DefinePK

Abstract

An experiment entitled “The effect of sowing dates and phosphorus levels on the growth and bulb production of onion” was conducted at Dargai with collaboration of Agriculture Extension Department Malakand Agency Pakistan in 2012. The experiment was laid out according to Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with split plot arrangement. There were two factors i.e. sowing date and phosphorus levels. Sowing dates were assigned to main plots while different phosphorus levels were allotted to sub plots. The nursery of onions were raised on five different dates (26th October, 5th November, 15th November, 25th November and 5th December) 2012 and were treated with different levels of phosphorus (0, 60, 90 and 120 kg ha-1) at the time of transplantation. Increase in plant heights (57.5 cm), number of leaves (9.0), leaf length (46.4 cm), leaf width (1.0 cm), bulb diameter (4.9 cm) average bulb weight (84.8) and yield ton ha-1 (36) was observed when seeds were sown on 26th October while best results regarding plant height (53 cm), number of leaves (8.3), leaf length (41.1 cm), leaf width (0.8 cm), bulb diameter (4.2 cm) average bulb weight(58.2) and yield tons ha-1 (34.8) was observed with the application of 120 kg phosphorus ha-1. As onion sown on 26th October with the application of 120 kg phosphorus ha-1 resulted in overall best performance and hence recommended for onion bulbs production in Malakand region.
Keywords: Onion (Allium cepa L); Sowing dates; Phosphorus levels; Growth of onion bulb; Onion production
http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2016.50053