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Yield and Storability of Onion (allium Cepa L.) as Affected by Varying Levels of Irrigation

S.K. BISWAS
Senior Scientific Officer,
Irrigation and Water Management Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Joybebpur, Gazipur

A. KHAIR
Professor,
Dept. of Irrigation and Water Management, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh

P.K. SARKER
Principal Scientific Officer
Irrigation and Water Management Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Joybebpur, Gazipur

M.S. ALOM
Senior Scientific Officer,
Agronomy Division, RARS, BARI, Jessore

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

levels of irrigation viz., no irrigation, irrigation at 10, 15, 20, and 30 days interval. Yield and storage losses were increased gradually with increasing number of irrigation. The highest yield of onion was obtained with a total of six irrigation at 10 days interval and it was at par with treatment that received four irrigation at 15 days intervals. Losses due to rotting, sprouting, and physiological weight loss were found higher in irrigated treatments. After six months of storage (from 1st week of April to 1st week of October), the maximum cumulative weight loss (56.72%) was recorded in onions irrigated at 10 days interval, while the minimum (46.80%) was recorded in non-irrigated onions.

Keywords: Storability, onion bulb, irrigation, storage losses.

Location: RARS, Jessore

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Postharvest and Agro-processing

Commodity: Onion

Objectives:

The study was, therefore, undertaken with a view to finding out the effect of irrigation on yield and storability of onion.

Methodology:

The experiment was conducted at the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Jessore during the rabi season of 2003-2004. The soil of the experimental field was silty clay loam in texture having field capacity of 27.5 percent by weight and bulk density, 1.48 g/cc. The treatment consisted of five irrigation levels viz., no irrigation (I₁). irrigation at 10 (I₂), 15 (I₃), 20 (I₄), and 30 (I₅) days intervals. The experiment was laid out in a complete randomized block design with three replications. The unit plot size was 3 m x 2 m. The seedlings of onion were transplanted at 10 cm spacing in rows 20 cm apart on 30 December 2003. Fertilizer application rates were N₁₂₀P₁₀₀K₇₅S₃₀ kg/ha. One-third of N in the form of urea and full doses of P, K, and S in the form of triple super phosphate (TSP), muriate of potash (MP), and zypsum, respectively, were applied at the final land preparation. The remaining two-thirds of N were top-dressed in two equal splits at 25 and 50 days after planting (DAP). Soil moisture was monitored before irrigation by gravimetric method. Amount of irrigation water needed to bring the soil moisture to field capacity was calculated as per the formula below (Michael, 1978) and hence applied as per treatment. The crop was harvested on 31 March 2004 when about 75-80% of the plants became matured. After harvest, bulbs were kept under a shade for 7 days for curing. Then, for storage studies, 15 kg bulbs from each treatment were taken, divided into 3 equal splits, each representing a replicate and stored on rack at room temperature for 180 days. The observations were done for sprouting, rotting, and total weight loss at 15 days intervals. The rotten bulbs from each treatment were sorted out at the time of recording the data. The temperature and relative humidity of the storage room were also recorded. The collected data on various parameters were statistically analyzed.

Source of Information: ISSN 0258-7122 Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 35(2) : 247-255, June 2010

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Irrigation, both at 10 and 15 days interval, gave the maximum yields which were identical with each other. The storage losses of onion were found to increase gradually with increasing number of irrigation, but the increase in bulb yield was found to be insignificant when irrigation interval was less than 15 days. Therefore, it may be concluded that if onion bulbs are to be used fairly quickly, then maximum yield can be achieved by increasing the number of irrigation; but if they are to be stored for a long time in normal storage condition, the number of irrigation can be decreased to three. However, further study should be done to assess an economic analysis after six months’ storage to determine the level of irrigation more profitable for onion yield and storage.

Knowledge Management: Journal