Investigating the Effect of Some Agricultural Practices on Field Performance of Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis L.) Seedlings in Semi-Arid Areas of Voi, Kenya

Abstract

Inappropriate management procedures are partly responsible for low Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis L.) seed yield. Jojoba is the sole species of the family Simmondsiaceae and is a native shrub of Sonoran desert of Arizona, Southern California and North Western Mexico.  In semi-arid locations, an experiment was done to determine the optimum farming procedures for Jojoba seedlings. The study had a randomised complete block design that lasted ten months in 2013. The percentage of plants that survived, the height of the plants, the diameter of the root collar, the number of leaves, and the number of shoots were all recorded. The findings demonstrate that combining manure, irrigation, and micro catchment was the best agricultural strategy, as it resulted in a considerably higher (p \(\le\) 0.05)  root collar diameter (17.1 mm) than micro catchment (12.2 mm) alone, which was the least effective. Similarly, as compared to the control(61.5 cm), the micro catchment and irrigation combination produced the maximum height growth(86.4 cm). In comparison to single agricultural activities, a combination of manure, irrigation, and micro catchment is the most optimal agricultural practise for field planted seedlings. For optimal growth, this study suggests applying manure and supplementary watering during the early stages of establishing a Jojoba field.