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

Tahir Saleem^*, Tariq Sultan, Nazir Ahmad Mir and Malik HA ^*Correspondence: Tahir Saleem, Department of Agriculture, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir, India, Email:

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Introduction

Pran (Allium x cornutum Clementi ex Visiani) is a triploid viviparous species of genus Allium, extensively grown in Kashmir from times immemorial [1,2]. Pran is a cool season spice crop which grows well in mild climatic conditions. Being a long duration, rainfed and less labour intensive, this crop is cultivated on lofty hills where irrigation facilities seldom exist. It is more cold-hardy than onion and tolerates frost to a greater extent. Pran is traditionally cultivated in Kashmir and it is very popular as a spice and condiment due to its tasty bulbs and leaves. It is highly relished in Kashmiri kitchens in the preparation of soups, meat and salads. In the absence of scientific information with regard to appropriate nutrient dosage, spacing and bulb size for propagation in pran, it is difficult to reckon and realize the objective of higher yield. The present investigation was carried out to find the appropriate nutrient dose, bulb size and spacing for yield maximization in pran.

Materials and Methods

The experiment was conducted in two successive years and laid out in random block design with 27 treatments and 3 replications as detailed below. Three factors viz., NPK, spacing and bulb size were taken for evaluation, each at three different levels in different forming 27 treatment combinations as given below (Tables 1 and 2).

TABLE 1 Experiment was conducted in two successive years and laid out in random block design with 27 treatments and 3 replications as detailed below

TABLE 2 Spacing and bulb size were taken for evaluation, each at three different levels in different forming 27 treatment combinations

Observations were recorded on various growth, yield and quality attributes of top onion. Ten competitive plants were selected at random from each treatment and tagged for recording observations. Mean values for all the characters were worked out. The bulbs obtained from uprooting ten randomly selected plants were weighed expressed as bulb weight per plant in grams for all the treatment combinations in all the replications. The bulb yield per hectare was computed based on bulb yield per plot and expressed in tonnes per hectare.

Results and Discussion

The results of the experiment (Table 3) showed that maximum fresh bulb weight of 16.44 g was registered in treatment combination F3B3S3 (120:100:80 NPK kgha^_-1+7.6-10.0 g bulb size and 20 × 20 cm spacing) after pooling the two-year data. This was followed by treatment combination F3B2S3 (120:100:80 NPK kgha^-1+5.1-7.5 g bulb size and 20 × 20 cm spacing) which registered the fresh bulb weight of 16.34 g in pooled analysis. Lowest fresh bulb weight of 8.04 g was registered in treatment combination F1B1S1. Maximum fresh yield of 37.72 tha^-1 was registered in treatment combination F2B2S2 after pooling the two-year data. This was followed by treatment combination F2B3S2 which registered the fresh yield of 37.70 tha^-1 in pooled analysis. Lowest fresh yield of 28.03 tha^-1 was registered in treatment combination F1B1S1 (Table 4).

Number of bulbs per plant, bulb length, bulb diameter, fresh bulb weight and fresh weight of bulbs per plant were significantly increased by using medium weight and large bulb weight in both seasons. This could be a result of the positive effect of available food reserves in large bulbs, which might have improved crop establishment and consequently increased growth characters and subsequently yield attributes like number of bulbs per plant, bulb length, bulb diameter, fresh bulb weight and fresh weight of bulbs per plant. Bulb size is related to planting density and smaller bulbs are formed at closer spacing. Close spacing of individual plants suffers much from competition and the crop may be improved in too wide spacing; however, the yield per hectares may be reduced because of reduction in plant number. The results are in accordance with findings of Faheema, et al. Hussain, et al. [3,4].

TABLE 3 Effect of NPK, bulb size and spacing on bulb weight (g) of Pran (Top onion)

TABLE 4 Effect of NPK, bulb size and spacing on fresh yield (tha^-1) of Pran (Top onion) fresh

Conclusion

It was observed that different combinations of NPK, bulb size and spacing exhibited a significant influence on all the parameters of top onion. Treatment F₂B₂S₂ (100:80:60 NPK kgha^-1+5.1-7.5 g bulb size and 20 × 15 cm spacing) proved superior over rest of the treatments with respect to yield.

References

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