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Growth, Yield and Storage Performance of Onion as Influenced by Planting Time and Storage Condition

M.O. Faruq
Hill Agricultural Research Station, Khagrachari, Bangladesh.

M.S. Alam
Hill Agricultural Research Station, Khagrachari, Bangladesh.

M. Rahman
Regional Agricultural Research Station, Hathazari, Bangladesh.

A.F.M. Sharfudddin
Department of Horticulture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

An experiment was conducted at the Horticulture Farm of Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during November, 2000 to August 2001 to determine optimum planting time for growth, yield and storage performance of onion. Three dates of planting viz., November 22, December 7 and 22 and, two storage conditions viz., inside sand and open on bamboo platform were investigated. The planting time had significant effect on growth, yield components, yield and also storage parameter studied. The November 22 planting produced the highest yield (25 t ha^-1) by increasing leaf number per plant (11.73), bulb diameter (5.31cm), fresh weight of bulb (59.60g) and dry matter content of bulb (13.44%). In the three planting times, the rotting percentage was higher (15.51, 8.66 and 8.34 respectively) under inside sand storage. The highest weight loss (29.21%) and sprouting (1.98%) were obtained by November 22 planting with open storage on bamboo platform.

Keywords: Onion, Planting time, Storage condition, Yield performance

Location: Horticulture Farm of the Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh

Start Date: 00-11-2000

End Date: 00-08-2001

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Onion

Objectives:

To determine the storage behavior and appropriate time of planting of onion to maximize bulb production .

Methodology:

The experiment was conducted at the Horticulture Farm of the Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during the period from November, 2000 to August, 2001. The crop was raised during November to April and storage performance of the harvested bulbs was studied for about four months of April to August, 2001 at the Farm house. The soil of the experimental plot belongs to the Old Bramhmaputra Floodplain Alluvial Tract. The selected area was medium high land having soil plI6.8, 0.92% organic carbon, 0.12% total N, 20 ppm Olsen P and 0.13 me% ammonium acetate K. The crop received total rainfall was 134.7 mm during the period of crop growth from November, 2000 to April, 2001. Three times of planting viz., November 22, December 7 and December 22 and, two storage conditions, viz., storage in open condition on bamboo platform and storage inside dry sand. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The seedlings were raised from well prepared seedbed on three dates of seed sowing of the variety, BARI Peaj 1. Fifty five days old seedlings with tops and roots pruned were transplanted on three dates according to the treatments following single row system of planting with a spacing of 20cm X 10cm. The unit plot was 3m X 1 m. Light watering was given just after transplanting. Manure and fertilizers were applied according to the recommendation of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (1996) of cowdung @ 10 t ha^-1 and urea, triple super phosphate(TSP), muriate of potash (MOP) at the rate of 260,200 and 150 kg ha^-1, respectively. The whole amount of cowdung and TSP were applied during final land preparation. Urea and MOP were applied as top dress in two equal installments after 25 and 50 days after transplanting of seedlings. Gap filling was done within seven days after transplanting with the same aged seedlings already grown as border crops. Weeding and mulching were done manually by 'Khurpi' as and when necessary to keep the crop free from weeds and to maintain better soil aeration and conserve soil moisture. A constant moisture supply was maintained by applying irrigation. Irrigation was stopped before 3 weeks of harvesting to ensure better storage performance. Three sprayings of Rovral were applied to control purple blotch disease at an interval of a couple of weeks starting from one month after transplanting. Bolting was discouraged by pinching of the flower stalks whenever they appeared during the growing period of the crop. The crop was harvested after 115 days of transplanting. Before 10 days of harvest, the plant was blended to soil level by hands to hasten maturity. Curing of bulbs were done in a room at ambient temperature (29.6 ± 2.6) °c and 80-85% RH for seven days and then stored in a well ventilated thatched house according to the treatments. Data were collected on plant growth, yield contributing characters, yield and different parameters on storage conditions. The data on various characters were statistically analyzed using MSTAT-C computer package program. The significance of the differences among the pairs of treatment means were evaluated by the Least Significant Difference (LSD) test for the interpretation of the results.

Source of Information: Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences 6 (13): 1179-1182, 2003; ISSN 1028-8880

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Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The results revealed that sprouting started after 60 days of storage under all the treatment combinations. The highest percentage of sprouting of bulbs (1.98) was obtained in early planting with open storage in bamboo platform and the lowest (0.93) observed under the combination of December 7 planting with inside sand storage. The result revealed that November 22 planting time was better for the production of onion. Late planting with inside dry sand storage was fruitful method for long time storage of onion.

Knowledge Management: Journal