Effect of integrated nutrient management on growth and bulb yield of onion (Allium cepa L.) under irrigation at Selekleka, Northern Ethiopia
Keywords:
farmyard manure, integrated nutrient management, nitrogen, Onion, vermicompostAbstract
Onion is an important crop both as a condiment and income generation for smallholder farmers in north western Zone of Tigray. However, Continuous use of inorganic fertilizers and inappropriate soil fertility management practices are among the major factors limiting onion productivity in the region. Therefore, a field experiment was undertaken in Selekleka district north western zone of Tigray, from October 2015 to June 2016 to assess the effects of integrated nutrient management on growth and bulb yield of onion (Allium cepa L.). The treatments consisted of combinations of two rates of farmyard manure (FYM) (10 and 20 t ha-1) and two rates of vermicompost (VC) (2.5 and 5 t ha-1) each combined with three rates of nitrogen (25, 50 and 75) of recommended N fertilizers, RDF. In addition, 100% RDF N (69 kg N ha-1), 100% (5 t ha-1) of VC, 100% (20 t ha-1) FYM and zero rates (unfertilized treatment) were used for comparison. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Results revealed that combined application of 5 t ha-1 VC+50% inorganic N fertilizers recorded the highest plant height (71.67 cm), leaf number (16.15), leaf length (45.19 cm), neck thickness (1.51 cm), bulb length (5.51 cm), bulb diameter (5.90 cm), mean bulb weight (92.64 g), biological yield (131.42 g), harvest index (82.18%), marketable yield (35.13 t ha-1), bulb dry weight (35.46%), total dry biomass (40.27 g), and total yield (35.25 t ha-1). It could, thus, be concluded that, based on the partial budget analysis and result of soli analysis after harvest the application of 5 t ha-1 vermicompost and 50 % recommended inorganic nitrogen was the appropriate combination for better onion production with minimum weight loss in the study area.
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