Influence of salicylic acid on growth, yield and quality attributes of onion under temperate conditions

Abstract

An experiment was conducted during rabi-2017-18, and 2018-2019 at experimental field of Division of Vegetable Sciences of, SKUAST-Kashmir with six treatments and three replications in randomised block design. The treatment consists of foliar spray of Salicylic acid at the rate of 250 mg/L at different intervals to study difference in plant height (cm), number of leaves, polar diameter (cms), Equatorial diameter (cm), Average bulb weight (gms), neck thickness and bulb yield including quality as well as storage parameters of onion bulb. The pooled results indicated that significant improvement in vegetative, growth yield and quality parameters were found as compared to control application. Foliar application of salicylclic acid at 30 & 120 days after transplanting recorded maximum plant height (81.55 cms), number of leaves/plant (12.95), Average Bulb weight (98.70 gms), maximum polar diameter (6.38 cms), equatorial diameter (7.16 cms), total bulb yield (322.81 q ha-1), neck thickness (0.46 cms), and also same treatment registered maximum quality attributes like dry matter content (15.31), soluble solid content (11.92 0Brix), Pyruvic Acid (µmol g-1) content (7.66 mg/100 g) besides lowest storage losses were also recorded with same treatment (9.15%).