Effect of integrated nutrient management on quality of onion (Allium cepa L.) and uptake of nitrogen under North Gujarat condition

Abstract

The present investigation entitled “Effect of integrated nutrient management on quality of onion (Allium cepa L.) under North Gujarat condition’’ was carried out during rabi season of 2016-17 at the farm of College of Horticulture, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Jagudan, Dist. Mehsana, Gujarat. Experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications. Total thirteen treatments viz., T1: 100% RDF (100:50:50 kg NPK/ha + 20 tonne FYM/ha); T2: 25% RDN through FYM + 75% N through chemical fertilizer; T3: 50% RDN through FYM + 50% N through chemical fertilizer; T4 : 75% RDN through FYM + 25% N through chemical fertilizer; T5: 25% RDN through vermicompost + 75% N through chemical fertilizer; T6: 50% RDN through vermicompost + 50% N through chemical fertilizer; T7: 75% RDN through vermicompost + 25% N through chemical fertilizer; T8: 25% RDN through poultry manure + 75% N through chemical fertilizer; T9 : 50% RDN through poultry manure + 50% N through chemical fertilizer; T10: 75% RDN through poultry manure + 25% N through chemical fertilizer; T11: 50% RDN through neem cake + 50% N through chemical fertilizer; T12: 50% RDN through neem cake + 50% N through chemical fertilizer; T13: 75% RDN through neem cake + 25% N through chemical fertilizer. Treatments were evaluated with respect to quality parameters of onion. Among the various treatments, treatment T7 (75% RDN through vermicompost + 25% N through chemical fertilizer) was recorded significantly superior over the rest of the treatments. The maximum bulb diameter (7.38 cm), nitrogen uptake (22.75 kg/ha), available nitrogen (192.54 kg/ha), phosphorous (36.67 kg/ha) and potassium (292.42 kg/ha) from the soil were recorded under treatment T7. Whereas, minimum neck thickness (0.68 cm) after curing was noted in the T1 [100% RDF (100:50:50 kg NPK/ha + 20 tonne FYM/ha)].