of organic manure (0, 20 t PM, 20 t FYM, and 20 t
mixed (10 t PM+10 t FYM) ha -1) and three mulching materials (no mulching, sawdust
mulching and grass mulching), for a total of 12 treatment combinations (Table 1). The
treatments were arranged in a 4×3 factorial combination in a randomized complete block
design (RCBD) with four replications.

Table 1. Treatment combinations

Treatments Treatment Combination
Organic manures Mulching
OM0 M0 Control
OM0 M1 Control x Sawdust mulching
OM0 M2 Control x Grass mulching
OM1 M0 20t PM
OM1 M1 20t PM with Sawdust mulching
OM1 M2 20t PM with Grass mulching
OM2 M0 20t FYM
OM2 M1 20t FYM with Sawdust mulching
OM2 M2 20t FYM with Grass mulching
OM3 M0 20t (10t FYM + 10t PM)
OM3 M1 20t (10t FYM + 10t PM) with Saw dust mulching
OM3 M2 20t (10t FYM + 10t PM) with Grass mulching
Note: OM0 = Control, OM1 = 20 t PM ha-1, OM2 = 20 t FYM 20 t ha-1, OM3 = 20 t Mixed
manure (10 t FYM + 10 t PM) ha-1, M0 = no mulching, M1 = sawdust mulching and M2 =
grass mulching.

Experimental Procedures

Organic manures and mulching materials were prepared near the study area from
December to February. By using the sealed pit method, FYM was prepared in the back
yard of a model farmer who has a cattle farm in the study area through the anaerobic
decomposition of farm wastes (dung, urine and litter) in underground pits by sealing the
surface of the pit with dung slurry for three months, and poultry manure was purchased
from egg and meat poultry entrepreneurs.
The plants in the experimental field were plowed with oxen to a fine tilth four times, and
the blocks were leveled. According to the design, a field layout was established, and each
treatment was assigned randomly to the experimental units within a block. A total of 48

4
experimental plots were laid out as indicated above, with 0.2 m×0.1 m spacing between
rows and plants. The spaces between the plot and the block were 0.5 m and 0.8 m,
respectively. The total experimental area was 29.5 m in length and 8.8 m in width (259.6
m2). The seeds were sown at a depth of 1.5 cm within a plot with a length of 2 m, width of
1.6 m and plot area of 3.2 m2 in rows according to the treatment. In the experimental plot
with five rows, the seeds were sown on February 19th, 2023, to prepare holes. The organic
manures were applied one month before the sowing date to allow for the requirement of
substantial time for mineralization of manures and mulching applied after sowing. Two
thinnings were performed to maintain the optimum plant population. The first thinning
was performed 30 days after sowing, and the second thinning was performed 10 days after
the first thinning. Earthling of the plants was performed twice, at 30 and 60 DAS, to
protect them from direct sunlight, which could cause undesirable green coloration.
Cultural practices were applied uniformly to all the plots throughout the growing period.
Continuous weeding by hand pulling was performed to ensure clean fields. Harvesting was
performed on May 26th, 2023, when the leaves began to log down.

Data collection and measurement

Growth Parameters

Plant height (cm): Plant height was measured using a meter ruler from the soil surface to
the tip of the longest leaf of ten randomly selected plants growing in middle rows (net plot
area) at 30, 60 and 90 DAS, and the mean values were computed.
Number of leaves per plant: The number of leaves was counted for ten randomly
selected plants grown in the net plot area at 30, 60 and 90 DAS, and the mean values per
plant were computed.
Leaf length (cm): Leaf length was measured using a meter ruler from the point of
emergence to the tip of the leaf for ten randomly selected plants at 30, 60 and 90 DAS and
is expressed as the mean value in centimeters (cm).

Yield Parameters

Root length (cm): The length of the roots was measured using a meter ruler for ten
randomly selected plants from the net plot at harvest from the base of the root to the top of
the root, and the mean values were computed.

5
Root diameter (cm): The size of the roots was measured using a side caliper for ten
randomly selected plants from the net plot area and divided by the number of sampled
plants to obtain the mean values, which were subsequently computed.
Marketable root yield (t ha-1): Roots that were free from mechanical damage, disease
and insect pest damage; uniform in color; and medium to large in size were considered
marketable. The yield was determined as the weight of the healthy and saleable yield of
ten sample plants from central rows, avoiding border effects, and by converting this yield
to tons per hectare, the data were used for further analysis.
Unmarketable root yield (t ha-1): Roots that were cracked, hairy, misshaped, decayed,
discolored, diseased or physiologically disordered were considered unmarketable. The
weights of the roots obtained from the net plot area of each plot were measured in
kilograms using a scaled balance and are expressed in tons per hectare.
Total yield (t ha-1): Summations of the marketable and unmarketable root yields from the
net plot area were recorded.
Dry weight of the roots
Dry matter content of the roots (%) = ------------------------ x 100
Fresh weight of the roots

Quality Parameters
Number of forked roots
Forked root (%) = ---------------- ------------- x 100
Number of total roots
Number of cracked roots
Cracked root (%) = ------------ ------------------x100
Number of total roots

Total soluble solids (TSS): The total soluble solids of all the roots of five randomly
selected plants from the net plot were chopped, and the total soluble solids (TSS) were
tested in the Wolaita Sodo University Horticulture Department Laboratory by placing
three drops of transparent juice on a prism refract meter. Before being utilized for
subsequent readings, the refractometer prism was dried with tissue paper and cleaned with
distilled water between samples. The refractometer was calibrated at 0.0°C using distilled
water, readings were observed on a scale, and averages were expressed in °Brix.

6
Statistical analysis

The data were subjected to ANOVA using the statistical analysis software (SAS) version
9.3 (SAS, 2014). The least significant difference (LSD 0.05) test was used for mean
separation when the analyses of variance indicated the presence of a significant difference.

3. Results and discussion

Soil physicochemical properties at the experimental site

Table 2. Physicochemical characteristics of the experimental soil before planting

Soil properties Values Rating
pH 6.1 Slightly acidic
Organic carbon (%) 2.7 Low
Available phosphorus (ppm) 11.4 Medium
Total nitrogen (%) 0.15 Moderate
Available sulfur (ppm) 12.05 Medium
Total boron (%) 0.47 Low
CEC (cmol)(+)(kg) 23.5 Medium
Calcium (meq/100 g) 12.1 Medium
Magnesium (meq/100 g) 2.2 Medium
Sodium (meq/100 g) 0.36 Low
Potassium (meq/100 g) 0.83 Low
Particle size distribution
Sand (%) 61 High
Silt (%) 65 High
Clay (%) 32 Medium
Textural class Sandy clay loam

Physicochemical properties of the organic manures

Table 3. Physicochemical properties of organic manures before incorporation into the soil
OM properties PM FYM PM+FYM
Ph 6.86 9.2 8.76
OC (%) 8.6 3.4 7.4

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 TN (%) 0.89 0.22 0.54
P (ppm) 17.6 13.4 16.2
K (meq/100 g) 1.67 4.8 4.2
Areka Agricultural Research Center Soil Laboratory, 2023

Growth Components of Carrot

Plant height (cm): According to the data in Table 4, the mean plant height varied in
relation to the growth period, and the application of 20 t of mixed manure significantly
increased the plant height. The application of mixed manure resulted in a significantly
greater mean height at all growth phases (30, 60 and 90 DAS), except at 90 DAS, which
was significantly greater than that at 20 t PM and 20 t mixed manure. At 30 DAS, the
maximum (25.68 cm) mean plant height was recorded in the 20 t mixed manure treatment,
while the minimum (19.30 cm) height was recorded in the control treatment.
The results showed that the plants treated with organic manure had taller plant heights
than did the control plants. The increase in vegetative growth might be due to the role of
nitrogen in promoting vegetative growth, enhancing cell division and elongation, and
enhancing chlorophyll synthesis. Phosphorus is easily mobilized in plants and translocated
to the meristematic zone, increasing leaf formation and development in carrots, and
potassium activates many enzymes involved in respiration and photosynthesis. FYM and
PM improved the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil, which promoted
better nutrient absorption and utilization by plants, resulting in improved plant growth.
The application of organic manure likely improved the uptake of nutrients by plants
(Shweta et al., 2017). The findings of the current study support this argument.
The data in Table 4 demonstrates that the mean height of the plants in the mulching
treatments varied in relation to the growth period; grass mulching had the tallest (23.88
cm) mean height, while the no mulching treatment had the shortest (15.81 cm) mean
height at 30 DAS. The longest (39.76 cm) mean plant height was recorded at the peak
growth stage at 60 DAS in the grass mulch treatment, while the shortest (28.11 cm) height
was recorded in the no mulching treatment. The highest (59.58 cm) mean plant height at
harvest was recorded in response to the application of grass mulch, while the shortest
height was from the control (46.66 cm), which was significantly inferior to that in
response to saw dust mulch but similar to that in response to the other treatments. The
increase in plant height due to mulching might be attributed to the favorable soil moisture
and temperature conditions needed for proper plant growth.
8
Number of Leaves per Plant: The data in Table 4 demonstrates that the application of 20
t of mixed manure resulted in a significantly greater mean leaf number at all growth stages
(30, 60 and 90 DAS), except for the results obtained with the application of 20 t of PM
and 20 t of FYM at 60 and 90 DAS. The maximum number of leaves per plant was
recorded (17.31) from the 20 t mixed manure treatment at 90 DAS, while the minimum
number of leaves per plant was 5.03 from the control. This might be because mixed
manure enhances soil fertility by increasing soil porosity, aeration, moisture holding
capacity, and available plant nutrients; by acting as complex fertilizer granules; and by
accelerating nitrogen mineralization, which in turn improves plant canopy growth.
The study showed that, the highest number of leaves per plant was recorded in the grass
mulch treatment group at 30, 60 and 90 DAS. On the other hand, the lowest leaf number
was recorded in the treatment without mulch at 30 DAS. The increased number of leaves
with different mulch types might be attributed to the supply of moisture, which possibly
accelerated cell division and elongation, leading to the production of more leaves, leaf
development and an increased number of leaves. Jaysawal et al. (2018) reported that grass
mulch treatment was the best among the various mulch treatments and recorded a
maximum (16.82) number of leaves per plant of carrot.

Leaf length (cm): According to the data in Table 4, the mean leaf length varied in relation
to the growth period, and the application of organic manure significantly increased the leaf
length. The application of 20 t of mixed manure significantly improved the mean leaf
length at all growth stages (30, 60 and 90 DAS), but the values were significantly similar
to those obtained with the application of 20 t of poultry manure at 60 and 90 DAS. The
maximum leaf length (58.15 cm) was recorded for the 20 t mixed manure treatment at 90
DAS, while the minimum leaf length per plant was 12.46 cm for the control treatment at
30 DAS (Table 4). This might be because FYM + PM enhanced the nutrient content of the
soil, providing a balanced supply of essential elements required for carrot plants to thrive.
These manures contain a wide range of macronutrients, such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus
(P), and potassium (K), as well as micronutrients such as calcium, magnesium, and iron.
The gradual release of nutrients from organic manure ensures a sustained and steady
supply, preventing nutrient deficiencies and promoting optimum plant growth (Shah et al.,
2015).
Leaf length differed significantly due to the different mulch applications. The greatest leaf
length was recorded in the grass mulch treatment (42.67 cm) at 90 DAS, while the lowest

9
 leaf length was recorded in the control treatment (9.17 cm) at 30 DAS. The use of
mulching in crops not only increases growth but also plays a vital role in soil moisture
conservation by creating a physical barrier between the soil and the environment.
Moreover, these methods are helpful for weed control, water and soil conservation and for
boosting the production and quality of crops. This result is in accordance with the findings
of (Austin and Harley, 2013).

Table 4. Main effects of different types of organic manure and mulching materials on the
plant height (PH), number of leaves (LN), and leaf length (LL) of carrots at different
growth stages (30, 60 and 90 DAS).
PH (cm) LN LL (cm)

Organics 30 DAS 60 DAS 90 DAS 30 DAS 60 DAS 90 DAS 30 DAS 60 DAS 90 DAS

OM0 19.30dc 23.69c 30.75d 5.03c 9.52c 11.71c 12.46d 17.31d 21.58d

OM1 24.05ab 44.02ab 67.11ab 5.90b 12.67b 14.93b 23.40b 43.38b 47.03b

OM2 20.18b 32.87b 57.44c 5.52bc 12.24b 14.89b 19.42c 36.32c 36.93c

OM3 25.68a 46.00a 68.42a 6.80a 15.07a 17.31a 27.08a 46.00a 58.42a

LSD0.05 2.76 3.34 4.37 0.71 0.77 3.51 1.71 1.57 3.51

Mulching 30 DAS 60 DAS 90 DAS 30 DAS 60 DAS 90 DAS 30 DAS 60 DAS 90 DAS

M0 15.81c 28.11c 46.66c 5.11b 11.39b 13.66b 9.17b 14.32c 19.67c

M1 19.65b 34.56b 54.04b 5.75ab 12.64ab 15.0ab 20.62a 36.01b 40.88b

M2 23.88a 39.76a 59.58a 6.08a 13.09a 15.46a 21.38a 37.11a 42.67a

CV (%) 6.80 11.79 9.86 14.90 5.30 5.17 12.19 5.30 16.22

LSD0.05 2.39 2.89 3.79 0.64 1.36 0.54 1.80 1.36 3.77

The means followed by the same letters in the column are not significantly different at the
5% level: OM0 = no organic manure, OM1 = 20 t PM, OM2 = 20 t FYM, OM3 = 20 t Mixed
(10 t PM + 10 t FYM) manure, M0 = no mulch, M1 = sawdust dust mulch, M2 = grass
mulch, CV (%) = coefficient of variation, and LSD0.05 = least significant difference at the
5% level.

Yield and yield-related components

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Root length (cm): The longest root length (22.45 cm) was recorded in the 20 t mixed
manure treatment, while the shortest root length (13.16 cm) was recorded in the control
treatment (Table 5). The length of carrot roots depends on the physical characteristics of
the soil. The highest root length in OM 3 might be due to the positive effects of FYM and
PM on the physical characteristics of the soil. These findings are consistent with those of
Ahamed et al. (2014), who reported that the maximum root length (21.0 cm) from half PM
+ half FYM varied with the type of manure applied (FYM, PM or leaf manure). These
findings agree with those of Michael et al. (2012), who reported that organic manure (PM
and FYM) improves the soil structure and maintains uniform soil moisture and nutrient
levels, which allows carrots to extend their root length to deeper soil layers.
Root length differed significantly due to the different mulch applications. The maximum
root length (21.15 cm) was recorded in the M2 (grass) mulch treatment, which was
significantly different from that in the other treatments. The minimum root length (13.16
cm) was found in M0 (no mulch) (Table 5). A favorable soil‒water–plant relationship is
created by placing mulch over the soil surface. The microclimate surrounding plants and
soil is significantly affected by mulch, i.e., the thermodynamic environment, moisture,
erosion, physical soil structure, incidence of pests and diseases, crop growth and yield.
Arfan (2013) revealed that different types of organic mulch generated higher soil
temperature and soil moisture under mulch than did the control. The results obtained in
this study clearly indicated that carrots responded well to organic manures and organic
mulching materials.

Table 5. Main effects of different types of organic manure and mulching materials on root
length (cm)
Organic manure Root length (cm)

OM0 13.16d
OM1 21.35b
OM2 19.13c
OM3 22.45a
LSD0.05 1.22
Mulching Root length (cm)
M0 13.16b
M1 19.13b
M2 21.15a
CV (%) 6.29 11

LSD0.05 1.60
The means followed by the same letters in the columns are not significantly different at the
5% level: OM0 = no organic manure, OM1 = 20 t PM, OM2 = 20 t FYM, OM3 = 20 t mixed
(10 t PM + 10 t FYM) manure, M0 = no mulch, M1 = sawdust mulch, M2 = grass mulch,
CV (%) = coefficient of variation, and LSD0.05 = least significant difference at the 5%
level.

Root diameter (cm): According to the data in Table 4, the maximum diameter of the roots
(6.60 cm) was recorded from the 20 t of mixed manure with sawdust mulch applied ha-1,
which was significantly different than that of the other organic manure treatments. On the
other hand, the minimum root diameter (2.47 cm) was observed in the treatment in which
no organic manure was applied with grass mulch. In the present study, the difference in
root size might be due to increased microbial activity in the root zone because of the
adequate moisture availability and optimum temperature combined with the stabilized soil
pH, which decomposed organic manure and fixed unavailable forms of mineral nutrients
into available forms in the soil, thereby substantiating crop requirements, improving the
organic carbon level and stabilizing soil reactions. These findings are also in accordance
with those of Jeptoo et al. (2012), who reported that different combinations of organic
manures significantly affect the diameter and size of carrot roots. The minimum size of the
carrot roots was observed in the control treatment compared with all the other treatments.
In general, the combination of PM and FYM with sawdust mulch produced significantly
greater growth and yield characteristics in crops during the whole growing season. The
increase in root diameter due to organic manure with mulching might be attributed to
favorable soil fertility, favorable soil moisture and favorable soil temperature conditions
for proper plant growth (Deepak et al., 2020).

Marketable yield (t ha-1): The maximum marketable root yield (27.90 t ha-1) was
obtained from the treatment in which 20 t of mixed manure was combined with grass
mulch ha-1, which was significantly different from that of the other treatments; in contrast,
the minimum marketable yield (8.21 t ha-1) was recorded from the control treatment (Table
6). This difference might be due to the steady and readily available nutrients to the crops
being present in greater quantities than during the slow release of organic manure. In the
case of manures, substantial time is required for the plant to release available nutrients.

12
The sole application of manures through FYM and/or PM or their combination had a
lower yield than the combination of manures with mulching. The improvement in yield
attributed to FYM + PM with grass mulch might be due to improved soil moisture holding
capacity, soil moisture, and soil temperature; adequate availability of major nutrients and
micronutrients due to favorable soil conditions; and an increase in the rate of
photosynthesis, which further increases vegetative growth and yield by providing
additional sites for the translocation of photosynthesis. These results are in accordance
with the findings of (Kumar, 2013; Rani et al., 2016; Kumawat et al., 2018; Kushwah et
al., 2019).

Total root yield (t ha-1): According to the data in Table 6, the maximum total root yield
(33.92 t ha-1) was obtained from the treatment in which 20 t of mixed manure was
combined with grass mulch ha-1, which was significantly different from that of the other
treatments, whereas the minimum yield (10.56 t ha-1) was recorded from the control
treatment. The yield of mixed poultry and farmyard manure combined with grass
mulching surpassed that of all the other treatments by enhancing the root yield, followed
by poultry manure. This difference might be due to the greater quantity of nutrients being
steadily available than they were from other organic sources. The addition of organic
manure by mulching improved the soil structure, increased its water holding capacity and
facilitated aeration in the soil. Sugarcane also helps in the gradual release of nutrients into
the soil, which makes it an ideal input for good carrot crop growth. The ability of (FYM +
PM) to significantly influence growth and yield may be because it supplies nitrogen and
phosphorous, as reported by (Austin et al., 2013), and because of its ability to improve the
physio-chemical properties of soils (FAO, 2023), resulting in improved soil conditions and
better nutrient availability.

Table 6. Effects of different types of organic manure and mulching materials on the root
diameter (RD), fresh weight (FW), dry weight (DW), marketable yield (MY) and total root
yield (TY) of carrots at the harvest stage.
Treatments RD FW DW MY TY
OM0M0 2.75g 44.32g 5.82g 8.21e 10.56h

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 OM0M1 3.04f 50.25g 6.90g 8.74e 11.36g
OM0M2 2.47g 51.64f 7.29f 8.73e 11.56g
OM1M0 4.85d 122.51d 17.01de 21.09d 25.74e
OM1M1 5.24c 139.75c 19.72c 22.42d 27.46d
OM1M2 5.38f 145.59c 21.28b 25.89bc 30.96c
OM2M0 4.20e 110.53e 16.02e 20.56d 23.93f
OM2M1 4.35e 123.01d 17.16de 20.94d 24.39ef
OM2M2 4.17e 128.44d 17.79d 24.65c 28.35d
OM3M0 6.32ab 172.97b 24.28abc 27.09ab 32.17ab
OM3M1 6.60a 176.81ab 25.77ab 27.20ab 32.98ab
OM3M2 6.08b 179.25a 26.16a 27.90a 33.92a
CV (%) 5.67 3.54 4.75 6.71 4.60
LSD0.05 1.36 2.93 1.17 1.13 1.61
The means followed by the same letters in the columns are not significantly different at the
5% level: OM0 = no organic manure, OM1 = 20 t PM, OM2 = 20 t FYM, OM3 = 20 t mixed
(10 t PM + 10 t FYM) manure, M0 = no mulch, M1 = sawdust mulch, M2 = grass mulch,
CV (%) = coefficient of variation, and LSD0.05 = least significant difference at the 5%
level.

Unmarketable yield (t ha-1): The maximum unmarketable root yield (5.83 t ha-1) was
recorded from the 20 t mixed manure treatment, while the minimum unmarketable root
yield (2.60 t ha-1) was recorded from the control (Table 7). This difference might be
caused by a range of factors, including attack by insects, diseases or nematodes;
mechanical damage from deep and/or too close cultivation; physical obstructions; poor
soil conditions; or excessively close plant density.

Root dry matter (%): The maximum amount of root dry matter (14.59%) was recorded
in the 20 t of mixed manure/ha treatment, while the minimum amount of root dry matter
(13.65%) was obtained in the control treatment (Table 7). This might be because FYM +
PM contributed to the improvement of the soil structure, particularly in terms of its water-
holding capacity and drainage. They help to increase the soil’s ability to retain moisture,
prevent waterlogging and reduce the risk of root rot.
Additionally, FYM and poultry manure enhance soil aeration, promoting the development
of a healthy root system and facilitating nutrient uptake by carrot plants. These results are
supported by the findings of Anna et al. (2013), who reported variations in macro- and
14
micronutrients among organic manures and industrial and municipal wastes and their
effects on the growth and yield of crops. In line with the findings of Atikur et al. (2018),
root dry matter percentages were greater in plants treated with higher doses of potassium
along with mulching.

Table 7. Main effect of organic manure and mulching on the unmarketable yield (t ha-1)
and root dry matter content (%) of carrot plants.
Organic manure Unmarketable yield (t ha-1) Root dry Matter (%)

OM0 2.60d 13.65c

OM1 4.92b 14.20b
OM2 3.52c 14.10b
OM3 5.83a 14.59a
CV (%) 6.29 3.02
LSD0.05 0.83 0.44
The means followed by the same letters in the column are not significantly different at the
5% level; OM0 = no organic manure, OM1 = 20 t PM, OM2 = 20 t FYM, OM3 = 20 t Mixed
(10 t PM + 10 t FYM) manure, CV (%) = coefficient of variation, LSD0.05 = least
significant difference at the 5% level.

Quality Components

To evaluate the quality of the carrots, the following parameters were measured: the
percentage of forked roots, percentage of cracked roots and total soluble solids (Table 8).

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Percentage of forked roots (%): According to the data in Table 8, the percentage of
forked roots was significantly influenced by the application of different concentrations of
organic manure. The maximum percentage of forked roots (4.45%) was recorded in the
control treatment, which was significantly different than that in the other organic manure
treatments. On the other hand, the lowest percentage of forked roots (1.35%) was observed
in the 20 t mixed manure/ha treatment (Table 8). Interestingly, the percentage of forked
roots varied significantly between amendments, suggesting that nonbiotic factors may
contribute to the development of this disorder. In the present study, plants that received
manure presented lower percentages of branched roots than did the control plants. The
high nitrogen content in the organic manure and organic mulch might have contributed to
the low percentage of forked roots. These findings are in line with those of Greene and
Fritz (2007), who reported that forking in carrots is promoted by factors such as poor soil
structure (compacted heavy clay soil), the application of fresh manure, the application of
excess nitrogen and improper irrigation management.

Percentage of cracked roots (%): The percentage of cracked roots was affected by organic
manure. For amendments, the effect of the 20 t poultry manure treatment (3.73%) was
greatest in both periods, followed by that of the 20 t mixed manure treatment, 20 t FYM
treatment and control treatment, which were also significantly greater than those of all the
other treatments (Table 8). The control treatment had the lowest percentage of cracked
roots (1.35%). The increasing trend of the cracking percentage of roots with increasing
root size per plant might be due to the larger roots that occurred among the mulching and
organic manure-treated plants. These plants supplied low amounts of nutrients, and moist
plants produced thinner roots with minimum diameters, which might have contributed to
their resistance to cracking. The mulched and amended roots had enough room to expand,
reaching the limit of internal turgor pressure and resulting in cracking (Mehwish et al.,
2016).
Total soluble solids (0Brix): According to the data in Table 8, the highest total soluble
solid concentration (10.56 °Brix) was obtained for the carrots planted in the plots that
received the 20 t FYM ha-1 treatment, while the lowest TSS concentration (6.56 0Brix) was
obtained for the carrots in the control treatment. The TSS content significantly increased
with different organic manures because the organic manures, particularly FYM, FYM +
PM and PM, contain fair amounts of micronutrients, especially ferrous or iron. It is an
essential constituent of many respiratory enzymes, such as catalase and cytochrome A, B

16
and C, and is involved in the respiratory process of the cell system. Through respiration in
the plant system, reserve food materials are converted to simple soluble components that
can be utilized for growth or maintenance. These findings are in good accordance with the
results of Kumar (2013) and Umuhoza et al. (2014).

Table 8. Main effects of organic manure and mulching on the quality of carrot components
Organic manure Percentage of Percentage of TSS (0Brix)
Forked roots (%) cracked roots (%)
OM0 4.45d 1.35c 6.56d
OM1 2.34b 3.73a 7.23c
OM2 2.12c 1.66bc 10.56a
OM3 1.35a 2.95b 8.75b
CV (%) 6.29 5.67 8.97
LSD0.05 1.22 2.67 0.71
Mulching Percentage of
Forked roots (%)
M0 4.34a
M1 2.12b
M2 1.35c
LSD0.05 1.60

The means followed by the same letters in the column are not significantly different at the
5% level: OM0 = no organic manure, OM1 = 20 t PM, OM2 = 20 t FYM, OM3 = 20 t Mixed
(10 t PM + 10 t FYM) manure, M0 = no mulch, M1 = sawdust dust mulch, M2 = grass
mulch, CV (%) = coefficient of variation, and LSD0.05 = least significant difference at the
5% level.

4. Conclusion and recommendation

The effect of organic manure and mulching levels on the performance of carrots suggested
that organic manure and mulching materials significantly enhanced the growth and yield
attributes of carrot production. The study revealed that the interaction between organic
manure and mulching material significantly affected the root diameter, fresh weight, dry
weight, marketable yield and total yield. In this study, the highest marketable root yield
(27.90 t ha-1) was achieved using the combination of 20 t of mixed manure with grass
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mulch (10 t PM+10 t FYM with grass mulch), for which the yield increased by 656%
compared to the lowest marketable yield (8.21 t ha -1), which was obtained from the
control. Therefore, the use of 20 t FYM with grass mulch ha-1 application with greater net
return could be suggested for carrot production in the study area. It may be concluded that
20 t of FYM ha-1 can be used as organic manure and grass mulch material, and the
combination of 20 t of FYM with grass mulch ha-1 can be used to increase the growth and
yield of carrots. Further studies can be performed with additional levels of organic manure
and different mulching materials.

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