Effect of nitrogen application on growth, yield, and shelf-life of onion (Allium Cepa L.) Varieties in Fedis district

Gebisa Bededa Benti

Abstract


Farmers in Fedis district cultivate onion from unknown seed sources and small bulb sizes, which lead to low bulb yield and short shelf life. The framers also apply different fertilizers in different rates. Considering these problems, a field experiment was conducted at the Fedis Agricultural Research Center, during the main cropping season of 2013/2014 to investigate effect of nitrogen application on growth, yield, and shelf life of onion varieties.  The results revealed that nitrogen rate significantly affected bolting percentage, bulb diameter (P<0.001) and leaf length and marketable bulb yield (P<0.05). There were significant (P<0.01) differences in bolting percentage, physiological maturity, mean bulb weight, total bulb yield, leaf length, leaf number, bulb neck diameter, bulb dry weight and marketable bulb yield. Significant interaction effects of nitrogen rate and variety were observed in shoot dry weight and TSS content of bulbs. Application of 200 kg N ha-1 decreased total soluble solids and reducing sugars by about 7 and 26%, respectively, as compared to control treatment. In general, application of 150 and 200 kg N ha-1 had no significant difference from 100 kg N ha-1for leaf length, physiological maturity, mean bulb weight, shoot dry weight, bulb dry weight, and marketable bulb yield due to the varietal differences. Similarly, application of 100 kg N ha-1 significantly reduced physiological weight loss, rotten and sprouted bulbs by about 4, 7 and 10 %, respectively, than application of 150 kg N ha-1; and by about 9, 9 and 10%, respectively, than the application of 200 kg N ha-1 at 90 days after storage periods. Bombay Red was found to be superior in performance under Fedis condition among the other tested varieties.In conclusion, application of 50 to 100 kg N ha-1 and using the variety Bombay Red resulted in maximum bulb yield and postharvest quality of the bulbs in the study area, implying that application of this rate of N fertilizer to this variety results in optimum bulb yield and quality in the study area.


Keywords


Adama Red, Bombay Red, interaction, Nasik Red, nitrogen, postharvest

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