Agricultural and Biological Research

Effect of NPK, bulb size and spacing on yield of pran (top onion) under temperate rainfed conditions

Tahir Saleem*, Tariq Sultan, Nazir Ahmad Mir, Malik HA

The present investigation was carried out at the experimental field of the division of vegetable science, Sher-e-Kashmir university of agricultural sciences and technology of Kashmir, Shalimar during for ascertaining suitable spacing, bulb size and NPK combination for maximizing yield and quality of top onion (Pran). The experiment comprising of 27 treatment combinations was laid out as a randomized complete block design with each treatment combination replicated three times. Three bulb sizes (2.5-5.0, 5.1-7.5 and 7.6-10.0 g), three spacings (20 × 10, 20 × 15 and 20 × 20 cm) and three NPK fertilizer levels (80:60:40, 100:80:60 and 120:100:80 NPK kgha-1) in various combinations were tried in the experiment. The findings reveal that among various treatment combinations, F3B3S3 combination (120:100:80 NPK kgha-1, 7.6-10.0 g bulbs and 20 × 20 cm spacing) recorded highest values for number of bulbs (8.72), bulb length (6.73 cm), bulb diameter (2.79 cm), bulb weight (16.44 g), bulb weight per plant (141.75 g). However highest yield per hectare (37.72 tha-1) was recorded for F2B2S2 treatment combination (100:80:60 NPK kgha-1, 5.1-7.5 g bulbs and 20 × 15 cm spacing).