Onion (Allium cepa L.) seed response to drip and fertigation levels

Abstract

A factorial randomized block design with three replications was adopted for field experiment on onion seed crop which was conducted during the period from December 2022 to May 2023 at the All India Coordinated Research Projects on Vegetable Crops, MPKV, Rahuri to check out the economic feasibility along with impacts on onion seed crop growth, yield and yield-contributing characteristics of drip irrigation and fertigation levels in comparison to surface irrigation and to simulate onion seed yield using CROPWAT 8.0 model. The study revealed that cultivating onion seed crop @ 80% PE and 80% water soluble RDF at weekly interval in 11 splits is beneficial for better B:C ratio and WUE under semi-arid conditions. If Kc values for onion seed crop are available, drip fertigation at 80% ETc and 100% RDF is recommended for economical use of available water. The simulated onion seed yield using CROPWAT 8.0 model revealed comparable results.